Taking Measure of Charter Schools

Better Assessments, Better Policymaking, Better Schools

Contributions by June Ahn, Larry Angel, Dominic J. Brewer, Laura S. Hamilton, Jeffrey R. Henig, Robin J. Lake, Patrick J. McEwan, Robert B. Olsen, Lydia Rainey, Brian M. Stecher, Y Emily Tang, Andrew C. Zau Edited by Julian R. Betts, Paul T. Hill

Not available to order

Publication date:

16 May 2010

Length of book:

216 pages

Publisher

R&L Education

ISBN-13: 9781607093602

Charter schools offer something that public school systems, parents, and teachers need: a way to experiment with alternative ways of teaching, motivating students, organizing schools, using technology, and employing teachers. While people came down on both sides of support for or against charter schools, everyone was surprised by how difficult it was to assess charter school performance. The first part of this book focuses on how to improve estimates of charter schools' performance, especially their benefits to students who attend them; the second part suggests how policymakers can learn more about charter schools and make better use of evidence. The editors and authors suggest ways states and localities can improve the quality of data on which charter school studies are based and trace some of the ways charter school research influences policy.
Finally! Research on charter schools that goes beyond politics and beyond standardized test scores. This book is full of important information about charter schools: their teachers, long-term student outcomes, lotteries, and more. It shows the complexity of charter schools and the wide range of differences among them. It should put to rest the gross oversimplifications—both positive and negative—so often bandied about on the subject. I hope that it will be read by policymakers far and wide.