March 15, 2021
Frequently asked questions regarding charter schools and what they mean for students, educators, schools, and communities. Read more »
October 27, 2020
The latest NAEP report will likely shock our collective conscience.
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September 22, 2020
"There were very little opportunities for parents to say well hold on, have you thought about the fact that we have to work as well or we're all going to be in the same house working." Michael Musante, from the Center for Education Reform, said. "Those decisions were made very high up and handed down." Read more »
September 15, 2020
2020 Parent Power! Index codifies the realities of system deficiencies.
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September 14, 2020
“Education right now is under a microscope like never before, and the problem is that districts don’t work for most people,” Allen said. “Secretary DeVos is really fortunate to be in a position where the most important worldwide concern right now is at her feet to handle as she might see fit.” Read more »
August 29, 2020
Expand educational opportunities that can yield improved economic outcomes for all Americans, particularly our youth. Read more »
August 26, 2020
First, let’s review what the leaders of these unions have recently demanded before they allow their members to go back to... Read more »
August 20, 2020
Proponents say the November election’s outcome will determine the future of many schools.
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October 22, 2019
Presidential candidate condemned by advocates for student-centered education for joining reckless teachers’ strike, threatening future-saving schools WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Center for Education Reform (CER) issued the following statement today by CER president and founder Jeanne Allen regarding today’s scheduled visit by U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), a candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, to the Chicago Teachers […] Read more »
October 1, 2019
PRESS ADVISORYFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 1, 2019CONTACT: PR Departmentpr@staging.edreform.com(703) 966-0831Expanding Education Opportunity in Rural AmericaIngredients for revitalizing rural educationWashington, D.C. -- With increasing scrutiny of rural America and its lagging educational outcomes, it’s time to consider new, innovative approaches to improving and expanding education opportunity in rural communities. That is the conclusion of a new whitepaper issued […] Read more »
July 16, 2019
July 16, 2019SPOKANE, WA – Folks in the Evergreen state are providing meaningful innovation options to non-traditional students. Spokane’s third charter school, Lumen High School will cater to teen parents across the county. Co-founder Shauna Edwards explains the school’s purpose, “I think our goal would be to help our students be successful. What that means […] Read more »
June 26, 2019
Monday night, the West Virginia Legislature passed a bill allowing for the very limited operation of charter schools. It won’t be enough in a state struggling to pass most of its students.
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June 24, 2019
June 21, 2019JEROME ID – In an April 11, 2019 Idaho Public Charter School Commission Meeting, Commissioners and state-paid Commission employees are caught on tape making disparaging comments about many of the schools they oversee, including Heritage Academy in Jerome. Commissioners also took potshots at the Jerome School District and the residents of Jerome.Idaho Open […] Read more »
May 18, 2019
Dear Charter School Friends,What a crazy thing - the Friday of National Charter Schools Week, presidential candidate Bernie Sanders says that as president he will put an end to charter schools.As my mother would have said, “the nerve!”Sanders’ comments - yelling about transparency (which of course exists) or regulation (which charters have plenty of!) and […] Read more »
May 10, 2019
National Charter Schools Week 2019In the 28+ years since the founding of the charter school movement, tremendous progress has been made in the number of schools established, and in the wealth of innovative opportunities they offer to children, families, teachers and communities. In the 26 years CER has been leading the fight for innovation and […] Read more »
May 10, 2019
National Charter Schools Week 2019 Day 2Each year National Charter Schools Week gives charter advocates an opportunity not only to bring further attention to chartering and the myriad benefits it offers our children but to the elements critical for success. Let’s start the week with one major one – legislators.Having the dedicated support of legislators as charter […] Read more »
May 10, 2019
National Charter Schools Week 2019 Day 3The National Education Association and the exceptionally hostile American Federation of Teachers (AFT) continue to stand in the way of progress.It’s no secret these two groups have always opposed and spread falsehoods about charters, working hard to convince teachers that they don’t serve kids. That has largely failed, but lately, […] Read more »
May 10, 2019
