Charter Schools Research Articles

The Influence of Charter Schools on Education Equity in America

The historical issues that caused a long-lasting education equity issue in America have been relieved by the emergence of charter schools as a popular alternative to traditional public schools. This study aims to analyze the influence of charter schools on educational equity in the United States. The research involved a literary review, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative analysis from reports done by experts in educational equity. This paper will first define the systemic issues of education inequality. Next, the paper will compare the situation of education equity before and after the emergence of charter schools. Then, the paper will identify the reason why charter schools can enhance educational equity in the United States. Finally, this paper will offer constructive suggestions targeting some existing drawbacks of charter schools for improving educational equity in the United States. Overall, this paper finds that charter schools have a positive influence on enhancing educational equity in America.

Charter School Autonomy and Centralized Student Transportation: How Contextual Factors Influence Perspectives in Three Cities

ABSTRACT Some school districts have centralized school operations as a means to ensure universal access to schools of choice. Yet, centralization can infringe on charter school autonomy. We explore how district and charter school leaders in three contexts perceive and negotiate the trade-offs between centralized versus school-based autonomy. We find that decision-making and governance of student transportation are inherently place-specific, with conditions of history, geography, infrastructure, and state governance dominating leaders’ preferences. Therefore, despite the recognized benefits, school leaders maintain vastly different perspectives about the feasibility and appeal of centralized transportation within the charter sector.

The Effects of Charter High Schools on Academic Achievement and College Enrollment: Evidence from Los Angeles

Abstract This paper estimates the causal effects of enrollment in one of five oversubscribed high-quality Los Angeles charter schools using a lottery design. Enrolling in a charter school increased eleventh-grade standardized test scores and enrollment and persistence in four-year colleges substantially, but had no effect on high school GPA. Charter students took more advanced coursework, were less likely to skip class, were more likely to apply to a four-year college, and reported more teacher support for college-going. The increase in four-year persistence appears to be driven by more enrollment and persistence in University of California campuses, which have higher graduation rates than the likely alternatives. This suggests that the effects of charter schools could depend on the availability of high graduation rate colleges.

Impact of an After-School Club on Elementary Students’ and Staff Members’ Physical Activity Levels, Mood Levels, and Stress Levels

Guided by the conceptual framework of the Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP), the purpose of this study was to determine if a walking club after school for teachers and students increased physical activity levels, reduced stress, and improved mood. The participants were 51 (67% male, 33% female) fourth- to eighth-grade students and eight staff members at a charter school in the Southwest United States, along with nine comparison teachers. They participated in an 8-week after-school walking/running club twice a week for 45 min. Participants wore a pedometer and completed validated instruments to assess stress levels and mood. Descriptive statistics were performed. Group differences were explored with t tests. Overall, the average number of steps during the 13 school days for students was 7,657 (SD = 2,661). The after-school program added an additional 2,585 (SD = 699) steps to their day. Staff members were less active at school with 5,896.33 (SD = 2,617) steps, but equally or more active in the after-school program with 3,063 (SD = 331) steps. The t-test results were significant, showing students and teachers reported less stress at the end of the program. Only staff members completed the mood instrument, and there were significantly more positive mood indicators and fewer negative mood indicators at the posttest. Comparison teachers had similar steps at school. Because the intervention group of teachers reported more stress at pretest, their decreased stress values were similar to the comparison teachers at posttest. Participating in an after-school walking/running club can increase daily physical activity, decrease stress levels, and improve overall mood, specifically, if teachers want to feel more interested and inspired and less distressed, irritable, and nervous.

Revoke the Charters: A Critical Reevaluation of Charter Schools

Revoke the Charters: A Critical Reevaluation of Charter Schools

Restorative Justice in a No Excuses Charter School

Restorative justice practices are an increasingly popular approach to behavioral management, rooted in relationships rather than the behaviorist approach of many traditional forms of schooling. Research on restorative practice implementation demonstrates that schools rarely have time to consider cultural change, as they rush to reduce suspensions and discipline gaps. Presumably, this mismatch between culture and practice would be even more pronounced in a no-excuses charter, but this presumption warrants inquiry. Framed by theories of institutional logics, the current study examines an historically no-excuses charter school’s shift toward restorative justice. We find that a behaviorist, “no-excuses” logic inhibits teachers and administrators from embracing the cultural and ideological foundations of restorative justice, even as they express ideological and intellectual commitment to the shift in practices. We close with implications for school leadership and restorative justice implementation.

