Product Description
The uphill battle faced by charter schools--and how they can overcome the oddsCharter schools--born into a hostile environment--are publicly funded schools operated by independent groups under contract with government agencies that provide a valuable alternative to traditional bureaucratically operated school districts. But state laws and policies have stacked the deck against them by limiting the number of charter schools allowed in a state, forbidding for-profit firms from holding charters, forcing them to pay rent out of operating funds, and many other ways. Charter Schools against the Odds explains how these policies can be amended to level the playing field and give charter schools--and the children they serve--a fairer chance to succeed.The contributors show the ways schools have coped by improvising, relying on contributed time and money, avoiding the most hostile environments, and taking risks when the needs of children required it. They also present valuable ideas for policy changes, explaining how charter schools can be strengthened by a combination of changes in state law, public investments in performance-based school oversight, and private initiatives supported by philanthropy--and they tell why establishing a more level playing field would stimulate even more innovations in years to come. Perhaps most important, they suggest how charter supporters can organize to make changes happen.Paul T. Hill, a distinguished visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution and member of the Koret Task Force on K-12 Education, is a research professor in the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs and director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education at the University of Washington.

Contributors: John E. Chubb, Chester E. Finn Jr., Paul T. Hill, Caroline M. Hoxby, Eric Osberg, Paul E. Peterson, Brad Smith, Nathan Torinus ... Read more

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Charter schools have become a US phenomenon, garnering praise from Democrats and Republicans. Because they appear to sidestep both political stalemate and the practical difficulty of implementing widespread change - the traditional barriers to improvement in the American public sector - charter schools hold great promise as an educational reform. Now, with charter laws on the books in more than 30 states, Bryan Hassel investigates whether charter schools have been able to avoid the pitfalls that have tripped up so many other "revolutionary" school reforms. After a broad overview of how charter laws have been adopted nationwide, the study focuses in depth on charter schools in Michigan, Colorado, Georgia and Massachusetts. Hassel reviews the four states' implementation of charter laws and whether their programmes are providing sufficient autonomy, resources and potential to influence the broader educational system - all essential components for charter schools' success.He concludes that if states want to give charter schools a full test, they should empower nonlocal entities to approve the schools, establish them as distinct local entities, allow per-pupil funding to go with students to the charter schools, and impose minimal constraints on the source and number of charter schools. The schools themselves will need to improve their infrastructure, and charter-granting agencies will have to rebuild the systems for monitoring schools' academic results and compliance with regulations. These policies are suggested to be vital for charter schools to realize their potential as a significant educational reform. ... Read more

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This book takes the reader inside the charter school movement, answering such questions as:
*What is a charter school?
*How are charter schools different from other public schools?
*What does it take to create a charter school?
*What motivates the people who initiate such schools?
*What lessons can be learned from the experiences of those who have founded charter schools?
*What does the growth of the charter school movement mean for society at large?

Using detailed case studies of seven schools in three states, this book explores the challenges faced by the founders of these schools and develops guidelines for creating a successful school. Seymour Sarason's work on the creation of settings is used as a basis for examining the complex human interactions that contributed to formation of a unique culture at each school, as well as to establish guidelines for setting up a successful school.

Introductory and concluding chapters place the charter school movement within a broader social and historical context. Tensions between the American tradition of local control of schools and the centralized tradition of schooling imported from Europe in the late 19th century are discussed. The gradual bureaucratization of U.S. public schools during the 20th century is described, along with problems that have been associated with the increasingly hierarchical and impersonal nature of educational institutions.
... Read more

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Places the debate concerning the future of public education in a meaningful framework that allows the reader to ask new questions and seek genuine solutionsCharter schools are the most significant educational experiment in the last two decades. In Expect Miracles, Peter W. Cookson, Jr. and Kristina Berger focus on the current trend toward deregulation in public education. The issue of deregulation is of critical importance because the spirit of entrepreneurship that is behind deregulation is seldom examined from a sociological perspective. Using the latest research as the basis for discussion, this book provides a fresh look at the growing and politically volatile charter school movement. The authors present the most balanced analysis to date of the movement that is changing the landscape of American education. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Expecting Miracles
Expect Miracles is a wonderful book if you have never heard of charter schools before.The first section of the book presents all of the information one would need if they were in the market for starting their own charter school.However, if you are looking for information past what a charter school is and how one would go about forming one, I would not recommend this book.