National Charter Schools Week 2019 Day 4Some of the earliest founded charter school advocacy groups had friends in their name, and for good reason. They wanted to be what most of us aspire to be in all walks of like – great friends to the new kid on the block.Friends of Choice in Urban Schools was the […] Read more »
May 10, 2019
National Charter Schools Week 2019 Day 5The charter school movement, and many of its greatest initial and on-going successes, is rooted in its commitment to serving students who for whatever the reason have not been well-served by traditional public education. It’s greatest strength, in fact, is being able to serve students from fragile communities, in […] Read more »
May 10, 2019
National Charter Schools Week 2019 Day 6This is a country built on innovation, but when it comes to education we are far too cautious. We do not need a thousand flowers to bloom, as the saying goes. What we need is to have a thousand (or tens of thousands) of seeds planted. Those that are watered […] Read more »
April 30, 2019
The results of the National 2018 Technology and Engineering Literacy (TEL) assessment, focused on critical STEM, skills, are more hopeful than in prior years, but the results remain disappointing.The test of more than 15,000 8th grade students in almost 600 schools across the country shows that fewer than 50% are proficient. The test not only […] Read more »
April 23, 2019
(Newswire, April 23, 2019) THE NEA PLAYBOOK. It’s right out of the playbook and it’s official. This behavior - and that from DC, to NC to CA - is part of NEA’s very own book of plays designed to “help” the union and its members attack the charter school movement. This is nothing new of course. For […] Read more »
February 18, 2019
The Las Vegas Review-Journal ran a piece about how Nevada’s Clark County School District had created a new marketing position to sell the district’s schools to parents and slow the exodus of student to charter schools. Read more »
June 5, 2018
(Newswire, June 5, 2018) Check out these two stories on charter schools. First the CBS Morning News on Basis Independent Silicon Valley, which has captured the top five spots on U.S. News and World Report’s list of the best high schools and where students are required to take at least seven AP courses, beginning as […] Read more »
June 5, 2018
Later this month the Baltimore School Board will consider applications for six new charter schools. Read more »
June 5, 2018
Scholarship students who attended a private school were over 35 percent more likely to report that their schools were very safe. And parents of the students were about 36 percent more likely to report that their children were in very safe schools. Read more »
June 5, 2018
The Las Vegas Review-Journal ran a piece about how Nevada’s Clark County School District had created a new marketing position to sell the district’s schools to parents and slow the exodus of student to charter schools. Read more »
June 5, 2018
If he truly wants to mend fences with the city’s high-performing charter schools and their leaders, he can start by granting long-languishing space requests and also end an injustice that NY1 exposed this week... Read more »
May 11, 2018
National Charter Schools Week 2018 Day 6 This is a country built on innovation, but when it comes to education we are far too cautious. We do not need a thousand flowers to bloom, as the saying goes. What we need is to have a thousand (or tens of thousands) of seeds planted. Those that […] Read more »
May 11, 2018
National Charter Schools Week 2018 Day 5 The charter school movement, and many of its greatest initial and on-going successes, is rooted in its commitment to serving students who for whatever the reason have not been well-served by traditional public education. It’s greatest strength, in fact, is being able to serve students from fragile communities, in […] Read more »
May 11, 2018
National Charter Schools Week 2018 Day 4 Some of the earliest founded charter school advocacy groups had friends in their name, and for good reason. They wanted to be what most of us aspire to be in all walks of like – great friends to the new kid on the block. Friends of Choice in […] Read more »
May 11, 2018
National Charter Schools Week 2018 Day 3 Recognizing charter schools as well as those who enable their progress on this #TeachersDay 2018 must include a recognition of those that stand in the way of yet more progress- the National Education Association and the exceptionally hostile American Federation of Teachers (AFT). It’s no secret these two […] Read more »
May 11, 2018
National Charter Schools Week 2018 Day 2 Each year National Charter Schools Week gives charter advocates an opportunity not only to bring further attention to chartering and the myriad benefits it offers our children but to the elements critical for success. Let’s start the week with one major one – legislators. Having the dedicated support of legislators […] Read more »
May 11, 2018
National Charter Schools Week 2018 In the 27+ years since the founding of the charter school movement, tremendous progress has been made in the number of schools established, and in the wealth of innovative opportunities they offer to children, families, teachers and communities. In the 25 years CER has been leading the fight for innovation […] Read more »
July 13, 2017
