1. Katherine K. Merseth 1 Charter Schools: A New Opportunity for School Reform Harvard College in Asia Program Professor Katherine K. Merseth February 2, 2010 Kay_Merseth@Harvard.edu

2. Katherine K. Merseth2 Charter Schools: True or False? 1. There are more than 4000 charter schools currently operating in the US 2. Charter school legislation has been passed in 45 states and the District of Columbia 3. Charters may have a religious focus 4. Charters are a relatively new policy idea in the United States 5. Charters and vouchers are the same idea

3. Katherine K. Merseth3 Charter Schools: T/F Cont… 5. If you support charters, you are also likely to support vouchers 6. Charters may hand-pick their students 7. A charter is always a contract between a state department of education and a Board representing a charter school 8. Charters are public schools 9. Traditional public schools may block the launching of a charter school 10. Charter schools are exempt from NCLB

4. Katherine K. Merseth4 Basic Requirements of Charter Schools ► May not discriminate ► May not charge tuition (publicly funded) ► May not teach religion (non-secular) ► How, then, are charter schools different from traditional public schools?

5. Katherine K. Merseth5 Public? All charter schools are PUBLIC SCHOOLS

6. 6 One significant Difference ► Charters make a Bargain: Autonomy for Accountability ► It’s a Horse Trade

7. Katherine K. Merseth7 Charter School Growth

8. Katherine K. Merseth8 Some Perspective

9. Katherine K. Merseth9 S’more Perspective

10. Katherine K. Merseth10 Charter School Terminology ► LEA (Local Educational Authority) ► CMO (Charter Management Organization) ► EMO (Educational Management Organization) ► Charter Network ► Horace Mann Charter (Massachusetts) ► Commonwealth Charter (Massachusetts)

11. Katherine K. Merseth11 What purpose do charter schools serve?

12. Katherine K. Merseth12 Purposes of Charter Schools ► Market Force  (USPS vs. FedEx) ► Choice / Social Justice  (1000 flowers bloom) ► Innovation  (Skunk Works)

13. Katherine K. Merseth13 To Whom Are Charters Accountable?

14. Katherine K. Merseth14 To Whom are Charter Schools Accountable? ► The Parents ► State / NCLB ► Their Board ► Authorizers

15. Katherine K. Merseth15 Charter School Authorizers ► “Sponsors” ► Who are they?  Local school boards  State Departments of Education  State “Charter Boards”  Universities  Not-for-Profit Foundations ► Two basic duties  Grant charters  Renew charters (based on ???)

16. Katherine K. Merseth16 Charter School Performance? ► Very variable ► Very hard to measure  Selection bias (+ and -)  Comparison groups?  Right outcomes?

17. Katherine K. Merseth 17 % Proficient or Advanced All DC Public Schools: 2005-06 DC-CAS Scores (All tested grades, English & Math) Source: Stig Leschy

18. Katherine K. Merseth18 Does Context Matter?

19. Katherine K. Merseth19 Funding?: It depends Source: Source: Osberg (2006). In Charter Schools Against the Odds (P. Hill, ed.), EdNext Books.

20. Katherine K. Merseth20 What Makes a Strong Charter School Law? ► Large number of schools (no cap) ► Multiple chartering authorities (with appeals) ► Variety of applicants ► Formal evidence of local support ► Automatic waiver from laws and regulations ► Legal / operational autonomy ► Guaranteed full funding ► Fiscal autonomy ► Exemption from collective bargaining agreements / district work rules

21. Katherine K. Merseth21 Looking Across Successful Charter Schools What makes them successful? Looking Across Successful Charter Schools What makes them successful? ► A clear mission and a broadly shared and strong institutional culture ► Purposefully chosen teachers and administrators who “fit” the organization’s culture ► Organizational structures and systems that support student learning ► Specific classroom procedures ► COHERENCE across all

22. Katherine K. Merseth22 Why so Contentious? Prickly Questions ► If a charter school’s mission is all about college prep and the entire curriculum is AP classes for all, should the school admit a mildly mentally retarded student (IQ = 68)? ► Should high student attrition rates be indictments against charter schools?

23. Katherine K. Merseth23 Why so Contentious? More Prickly Questions ► If the highest achieving students voluntarily leave the traditional public schools for a newly opened charter, has the charter engaged in “skimming”? ► Should charter schools be held accountable under NCLB?