The second section of the text is aimed at being more of a theoretical nature. Unfortunatly, many of the arguements in this section are very abbreviated and not fully formed. Also, there is a definite bias in which support in terms of other research is not provided to the reader.

In all if you are looking for an objective look at charter schools, this is probably not the ideal book to read.

Expect Miracles: Charter Schools and the Politics of Hope an
The words "Expect Miracles" and "Hope and Despair" caught my attention as I was researching a book to read for an assignment in my Philosophy of Education class. As a graduate student studying in the field of Counseling and Guidance, school accountability and standardized tests have been an ongoing topic in several of my classes. I am familiar with how public and A-typical schools in my city stand on these issues however; charter schools are an area that I am unfamiliar with. After hearing mostly negative comments from former charter schoolteachers on their experience working in this type of school system. I wanted to examine this form of alternative school program.

I believe this book would be beneficial to parents who are thinking about enrolling their child in a charter school, individuals who are already knowledgeable in this form of educational system, and for individuals like myself who have an interest in learning and understanding the goals and purpose of charter schools. The authors of this book have provided the reader with information on the school choice/charter school conception through its current status and it's impact on the education of our children in America. They have also provided scenerios on what an individual would have to go through in order to see their vision of opening a charter school realized.

Finally, another issue this book addresses is whether or not government and politics should remain influential in educating our children. After reviewing the author's comments the reader will be able to ask him or herself if these institutions are the source of failure at our schools or do they contribute to their success? There are pros and cons to all educational systems in America, from traditional public schools to voucher programs. In my opinion, I believe charter schools are not the best environment for a child to learn and grow as a person. The curriculum is limited and the social structure is not as diverse as our population. ... Read more

Product Description
This book examines reform in American education over thepast fifty years and against this backdrop presents a compellinganalysis of why contemporary voucher plans and charter schools haveyet to fulfill the expectations of their advocates. It is the onlybook to date to attempt a comprehensive synthesis and analysis of theemerging research base on vouchers and charter schools. Suitable forcourses in school policy, school reform, school leadership, oreducational issues, it will also be of interest to anyone (parents,teachers, policy makers) directly involved with the charter schoolmovement.

Key features of this timely new book include the following:

* A Historical Perspective--The early chapters look at American educational reform over the past fifty years and analyze why these efforts have fallen short of their goals. * Student Achievement--Chapter 3 provides an insightful assessment of American students' school achievement from 1970 to the present and, in the process,counters the widely held myth that, overall, student achievement has deteriorated. * Voucher Plans and Charter Schools--Chapter 4 looks specifically at choice and vouchers in American education while chapters 5-7 provide a comprehensive and balanced examination of the charter school movement. * Policy Recommendations--The book concludes with explicit policy suggestions that attempt to balance the educational needs of children and youth against the rights of schools to experiment. Suggestions for developing broader coalitionsto support public education, particularly in the inner cities, are also offered. ... Read more

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Keeping the Promise? examines one of the most complex reforms in education: charter schools. This wide-ranging and thought-provoking collection of essays examines the charter school movement s founding visions, on-the-ground realities, and untapped potential within the context of an unswerving commitment to democratic, equitable public schools.Essays include policy overviews from nationally known educators such as Ted Sizer and Linda Darling-Hammond, interviews with leaders of community-based charter schools, and analyses of how charters have developed in cities such as New Orleans and Washington, D.C. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Great companion book to the documentary
Very informative book on the state of education and amazing groups who are making a difference. Lots of good fact based data. Very motivating to join in making a difference

Just complaining!
As a teacher, I agree with much of what this book states. However I was disappointed that they didn't make any suggestions for fixing the problems. Really, did we need yet another finger pointed at the system saying it is bad? We really need solutions.I walked away more depressed about my job.

EDUCATION IN CRISES
I am educator; need I say more. Our children are suffering at the hands of SOME not all educators. Our children are suffering at the hands of SOME not all school Districts. Our children are suffering at the hands of SOME not all parents who choose not to get involveds.