Press Release from Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina: Raleigh, NC (July 13, 2017) – Today Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina (PEFNC) announced the release of a new white paper rebutting a flawed academic analysis of the Opportunity Scholarship Program from the Children’s Law Clinic at Duke Law School. PEFNC’s paper, North Carolina Opportunity Scholarships: […] Read more »
July 11, 2017
PERSONALIZED LEARNING GAINS… a big endorsement from a newly released RAND report which finds that students who engage in PL do better in math than their peers and gives an added boost to kids who are behind their classmates and trying to catch up. The report also found that schools in the study “were pursuing […] Read more »
June 29, 2017
Beyond the First 100 Days: Transforming government’s role in education A reiteration of its January, 2017 recommendations to the Trump Administration, and an extension for completion of the work that must be performed. Read & download the PDF here Read more »
June 26, 2017
(Washington, D.C.)—In a 7-2 decision today, “the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a victory for the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious freedom for religious schools,” said Jeanne Allen, Founder and CEO of Center for Education Reform. Trinity Lutheran had been denied state funding for a playground surface solely because its school is a religious one. The court’s […] Read more »
June 15, 2017
(ORLANDO, Fl. June 14, 2017) In an historic win for kids, Florida Governor Governor Rick Scott today signed HB 7069, providing more and better opportunities to thousands of children throughout the state, particularly the most vulnerable. With schools unevenly funded and resources rarely flowing to the classroom directly as is normally intended by law, HB […] Read more »
June 13, 2017
Download the PDF here Contributions to this publication were made from transcripts of remarks presented at EdReform: Revived, hosted by the Center for Education Reform, Washington, D.C., November 23, 2016. Read more »
May 4, 2017
Celebrating true centers of innovation and progress, all National Charter Schools Week. Read more »
May 4, 2017
“School choice” means giving parents the power and opportunity to choose the schools their children attend. Read more »
May 4, 2017
Flexibility is crucial to innovation and opportunity and the key to continued growth and excellence in charter schools across America. Read more »
May 1, 2017
To celebrate National Charter Schools Week 2017, CER is shining a spotlight on positive outcomes that our nation’s charter schools are achieving for our children. Read more »
May 1, 2017
To celebrate National Charter Schools Week 2017, CER is shining a spotlight on positive outcomes that our nation’s charter schools are achieving for our children. Read more »
January 17, 2017
January 17, 2017 The Ohio Department of Education is refusing to answer questions from The Plain Dealer about why its review last year of the district’s charter school oversight work penalizes the district for technical violations of rules that do not even apply to the district—penalties which lead to the to the district’s oversight being […] Read more »
November 29, 2016
In places throughout New Mexico, and across the nation, there is a desperate need for new opportunities for children to receive a quality education – opportunities that are not offered within the confines of the existing education establishment. Albuquerque’s Mission Achievement and Success (MAS) Charter School stands as an incredible example of the opportunities for […] Read more »
August 10, 2016
Despite the fact that public opinion of charter schools has become more positive in the last 10 years, media coverage has not followed suit and has become much more negative — with opinion pieces playing a big role. Read more »
July 12, 2016
Since 2005, MA has double-funded students in an attempt to curtail the impact of funding changes on traditional public schools. Read more »
May 19, 2016
IS THE FOURTH ESTATE’S COVERAGE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS BIASED? Thanks to a new report from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), charter school students, educators and advocates can clearly see that their role in advocating has never been more important. Charter schools have become a staple, albeit still a relatively limited one, in American education today. […] Read more »
April 12, 2016
“It’s not an experiment anymore. It’s not a demonstration. It’s not a what-if. After 20 years, we have overwhelming evidence . . . of kids, parents, families who have found what they were looking for in the charter school movement here in the Commonwealth of Mass.” -Gov. Charlie Baker It’s time to bring greater innovative education opportunities […] Read more »
April 12, 2016
To better meet the needs of unique students, Denver Public Schools is expanding choice and offering school leaders increased autonomy. In a new article for Education Next, David Osborne, director of the project on Reinventing America’s Schools at the Progressive Policy Institute, finds that Denver’s strategy has produced impressive gains in student achievement. In the […] Read more »
April 5, 2016