The Nation’s Charter Report Card: A New Ranking of States by Charter Student Performance

ABSTRACT Five groups rank state charter school environments according to their laws, regulations, funding, and other characteristics, but none rank states by charter student performances on a national test. We rank states by demographically adjusted math and reading performances of charter students in 4th and 8th grade for the period 2009 to 2019 on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. State positions correlate (0.33) with standings for all public-school students. Overall charter standings correlate with subgroup rankings: Black (0.92), Hispanic (0.77), lower-income (0.95), lower-education (0.92), urban (0.97), non-urban (0.74). Nonprofit schools in networks outperform for-profit and stand-alone schools.

ORGANIZATION OF A FAVORABLE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT FOR THE AT RISK CHILDREN IN THE USA

This article considers the issue of deviant behaviour and its prevention among the children at risk in the USA. The aim of the study is to reveal the influence of a favorable educational environment on the at risk children. Theoretical research methods have been used in this study: analysis of scientific sources, systematisation and generalisation of available data. The results of this investigation give possibility to state that among other ways of overcoming deviations in the behavior of at-risk minors, scientists consider the possibility of creating such an educational environment in which the educational influence of the team on the individual is fully realized. The axiological content of the idea of collectivity as a factor in overcoming the deviant behavior of minors during pedagogical interaction with them consists in changing their worldview. They get rid of the feeling of loneliness, isolation, their uselessness, the external environment is no longer seen as distant and hostile, but open, more understandable and benevolent. Such processes activate the need for communication and interaction in a teenager with deviant behavior, which leads to the improvement of such mechanisms as self-awareness, self-acceptance, and praxis. A teenager learns to understand and adequately perceive others, control his actions and emotions, feels the need for empathic and long-term relationships. All these phenomena in their totality, in our opinion, determine the processes of self-correction and overcoming deviations in behavior. The study of the researches of US scientists shows that the pedagogy of the country has already accumulated some experience in educating minors in the spirit of collectivism. In particular, the idea of country camps and the scouting movement, which is one of the traditional forms of organizing educational space in America, finds a new sound in the context of its importance for the process of overcoming deviant behavior of teenagers in the team. A favorable educational environment is created for minors with deviant behavior, who find it difficult to study in traditional educational institutions and often stop studying, also through social inclusion. Inclusion of children with deviant behavior is implemented with the help of alternative education, which in the USA is represented by alternative schools (public or private); alternative educational programs that can operate in regular traditional schools; original teaching strategies aimed at the assimilation of knowledge by all students. Alternative schools are characterized by expanding the degree of freedom of children both in choosing the content, forms and methods of learning, and in evaluating the results of activities, which always contributes to the formation of the child and as a subject of culture within the framework of his life activities and life creativity. Alternative schools for at-risk minors include charter schools, magnet schools, contract schools, correctional schools, multicultural schools, mixed schools, voucher programs, and homeschooling.

The market-level effects of charter schools on student outcomes: A national analysis of school districts

We study the total, market-level effects of charter schools, and their mechanisms, on a national level and across multiple outcomes. Using a generalized difference-in-differences method, we find that increasing the charter market share by 10 percentage points increases math and ELA elementary/middle test scores of the entire geographic district in which they locate by 0.01 standard deviations and increases the high school graduation rate by 1–2 percentage points. The effects are concentrated in larger, urban districts. The main mechanism appears to be the participant effect, though competitive effects are increasing in the participant effect and driven partly by the closure of low-performing traditional public schools. Causal interpretation of these findings is reinforced by analysis of potential endogeneity of charter school location and timing using placebo analysis and other methods. This study improves understanding of the array of charter mechanisms and their effects on multiple outcomes, on a national basis.

The impact of the Sentituz programmes on emotional competence and social climate in the classroom

The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the effects of two emotional education programmes in a charter school in Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain, on students’ emotional competence and the social climate in the classroom. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest repeated measures design with a control group was utilized in the study. The participants in the study were 105 students in Year 6 of primary school and Year 2 of secondary school. The Emotional Development Questionnaire (EDQ) and the Classroom Social Climate Scale (CES) were used to assess the effect of the intervention. The results indicate that the ‘Sentituz 10-12’ programme is effective in improving students’ social competence and the quality of student-teacher relationships, whereas the ‘Sentituz 12-14’ programme is effective in promoting the emotional autonomy and overall emotional competence of students. This was however, a small scale preliminary study, and further and more rigorous studies are also need in order to evaluate the impact of these two emotional education programmes. Keywords: classroom climate; social climate, social-emotional learning; emotional education; emotional competence

