On Becoming College Prep: Examining the Challenges Charter School Staff Members Face While Executing a School's Mission

Abstract

This article draws from a case study investigating the organizational characteristics of a college preparatory charter high school and the impact of that college preparatory climate on the postsecondary plans of the school's graduating classes. Although charters provide local communities with alternatives to existing educational institutions, many recently chartered schools face organizational trials that can limit their effectiveness. This article reports findings from the base-year data collection of a multiyear case study of a recently chartered college preparatory high school. The findings show how logistical constraints and staff turnover affected the implementation of the school's mission, which is to prepare educationally and socially disadvantaged students for college.