Charter High Schools’ Effects on Long-Term Attainment and Earnings Confirming previous research (Booker et al., 2011) that charter school students are more likely to graduate high school and enroll in higher education, this study looks at charter school students’ college persistence and earnings. Findings reveal charter high school graduates are more likely to stay in college […] Read more »
March 11, 2016
Public charter schools have been making headlines in recent years. As policymakers debate equitable funding and expansion, teachers like me are on the frontlines of this pioneering movement. I believe it’s critical that teacher voices be heard when debating the future of charter schools in Georgia. I’ve been an educator for five years. When I […] Read more »
February 12, 2016
As efforts are underway to lift the charter school cap in Massachusetts, it’s important to make sure the public and lawmakers have accurate information and know the truth about what’s really happening — and what’s not — when it comes to charter schools. Specifically, claims being made by the NAACP in their lawsuit alleging that […] Read more »
January 26, 2016
A new report released today by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) attempts to remedy long-held questions and introduce a more substantial discussion of online charter schools into the great education debate. Read more »
January 22, 2016
Our nation’s future depends on great educational opportunities for all children. Every year in January, National School Choice Week celebrates and shines a spotlight on effective education options of all varieties — traditional public schools, public charter schools, online, blended, and virtual schools, homeschooling, and any other type of learning innovation helping children excel. National […] Read more »
November 24, 2015
Data indicate that contrary to what many believe, and what presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has been saying, public charter schools serve more more African American and economically disadvantaged students than the city average Read more »
November 20, 2015
This piece from John Chubb and Terry Moe is especially relevant now with the Washington State Supreme Court refusing to reconsider the ruling that the state's charter school law is unconstitutional, and the unfortunate, untimely passing of John E. Chubb. Indeed, choice is a panacea, and we must remember these vital teachings from great intellectual leaders such as John Chubb. Read more »
October 27, 2015
A new report released today by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) attempts to remedy long-held questions and introduce a more substantial discussion of online charter schools into the great education debate. Read more »
September 29, 2015
Press release Of the 16 states that have education tax credit programs, only five earn grades of A or B on the second edition of Education Tax Credit Laws Across the States, Ranking and Scorecard 2015 released September 30, 2015 by The Center for Education Reform (CER). The report provides analysis and state-by-state comparisons, ranking […] Read more »
September 22, 2015
In honor of the Pope visiting Washington, D.C. this week, we’re highlighting a few facts on Catholic schools, which have been and continue to be an integral part of education and parental choice in the United States. For more information, visit the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops website and the National Catholic Educational Association website. […] Read more »
September 17, 2015
Governor Inslee has said he will not call a special session of the legislature on the matter of charter schools, but recently indicated it appears charter schools have secured private funding to continue operating. In a letter to members of the legislature, he stressed the necessity that students’ education not be interrupted. Washington state charter […] Read more »
September 8, 2015
CER Joins Local and National Leaders in Condemning Washington Supreme Court Charter School Ruling On Friday, September 4, 2015, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled charter schools unconstitutional on the basis that public charter schools are not “common schools” because they are not overseen by local school boards, and thus cannot receive public funds. “Since […] Read more »
August 11, 2015
Myths and misinformation still permeate the discourse about charter schools, especially when it comes to funding, with charter school critics erroneously accusing the charter sector of being controlled by the purse strings of “evil private interests.” The D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI) investigated the finances of public charter schools in the District of Columbia, and […] Read more »
August 11, 2015
Across the United States, Catholic schools have been suffering declining enrollment, but Faith in the Future has announced that the Philadelphia system of Catholic schools are now projecting growth in the number of students they serve. Additionally, the high school system, previously in deficit, is now reporting a surplus in funds, which are being reinvested back into the schools themselves. Read more »
July 15, 2015
Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), an outspoken champion for school choice, delivers a powerful speech as the Every Child Achieves Act, which would reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, is debated on the Senate floor on July 14, 2015. Read more »