25 The Hybrid Learning Environment During Covid-19: A Case Study on IEP Implementation for a Student with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Objective:An effective support system for families with children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) consists of multiple methods of educational and therapeutic delivery. Such methods are adapted to meet a family’s needs and needs of the time, like the COVID-19 pandemic. Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) are established by schools to support success in academics for children with ASD. IEPs can vary depending on the district and accessibility, thus, the effective implementation and communication between this support system is important for its success. The current case study examines academic and therapeutic outcomes of an IEP implementation during hybrid learning of a child with ASD and their family.Participants and Methods:Purposeful sampling identified a participant from a previous IRB approved study through the UNLV Educational Psychology program that interviewed parents on their remote learning experience. A qualitative case study was applied to further investigate student outcomes. Parent interview and the child’s progress report were coded and analyzed systematically. The identified family included correspondence from the mother (Lisa, 37) and her son (Noah, 9). Noah attended third grade at a Charter School and was diagnosed with ASD in 2019. His IEP included 80% in General Education (online) with Special Education assistance (in person; reading, writing, and mathematics) and Occupational (OT), Speech/Language (SLP), and Physical Therapy (PT) (hybrid).Results:Noah began hybrid learning in October 2020, with in-person learning two days a week and remote learning everyday for two to three hours each day. Progress report and interview were collected in April 2021 at the halfway point of his IEP implementation which described Noah’s current special education and therapy services goals/outcomes in March 2021. This included 11 goals that were observed and assessed in OT (2), PT(2), Reading (2), Writing (1), Math (2), and SLP (2). Noah progressed in 9 of 11 goals, with 1 being met and 8 classified as satisfactory by displaying some improvement in respective skills mid year. The remaining OT (2) goals showed no definitive conclusion. Lisa mentioned that lack of direct observation of particular skills and too many online classes to attend led to inconclusive outcomes. Lisa and Noah came across difficulties while engaging in OT online sessions encountering emotional stress when adjusting to the mode of delivery. Lisa expressed positive emotions when referring to the support system and described it as collaborative with adequate attention to multiple aspects of his development. She voiced understanding of her’s and other professionals’ role and the extent of their abilities in the context of the pandemic.Conclusions:Of the 11 IEP goals, there was adequate progress for the child amid hybrid learning. The parent preferred that OT be delivered in person as certain procedures require direct contact and affected outcomes. Hybrid learning has allowed for parents to directly access their children’s endeavors and heighten communication with professionals. This suggests that maintenance of IEP standards can be satisfactory in a hybrid learning model with adequate monitoring from parents and treatment teams for children with ASD.

Organizational Structure, Instructional Quality, and Student Achievement: The Case of Public and Private Schools

Influencing major education policies in the US such as school vouchers and charter schools, market theory assumes that organizational autonomy, parental choice, and competition between schools improve the quality of education. However, whether those policies can influence the instructional core of schools is not well understood. Comparing private and public schools offers an opportunity to examine whether market-oriented assumptions hold in practice. Relying on institutional theory, this study examines whether public and private schools differ in their instructional quality and whether such differences translate into achievement advantages in the US. Using Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) surveys and achievement data, the study integrates structural equation modeling and propensity score matching to examine the latent construct of instructional quality and mitigate selection bias. Results indicate similar instructional quality in public and private schools explaining comparable student achievement by school type. Barriers to instructional change through market-oriented reforms are discussed.

Leading urban school teachers of Black and Brown students during social injustice and the pandemic

ABSTRACT This case study illustrates how leadership for learning and cultural competence could be used as theories of action during times of disruption to lead and transform urban teachers’ sense of self, sense of others, and motivation for change. The case study focuses on educators from a large urban charter school whose response to the pandemic and the social justice movements was using a year-long professional development to provide continuous support and foster a growth mindset among educators. Self-evaluation on the cultural proficiency scale showed that the principal and thirty teachers differed in their levels of proficiency. The principal and six teachers with middle and high levels of proficiency were then interviewed to probe their personal interpretations of the connections among their cultural competence, their awareness of structural inequities, and the ways this awareness might have impacted how they teach Black and Brown students in their classrooms. Regardless of where they were on the scale, Black and White educators benefited from self-reflections and group dialogue about how they value, model, and practice cultural proficiency with their Black and Brown students. These findings have implications for urban public charter school leadership during times of continued change and uncertainty.