There are zillions of educators that are fighting and trying to champion children's educational rights -- AS THE EDUCATIONAL ACT STATES IT MUST BE CHAMPIONED --all over this beautiful Nation; and then there are the "few" teachers -- I do not refer to them as educators -- that are there (in the classroom), teaching your child for the paycheck.

This book will help weed these teachers out; this book will make zillions more sit up and take notice - mark my words.

This book is a must read - for educators sand also non educators - even children.

Children Come First
Let me start by stating what this book is not, and then devote the rest of my review to what this companion book (to the recently released documentary film of the same title) is.Although the book contains some criticism of teacher unions, it is not a biased bashing of teachers.One of the book's chapters is written by Randi Weingarten, the head of the American Federation of Teachers.Two other chapters were written by Davis Guggenheim and Lesley Chilcott, the director and producer, respectively, of the film documentary.(Guggenheim previously directed Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth," so I wouldn't call him an anti-union fanatic.)Additionally, a chapter is written by Bill and Melinda Gates, and others are written by a Stanford professor (who tried to teach me economics some 40 years ago), a leading education reporter, and Michelle Rhee, the reformer chancellor (at the time of this writing) of Washington D.C. public schools.There is a balance of viewpoints, as you might imagine.The book's editor, Karl Weber, and the various chapter authors make the point that there is much work to be done to improve our education system.Basically, they report and you get to decide.

This companion book begins by stating the case that we're all too familiar with--U.S. public education performance isn't what we'd like it to be.For example, among 30 developed countries, U.S. students rank 25th in math and 21st in science.High school graduation rates for minorities are barely 60%.(Some argue that access to a quality education may be the biggest civil rights issue of our time.)The majority of prison inmates are high school dropouts.(It costs a lot more to imprison someone for a year than to educate a student for the same time.)The average high school graduate will earn very significantly less than the average college graduate over a lifetime.You likely know all these rather depressing facts, so I'll move on.

"Waiting for `Superman'" describes (separately) the situations of five students striving (and waiting) to get a quality education, and each of their stories is followed by contributing chapters by the individuals I mentioned earlier.From different perspectives, the children's stories are fascinating, hopeful and heartbreaking.

So what can interested citizens do?Near the end of this fast-reading book there are a dozen or so pages devoted to how parents, students, educators and businesspeople can all help advance the cause of quality education.Further, for those who want to involve themselves further, there are over 30 pages of listings of web sites and organizations devoted to children, schools and progress in education.

In short, the issue at the heart of this book (and the movie) is vital to the success of our children and our country.(By the way, the movie premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and took home the Best U.S. Documentary Audience Award.)For those who want to understand the education situation better and perhaps make some contribution to improving education for all children, this book is a good first step.

A Compelling Call to Action
I gave this guidebook 4-Stars. The guidebook (companion to the documentary film) is clearly written and uses stories that illustrate the need for improving learning and teaching in schools and communities today. Additionally, a variety of stakeholders are interviewed such as students and parents, selected researchers/practitioners and leaders from the field of education, and executives from private foundations. In terms of the book's usefulness and ideas for practical application, it offers a number of ways that citizens might choose to support education within their local communities.

Education is a vast and complex field. Therefore, obviously this book does not include some of the key areas of research that hold promise for improving student learning, nor is it a simple one solution step-by-step guide for what to do to improve teaching and learning in America's schools. However, the text achieves its goal as 'an inspiring call for reform' as stated in the product description.

Hopefully this book will serve as an urgent call for all Americans to focus on creating school systems where all students can reach their true potential. Students arrive at school full of potential, but with a broad range of readiness for learning at school. For example, some arrive one to two years ahead of grade level in reading and some arrive one or two years behind.Therefore, the school system needs to accurately assess where students are academically as they enter the system. Then the system must ensure that students receive the intensity of high quality instruction needed to get to grade level with their peers. The system also needs to ensure that teachers get the high quality education, training, mentoring, and support they need to develop the knowledge and skills to teach students today.A key to teacher success is to be able to align instruction with the growing research base on how students learn.

There are many passionate teachers in classrooms across America in all types of schools. However, few get the support they need. For example, often, new teachers who enter the profession leave teaching due to lack of such support. In fact, some studies indicate 30 -50% leave in the first few years. Often these teachers would stay if they had the support to create learning opportunities for students, because seeing their students learn is what keeps good teachers motivated to stay in the field.