June 15, 2015
The Connecticut State Department of Education has released a study showing statistically significant improvement on the Connecticut state test, called the Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT), for students in some schools of choice. Read more »
May 20, 2015
In May 2015, News 10 NBC in Rochester, NY, aired in an in-depth, multi-part special on the Power of Choice, exploring why parents in Rochester, New York, are not afforded the same opportunities as parents in Washington, D.C. when it comes to finding the best fit for their child’s education. The series comes at a […] Read more »
May 4, 2015
To celebrate National Charter Schools Week 2015, The Center for Education Reform is shining a spotlight on positive outcomes our nation’s charter schools are achieving for our children. Read more »
April 23, 2015
Low-income high school students in Baltimore, MD who received private school scholarships were more likely to graduate high school and enroll in college than their traditional public school peers, according to a new study from the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice. “The Achievement Checkup: Tracking the Post-Elementary Outcomes of Baltimore Need-Based Scholarship Students,” examined the Children’s […] Read more »
April 8, 2015
During the final week of March and first few days of April, a string of school choice programs have passed state legislatures, and are now on their way to the desks of governors nationwide. A March 27 article from the Wall Street Journal points out that as many as 34 state legislatures during 2015 are considering […] Read more »
March 17, 2015
Despite its long-standing reputation for quality schools, Maryland is in need of more and better educational opportunities for children. The Maryland charter law that passed in 2003 is among the nation’s weakest laws, not only because it’s restrictive, but also because it’s incredibly vague. The law is silent on some of the most critical policy issues […] Read more »
March 15, 2015
In this 16th edition of Charter School Laws Across the States: Rankings and Scorecard it is abundantly clear that little to no progress has been made over the past year. Charter school growth does continue at a steady, nearly linear pace nationally, especially in states with charter laws graded “A” or “B,” but an even […] Read more »
March 9, 2015
It’s March Madness — edreform style! Which state will come out on top in this year’s charter school law rankings? Stay tuned for CER’s 16th edition of Charter School Laws Across the States: Rankings & Scorecard out soon! Click here for the 15th edition of Charter School Laws Across the States: Ranking & Scorecard Read more »
March 2, 2015
On February 24, 2015, the North Carolina Supreme Court heard arguments in the lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the NC Opportunity Scholarship Program. “Parents know what’s best for their children and will seek an adequate, decent education for their children,” said Richard Komer, attorney for some of the family plaintiffs using the vouchers. “There is no […] Read more »
February 27, 2015
Private schools want to participate in school choice programs to serve needy students, but are wary of regulations related to standards and testing that threaten their autonomy, according to a January 2015 survey from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). The concern is not the accountability that test scores bring, but the requiring of certain tests and […] Read more »
February 19, 2015
The Center for Education Reform (CER) is concerned with a new report out today by The Education Trust-Midwest titled Accountability for All: The Need for Real Charter School Authorizer Accountability in Michigan, taking issue with the methodology clearly used to fulfill preconceived notions. CER believes strongly in accountability and holding all schools to high standards. Performance-based accountability is essential in determining whether schools are doing right by students or not. The issue is not that the Report is calling for accountability, but that it makes sweeping statements and conclusions about accountability in Michigan’s charter school sector relying on misleading methodology. Read more »
February 2, 2015
Studies indicate that low-income parents participating in the District of Columbia’s private-school choice program prioritize—at least initially—the safety of schools over schools’ academic quality as they transition from public schools. Read more »
January 28, 2015
January 28th, 2015 The Maryland charter law that passed in 2003 is among the nation’s weakest laws, not only because it’s restrictive, but also because it’s incredibly vague. The law is silent on some of the most critical policy issues for charter school development, including the level of funding required to support a charter school, […] Read more »
December 15, 2014
Data on the current state of school choice programs such as tax credits, vouchers, and charter schools reveals a need to accelerate the pace of education reforms that give parents fundamental power over their children’s education: The U.S. Census predicts the largest influx of school-aged children over the next 20 years at over 11 million […] Read more »
December 8, 2014
