This policy brief clarifies the definition of charter schools and explores their place in school restructuring and reform by describing existing charter schools in Minnesota and California, examining legislative and contract guidelines, and discussing the future possibilities of charter schools. Charter schools are sponsor-created and…

A charter school is an autonomous entity that operates on the basis of a charter or contract between the individual or group (teachers, parents, and others) that organizes the school and its sponsor (local school board, county, or state board). Once granted a charter, the school receives educational formula-driven funding as though it were a…

Charter schools have been proposed as a compromise between public-school choice and voucher programs and as a way to promote innovation without privatizing education. The schools are largely free of bureaucratic supervision; in return, the schools agree to be held accountable for student performance levels. Two states, California and Minnesota,…

As of January 1996, 20 states had enacted charter school laws. This brief summarizes the history of charter school laws and updates their current status across the country. The brief presents the findings of various charter school research projects conducted at the state and national levels. When substantive changes have been made to existing…

Aggressive intervention by a school-choice coalition and supportive elected officials turned back threats to the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) posed by burdensome state regulation of private schools. MPCP continues to expand, studies report academic gains, parents are satisfied and involved, and public support has grown. Supporters of…

By the end of 1995, 19 states had passed charter-school legislation and at least 16 others had considered similar legislation. This document summarizes the issues surrounding charter schools and the implications of recent research about the charter-school movement's failure. The document defines charter schools and their organization, describes…

An overview is presented of the mechanisms for financial support, institutional resources, and institutional accountability that are needed to improve the teaching and learning environment in the California community colleges. Introductory material outlines the educational reforms that have affected the colleges, underscores the need to reaffirm…

The first article, "The Cost of English Acquisition Programs: Arizona Department of Education English Acquisition Cost Study" contains excerpts from a study (Phases 1 and 4) conducted for the Arizona Department of Education on the costs of various English-acquisition programs. Six successful but varied English-acquisition programs for…

These 13 issues of the Children's Defense Fund Report from 1997 discuss concerns related to child advocacy and provide information on problems in children's lives in the United States. Regular features include the editorial column "A Voice for Children," a status report on federal legislation related to children, descriptions of…

This theme issue focuses on the drastic revision of the Texas education code undertaken during the 1995 state legislative session. "Education Policy Reform: Key Points for Districts" (Albert Cortez, Mikki Symonds) outlines critical issues in the legislation that have an impact on educational quality: charter schools exempt from state…

These 11 issues discuss concerns related to child advocacy and provide information on problems in children's lives in the United States. Regular features include the editorial column "A Voice for Children," a status report on federal legislation related to children, descriptions of Children's Defense Fund activities, news from the Black…