We hope this book is a catalyst for more Americans to explore ways in which they can help school systems transform into places where every student has the opportunity to reach their true potential. Parent and community involvement is critically important as students spend 80-90% of time in the home and community (outside of school) prior to the end of their high school years.It is a time for communities and schools to create a system of education that works for all students. Schools cannot do it by themselves.

Donna Wilson, Ph.D. ... Read more

Product Description
In the heated debate over charter schools, advocates insist charters are a beneficial alternative that especially helps economically disadvantaged students, while critics doubt these touted achievements. This new book, co-published by the Economic Policy Institute and Teachers College Press, sheds much-needed light on the effectiveness of charter schools by analyzing current research and data to show how they perform compared to regular public schools. The Charter School Dust-Up looks at national data and studies in 13 states to investigate charter school enrollment and achievement.

Debates spurred by federal charter school test data show how all debates about education could be improved: by carefully accounting for the difficulty of educating particular groups of students before interpreting test scores, and by focusing on student gains, not their level of achievement at any particular time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Somewhat informative, but the book feels very one-sided and dated.
I saw this book as a assigned book for a college course and even when this book came out it was already dated.Harvard University did a study back in '04 before the copyright on this book on the topic of charter schools and their performance relative to the local schools with similar demographics and came up with completely different results showing in most cases charters did better than the local school with similar racial makeup performed.

The authors of this book base their assertion that charter schools are unsuccessful relative to regular public schools based upon an AFT study, which only sampled ~3% of charter school students.Havard Professor Caroline Hoxby's study used data from schools that represented close to 99% of students enrolled in a charter school.Unless you can discredit the methodology of Hoxby's study, I tend to find AFT study the less accurate of the two.The only criticism I have found of Hoxby's study is from... the AFT.Surprise, surprise.Their criticism doesn't question the methodology at all, but dwells on a lot of tangential criticism of "charter school cheerleaders."

Unfortunately as far as I can see this book doesn't properly acknowledge conflicting viewpoints.Mainstream charter school supporters like Jeanne Allen of CER are called "charter school zealots."A good chunk of the book is spent on trying to discredit arguments in defense of charter schools.Having to defend charter schools must be predicated upon the questionable notion that they are doing significantly worse than competing public schools.Even then, some of their arguments seem questionable to say the least.

The book isn't completely worthless.It does make a few good criticisms about how few charter schools up to that point had closed for academic reasons for example, but the things that this book does well are far overshadowed by one sided coverage of this controversial topic and by some of mistakes in relying upon the AFT study, which considering the sponsor should have been taken with a grain of salt to anyone even without looking at other studies on the same topic.

I looked around for a volume that looks at charter schools that tells the good, the bad and the ugly, but this book isn't it.The authors of this book seem to be writing a book to sell to AFT members who want a validation of their beliefs, not to someone who wants to look at a large mix of evidence and see how the cards fall.

Apologists for public schools get an "F" in research.
It is typical of our marginally educated educators in this country to bungle their research. Carnoy's book is an example. They make absolute comparisions of student proficiencies after controlling for the some of the demographic and socio-economic effects but in so doing they leave out the most important factor of all: How did the students compare with their regular public school cohorts when they entered charter schools? Perhaps lost to these ed-researchers is the fact that charter schools attract low performers compared to the public school alternatives. The real measure of a quality school is not children's absolute performance, but how much do they improve year over year. On that measure, charter schools are signficantly superior to their regular public school counterparts.

informative study on charter schools
Copious, detailed statistics and related material represented in the book's many tables finds that despite the claims of charter schools' advocates and some success stories, there is no meaningful difference between charter schools and public schools. "[C]harter schools are not, and likely will not be, able to play a large role in reforming public education as a whole." The four authors are all academics in the overlapping areas of economics and education belonging to the Institute publishing this timely study that is associated with Teachers College, Columbia U. The Bush Administration's program "No Child Left Behind" is scrutinized in one chapter in light of the findings recorded here. Recommendations for more relevant standards for measuring and judging the performance of students and schools are put forth as well mostly in appendices. An up-to-date, sound, and with respect to some central education questions, definitive report for educators, administrators, and policy makers.