A new survey from the Center on Reinventing Public Education found that some cities are making progress in expanding educational choices for families, but more guidance is needed for parents to navigate through what options are available for their children. Read more »
November 25, 2014
In only four years, Indiana’s school voucher program has become the largest in the nation, with the capability to reach 29,146 students statewide, according to a new report from the Friedman Foundation. Read more »
October 17, 2014
Links to various reports & studies highlighting charter school achievement across the U.S.December 2019A Good Investment: The Updated Productivity of Public Charter Schools in Eight U.S. Cities, by DeAngelis et al., University of Arkansas, April 2019Lifetime earnings for students attending charter schools are four- to six-times the amount of money invested in their education. On […] Read more »
October 7, 2014
On Sunday October 5, 2014, Washington Post reporter Valerie Strauss launched a series of attacks on charter schools relying heavily on biased and inaccurate data. Claiming that the “Charter school ‘bargain’ was a raw deal” and stating “concerns are rising as the number of charters overall is increasing.” The allegations that charters are “stunningly opaque…and turning […] Read more »
August 27, 2014
Press Release Out of 14 states and the District of Columbia that have voucher programs, three earn A’s, three earn B’s, seven earn C’s, and two earn D’s on a new ranking and analysis from the Center for Education Reform (CER), School Choice Today: Voucher Laws Across the States Ranking & Scorecard 2014 released today. […] Read more »
August 6, 2014
In a thoughtful opinion piece for The Boston Globe, CATO’s Jason Bedrick and Ken Ardon of Salem State University propose an educational tax credit scholarship program for low-income students in Massachusetts. According to CER’s Education Tax Credit Scholarships Ranking & Scorecard 2014, only 14 states currently have tax credit scholarship programs on the books, Massachusetts not being […] Read more »
August 1, 2014
Proficiency rates on the 2014 D.C. CAS state assessments continue to climb for charter school students, making this the ninth straight year charter student performance exceeds statewide averages. Overall, nearly 60 percent of charter students are proficient in math, and approximately 54 percent are proficient in reading, up one point and .4 points, respectively, from last […] Read more »
July 8, 2014
There’s a chasm in American education today, and it’s not just the achievement gap. The Friedman Foundation released this week the “2014 Schooling in America Survey: Perspectives on School Choice, Common Core, and Standardized Testing.” Among the findings: a gulf separating parents’ desires for choice from the realities available to satisfy them. According to the survey […] Read more »
June 16, 2014
Out of 14 states that have tax credit-funded scholarship programs, two earn A’s, five earn B’s, four earn C’s, two earn D’s, and one earns an F on a new ranking and analysis from the Center for Education Reform (CER), School Choice Today: Education Tax Credit Scholarships Ranking & Scorecard 2014. The first of its […] Read more »
June 10, 2014
The circuit judge who recently declared the Alabama Accountability Act unconstitutional has now reversed his own injunction against the popular school choice program, allowing students to participate through the 2014-15 school year. Proponents of the Accountability Act successfully obtained a stay on the injunction, so parents can continue to rely on the program to secure a […] Read more »
June 4, 2014
New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, must pass the Education Tax Credit Law. While the Education Investment Tax Credit nearly missed being included in the final adopted NYS budget, the issue appears to be one of the few remaining on the table for end-of-session negotiations this month. Gov. Cuomo’s leadership is needed now in order to […] Read more »
May 5, 2014
Jalen Rose is widely known as a former NBA basketball star small forward, former member of the Michigan “Fab Five” college team back in the early nineties, and current basketball commentator. But Rose is also an education reformer and founder of a Detroit-based charter school, the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy. And during National Charter Schools […] Read more »
May 2, 2014
To celebrate National Charter Schools Week, CER is highlighting charter school success stories from across the country.We will also be taking the celebration to Twitter and Facebook, sharing stories from schools, parents, and advocates on the ground, along with a litany of facts and figures, all showing how charter schools are helping students. Once considered just […] Read more »
April 30, 2014
Charter schools receive significantly less per-pupil funding than traditional public schools, according to an April 2014 study from the University of Arkansas. On average, charter schools receive 28.4 percent less for each student than their traditional counterparts, amounting to $3,814 less per year. Over time, the funding disparity between districts and charter schools has increased […] Read more »
April 3, 2014