Covering Número 85: a content analysis and critical race theory perspective

PurposeNarratives about racism and equity in schools have been documented in varying degrees of detail and accuracy in the news media (Farhi, 2012). Thus, race is front and center in the news reports, demonstrating how education policies are detrimental to the Island while also contending that policy drivers of Ley de Reforma Educativa de Puerto Rico (LREPR) are ignoring the racialized consequences of these neoliberal policies.Design/methodology/approachTo examine the implementation of LREPR in education discourse in the media, a content analysis on texts in the Puerto Rican media was conducted. To conduct the analysis, an original dataset of texts from the four major newspapers in Puerto Rico: El Nuevo Dia, El Vocero, Primera Hora and The San Juan Daily Star (n = 119) was created.FindingsThe study shows how the collective resistance of Puerto Ricans towards LREPR suggests racialized consequences for this “post”-colonial Island as they engage in dialogues about property rights and dispute policy discourse. Data suggests the alarming effects of neoliberalism as perceived by Puerto Rican citizens, while highlighting shared concerns aligned with elements of critical race theory such as colorblindness and property rights.Research limitations/implicationsThis study breaks ground by identifying a new intellectual pursuit of charter schools purchasing land or buildings in marginalized communities. It argues that the news coverage demonstrates how Puerto Rican citizens have illuminated the purchase of land for charter schools, viewing it as an act of colonialism veiled as market competition and economic improvement for the Island. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.Originality/valueThe findings from this research contribute to how critical race theory is used and conceptualized in the educational leadership field. Additionally, the study contributes to the field of research by conducting a content analysis of newspaper articles in Puerto Rico, looking through the CRT lens to illuminate systemic racism that is present in media accounts of education.

Charter management organizations—Replication and expansion of high‐quality charter schools (ED)

Charter management organizations—Replication and expansion of high‐quality charter schools (ED)

Teacher Morale, Job Satisfaction, and Burnout in Schools of Choice Following the COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT Student enrollment patterns have been studied during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many families seeking alternatives to traditional public schools. Less is known about teacher experiences in these alternatives. We explored predictors of teacher job satisfaction, burnout, and morale. Of particular interest was whether these presented differently across school types. We surveyed teachers nationwide (n = 798) in May 2022. Three linear regression models were tested. Results suggested that teacher autonomy and administrative support were significant predictors in each model. Private school teachers experienced greater job satisfaction and morale than traditional public school teachers; charter school teachers had greater levels of morale.

Differences in Grade 4 Mathematics Performance of Students in Poverty Between Charter and Traditional Elementary Schools: A Multiyear Texas Analysis

In this statewide, multiyear analysis, the extent to which differences were present in mathematics achievement of Grade 4 students in poverty by school type (i.e., traditional or charter) was determined. Specifically examined was the relationship of performance to the three State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Mathematics Performance Indicators in the 2015-2016 through the 2017-2018 school years. Statistical analyses revealed the presence of statistically significant differences in mathematics achievement as a function of school type. Grade 4 students in poverty who were enrolled in traditional schools met or exceeded the percent of students enrolled in charter schools who met the performance standards (i.e., Approaches Grade Level, Meets Grade Level, and Masters Grade Level) in all but one year with one standard. Students in poverty enrolled in charter schools met the 2015-2016 Masters Grade Level performance standard at a higher percent then students in poverty enrolled in traditional schools.

Under The Law: Oklahoma!

In June 2023, the Oklahoma Virtual Charter School Board approved the establishment of a charter school by the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. This amounts to state funding of a religious school. Robert Kim discusses how this decision goes against Oklahoma’s constitutional and legislative history, why allowing religious charters is not the same as allowing vouchers for religious schools, and the potential implications of allowing direct state funding of religious schools.

Policy Solutions: Was the LeBron James school a false promise?

LeBron James’ I Promise School in Akron, Ohio, attracted attention recently for its low test scores for 8th-grade students. Unlike other philanthropic schools. I Promise is neither a private school nor a charter school. Instead, it is part of the Akron Public Schools system and is governed by the school board. Columnist Jonathan E. Collins writes that I Promise is part of the school system and can’t be separated from it. While flawed, school boards are the best way to create a strong and equitable education system and make democracy better. School boards and the districts they govern allow for school improvement at a structural level. They also allow for the public to have a say in the school system, through elections and opportunities for dialogue around how to improve individual schools as parts of a larger system.

Writing a genealogical ethnography of a multi-academy trust

ABSTRACT The multi-academy trust (MAT) is rooted in the restructuring of schools in England through the process of academisation. MATs are independent, non-fee-paying education providers comparable to Swedish free schools and US charter Schools. Using Foucauldian thinking on geneaology I follow the emergence of the MAT. To do this, I trace the intersections and convergence of discourses and legislation which enabled the MAT to emerge. I analyse ethnographic data from a yearlong study of the Lawrence Trust which investigated the leadership praxis of the CEO. I argue disruptions and discontinuities in policy contribute to the advent of the MAT, though its history is non-linear. MATs are formed from a convergence of policy entanglements, an imbrication of discourses requiring new ways of leading. This article highlights the reorganisation of schooling through the existence of a MAT signified by the disintermediation of the local (regional) authority, and the decline of public education embodied in the corporatised leadership practices of the CEO.