Walking an Educational Tightrope
When The New York Times printed a front-page story in the summer of 2004 about the inferior performance on average of charter schools compared with regular public schools, it unleashed a controversy that has still not died down. The Times's reportage was based on data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress that the American Federation of Teachers had first published.

Against this backdrop, Martin Carnoy, Rebecca Jacobsen, Lawrence Mishel and Richard Rothstein have written "The Charter School Dust-Up." The intent was to examine as comprehensively as possible all the available evidence.The result is the most penetrating study of the charter school movement to date.

What emerges is a model of how to keep one's cool when things get hot.The authors demonstrate a masterful ability to delve into the heated charges made by both sides of the issue and to maintain their objectivity at all times.Their provocative conclusions will provide fodder for many op-ed pieces on both sides of the subject and will form the starting point for further research.

This book is a must read for everyone concerned about the future course of public education in this country.

... Read more

Product Description
Provides a definition of charter schools, an explanation of why charters enjoy bipartisan support, a look at how charters are situated in the larger school reform movement, an analytic spotlight of the history and development of charter schools and an examination of the key dimensions of charters. ... Read more

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This book reveals the threat to America from the corporate community seeking to profit from America’s 283,000,000 billion dollar annual school budget.

This also reveals the plans of political and religious groups to use public school tax dollars for the purpose of indoctrinating children and adolescents with their philosophy.

This book reveals the facts for every American who will stand up and declare support for our heritage of free public schools and locally elected school boards.

Customer Reviews (4)

Education, the American way
Sam Breidner comes across as a dedicated educator looking for a progressive way to improve our public schools.He gives concrete arguments against school vouchers, charter schools & merit pay.His constructive suggestions for improving our schools with theme based instruction is clear and of proven value.Hooray, for a champion of public school education, the American way.

To hell with this book
This book fails to offer one single argument against vouchers and charter schools.The so called 'teachers' like Breidner, which are mostly active union members and are against teacher accountability, are the same people that always ask for more money for public schools but less responsibility on the part of the schools.The likes of Breidner are the ones that teach our children garbage and except fat pay raises.I say, to hell with this book.It was a major waste of time.

proposal for theme-based academies
"To Hell With School Vouchers, Charter Schools, and Merit Pay," by Samuel Breidner is a short book that's well worth reading and probably won't reach much of the audience it should.To begin with, it's mistitled.The book is a proposal for Theme-Based Academies in public schools, in which teams of teachers design curricula around themes that keep the students interested in learning.Vouchers and the rest are used as a threat to justify the need for this change if we are to save the "marketability" of our public schools.Otherwise, the concepts in the book's title aren't addressed at much length, and the description of the book on its back cover is absurdly misleading.

The book starts out with a couple of other strikes against it.It promotes patriotism on the front cover and religion on the back (neither of which I care for, though I'm aware many others do).The book is full of bad grammar, typos, and arrogant grand pronouncements, and it starts out in a rambling stream-of-consciousness manner that barely managed to hold my interest.

Getting through it was worth the effort, because the book's proposal makes a lot of sense.Thirty percent of American kids drop out of high school, and it's hard to blame them.The education provided is often lousy and does not even seem well-intentioned.It bears little relationship either to what students expect to be doing after graduation or what they would prefer to be doing right now.

Breidner makes some proposals that would probably help, and are already helping in some places:

Theme-based education (themes include: "liberal arts, small business, financial/banking, law, aviation, bio-medical, advertising, television, woodworking, art/design, maritime, wildlife/ecology, and the like."); Teacher teams with a Lead Teacher for each academy, and team control over what other teachers joins the team; Teacher control over lesson plans; Apprenticeship programs; Higher teacher pay; Higher teacher qualifications; Renaming principals "administrators," separating their duties from those of teachers, and paying them less than teachers; School choice for parents; Requiring student attendance and parent participation; Requiring that parents be financially responsible for students' behavior; Reviewing students' progress on the basis of a portfolio of work.

These excellent proposals are explained in a disorganized but persuasive manner, and at only 89 pages the book's drawbacks don't amount to much trouble.I think it should be read by anyone thinking about the problems with our schools.

OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE AMERICA'S HERITAGE!
This book shows how our American culture is our pride, because it is unique in all the world - we are a very special people indeed!Our needs for educating our future generations must be in our public schools, so that we do not create a class conscious society, and segregate people by religion and race.This author has provided a very American solution to the creation of a more effective system of public education.In fact, it seems so logical for us that it is a wonder no one has put it forward before in such a clear and concise manner.With all the crazy news shows on TV that just fill up time, this book needs to be discussed; it would put all those talking heads - who act like pundits - to shame.We need to pay attention to a teacher like Mr. Breidner.I am sending this letter to CNN and Booknotes; this is the time to stand up for American public schools! ... Read more

Product Description
Featuring contributions from scholars in the field of charter school research, this work offers a set of empirical studies that explore the impact these schools have on teachers, students, and educational practices. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Best Book So Far On Charters
very clear, readable overview of charter schools...well-chosen papers; extremely useful for parents AND for the academic community. ... Read more

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The adoption of the Canadian Constitution Act in 1982, with its embedded Charter of Rights and Freedoms, ushered in an era of unprecedented judicial influence on Canada's public policy. The Courts, the Charter, and the Schools examines how the Constitution Act has affected educational policy during the first twenty-five years of the Charter by analyzing landmark rulings handed down from appellate courts and the Supreme Court.

The contributors consider the influence that Charter cases have had on educational policies and practices by discussing cases involving fundamental freedoms, legal rights, equality rights, and minority language rights. Demonstrating why and how the Charter was invoked, interpreted, and applied in each of these cases, this volume also highlights the resulting consequences for Canada's public schools. An illuminating collection of essays by prominent legal scholars and educational commentators, The Courts, the Charter, and the Schools is a significant contribution to the study of educational law and policy in Canada.

Product Description
The majority of states have charter school legislation, but too many charter schools could fail unless school reformers consider the pitfalls in creating new settings. This text provides a conceptual "road map" for educators and legislators to prepare and overcome predictable problems. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Charter Schools
Don't be fooled by the title.Seymour Bernard Sarason discusses charter schools as an important educational reform movement without the positive or negative rhetoric that often surrounds the topic.This is my favorite reference book about charter schools.I frequently suggest it as required reading for charter school developers and school district authorizers, and for parents exploring charter schooling for their children.Sarason spells out his predictable problems for the prehistory and first three years of a charter school as a new setting.One of his premises is that stakeholders are better prepared to work through challenges associated with starting a charter by being aware of the internal and societal forces at work in a new setting.Sarason urges charter developers to contemporaneously document their strategies, successes, and failures for the benefit of all students and teachers in charter schools as well as traditional public schools. ... Read more

Product Description
Charter schools now exist in 40 states, but the best charter-school studies to date have focused on individual states. This book examines charter schools in eight states with varied policy contexts. It assesses the characteristics of charter schools' students, their effectiveness in raising student achievement and promoting graduation and college entry, and their competitive effects on student achievement in traditional public schools. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Charter School Questions Answered
This book presents scientific findings from a major study of charter schools in eight states. Since the opening of the first U.S. charter school in 1992, controversy has raged across the nation as to whether or not charter schools should be supported with tax dollars. Now, with over a million students attending charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia, sufficient data have been collected to begin to address many of the concerns raised by charter school detractors.

The questions considered in the study described in this book were:

1. What are the characteristics of students transferring to charter schools?

2. What effect do charter schools have on test-score gains for students who transfer between traditional public schools (TPSs) and charter schools?

3. What is the effect of attending a charter school on the probability of graduating and of entering college?

4. What effect does the introduction of charter schools have on test scores of students in nearby TPSs?

The data for the study came from: Chicago, San Diego, Philadelphia, Denver, Milwaukee, and the states of Ohio, Texas and Florida (for question 3 only). The authors offer the following key findings from their research.

1. There is no evidence that charter schools are systematically attracting above-average students.

2. Transfers to charter schools do not involve dramatic shifts in the sorting of students by race in any of the sites included in the study.

3. The average achievement effects of elementary charters are very difficult to assess in the absence of prekindergarten baseline test scores.

4. Virtual charter schools, which use technology to deliver education to students in their homes, merit special attention since students in online classes appear to do less well than students in traditional, face-to-face classes.

5. In most locations, charter schools have difficulty raising student achievement in their first year of operation.

6. Charter schools in most locales have marginally greater variation in performance than TPSs, as measured by the achievement-impact estimate for each school.

7. In the two locations (Chicago and Florida) with data on educational attainment outcomes, attending a charter school has statistically significant and substantial increases in graduating and enrolling in college.

8. There is no evidence in any of the locations that charter schools are negatively affecting the achievement of students in nearby TPSs.

This is a very important contribution to the field of charter school research and policy. I encourage everyone who is engaged in these endeavors to read this book. ... Read more

Product Description
How can the education of our nation's children be improved? Vouchers and charter schools aim to improve education by providing families with more choice in the schooling of their children and by decentralizing the provision of educational services. While supporters argue that school choice is essential to rescue children from failing schools, opponents claim that it may destroy America's public education system. The authors undertake an exhaustive and critical view of the evidence on vouchers and charter schools. The book is a useful, unbiased primer for all those interested in this controversial topic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Thought Provoking if one is willing to think.
This book reviews the evidence about so-called "choice" models of education or "free market" models and their impact on education. In the end the evidence shows nothing, but it doesn't refute anything either. What Gill shows us pretty convincingly is that, at the moment anyway, this is a debate driven by ideology rather than by evidence. No matter on which side one falls, one can interpret the evidence based upon their perspective, since the evidence is inconclusive. Like so many other debates in our society we have to move beyond the "classroom effects" and investigate what the proponents or opponents really have as their agenda. This is an excellent book simply because it is one of the first systemic reviews of the evidence as opposed to the ideological journalism with which we are most often confronted. No matter one's perspective, this book is worth reading, because it will alternately challenge and support one's views.

Covers almost every aspect of this critical issue
Collaboratively written by Brian P. Gill, P. Michael Timpane, Karen E. Ross, and Dominic J. Brewer, Rhetoric Versus Reality: What We Know And What We Need To Know About Vouchers And Charter Schools is a straight-on, analytical, thoroughly serious study on the politically hot issue of school vouchers and charter schools in America today. From examples of voucher and charter systems currently in practice, to their effectiveness on academic achievement and existing empirical evidence on the results of school choice and more, Rhetoric Versus Reality covers almost every aspect of this critical issue in a dispassionate, fact-filled and thorough manner. This is highly recommended reading for parents, educators, and lawmakers wanting to learn more about these complex and heavily debated options for America's school systems. ... Read more

Product Description
Charter schools are public schools that may be started by anyone willing to do the work and who can get approval from a chartering authority.Over the last ten years, charter schools have popped up all over the nation.These schools are officially public schools, but there are a few differences.Charters are the epitome of local control.They offer a much wider variety of choices to parents and students than do the traditional public schools. In their years of being directly involved in charter school teaching and administration,Deb and Judy have seen the excitement these schools have brought to education, but they have also found a few unsettling pitfalls that need to be avoided to insure charter school success.They have compiled their thoughts and experiences with the intention of publishing a book for charter school boards and principals.This book could also be of assistance to those groups that are interested in starting a charter school or joining the charter school community.Deb and Judy hope that sharing the lessons they have learned can help others to avoid some common mistakes that have been made early in the charter school movement.
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Product Description
In this provocative volume, Amy Stuart Wells and her co-authors provide evidence that the laissez-faire policies of charter school reform often exacerbate existing inequalities in our schools.Providing the most comprehensive, critical review of charter schools to date, this timely volume is based on the authors’ in-depth study of 10 urban, suburban, and rural school districts and 17 diverse charter schools in California, plus their analysis of other charter school studies from around the country. Focusing on two central issues—accountability and equity—they explore how charter school policies affect the lives of children, educators, and parents in diverse social, economic, and political contexts. The authors conclude that although the quality and experiences of charter schools is highly varied across different contexts, the laws that allow these schools to exist fail to assure meaningful accountability. Meanwhile, these policies increase inequality and stratification by pushing the educational system toward privatization in terms of finance and admissions while failing to target much-needed resources toward low-income communities. This dynamic book will help educators and policymakers develop a future policy agenda for charter school reform that will be more responsive to the needs of all children. ... Read more