New Hope Academy Charter School students made an open letter video to voice their concerns to the York City School Board members. These Pennsylvania students were prohibited from speaking at the March 19th meeting. Board members barred students and other school supporters as well, claiming they were solely accountable to “taxpayers”. The Board voted not […] Read more »
March 31, 2014
Performance-based accountability is the hallmark of charter schools and reforms aimed at improving student learning. Unlike all other public schools, charters must be proactive in their efforts to stay open. They must set and meet rigorous academic goals, and actually meet or exceed their state’s proficiency standards. Unlike the traditional public schools that intentionally remain […] Read more »
March 17, 2014
2014 Charter School Law Rankings & Scorecard: The Rationale Behind the Rankings Press Release Download or print your PDF copy of the 15th edition of Charter School Laws Across the States: Ranking & Scorecard here Read more »
February 4, 2014
As part of National School Choice Week, the American Enterprise Institute hosted a conference to discuss how policy, practice, and research can better facilitate and support vibrant school choice marketplaces. CER President Kara Kerwin moderated the first panel, “Framing the Debate: Lessons from market creation”, emphasizing the need to make each student successful by changing conversations on […] Read more »
January 24, 2014
It’s National School Choice Week! An annual celebration that occurs the last week of January to shine a spotlight on effective education options — whether traditional public, private, homeschool, public charter school, brick and mortar, virtual, blended, or some innovation in learning that we have yet to think of! Stories of success from parents and children across […] Read more »
January 24, 2014
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January 17, 2014
National School Choice Week is coming to Washington DC! The Center for Education Reform, National School Choice Week, and other organizations have been working hard to plan not one, but two events in our nation’s capital. These events will celebrate all forms of school choice and are part of an ongoing, weeklong celebration across the nation. Don’t miss […] Read more »
January 17, 2014
The Arizona Charter Schools Association is engineering a plan that if successful, would open up to 25 charter schools in the low-income neighborhoods of Phoenix, AZ. With the help of outside groups, learning programs that emphasize various subjects such as art and science are being developed, and educators are receiving proper training over a two-year […] Read more »
January 8, 2014
Lawyers for the State of Louisana are asking a federal judge to reverse a 1976 court case that granted federal oversight to ensure school integration, claiming it interferes with the Opportunity Scholarship program. The request is part of the ongoing lawsuit launched by the Department of Justice against Louisiana that claims that the state’s Opportunity […] Read more »
December 18, 2013
Alabama is nearing its limit in tax credit disbursements given to those taxpayers who are donating funds to scholarship programs. Could it be a sign that more options for students are needed in a state that currently ranks 42 on Parent Power? According to a Dec. 13 report, 582 donors have already given $19.5 million […] Read more »
December 13, 2013
A small portion of Washington State’s voter-approved charter school law has been ruled unconstitutional, however the ruling has yielded mixed reactions, with both sides claiming victory. According to leading interpretations of the ruling, the law itself is constitutional, allowing for the approval of charter schools to move forward in 2014. But Judge Jean Rietschel also ruled charter […] Read more »
December 12, 2013
The students at KIPP Delta Charter School in Arkansas receive their instruction out of trailers with fewer resources than most other students in the state. Of the entire student body, 88 percent are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, and come from neighborhoods with a 40 percent poverty rate and above average crime numbers. And […] Read more »
December 9, 2013
Majorities of Americans support education policies that promote accountability, according to a nationwide survey released by The Center for Education Reform. Download or print your PDF copy of America’s Attitudes Towards Education Reform: Public Support for Accountability in Schools. Read more »
December 5, 2013
As districts across the country have become more diverse and students are able to attend schools not determined by their zip code, the need for accessible education data has grown exponentially. Education Week reported this week on the School Choice Design Challenge, which resulted in the creation of six mobile applications or ‘apps,’ with which students […] Read more »
December 4, 2013
In California, more communities are finding new and innovative ways to bolster Parent Power. Numerous civil rights groups and community activists are organizing parents to wield more influence in schools and increase access to administrators, while also educating them on issues such as budgeting and disciplinary practices. Recent initiatives from California parents include questioning the performance […] Read more »
November 26, 2013
Philadelphia School Reform Commissioner Joseph Dworetzky recently leveled misplaced criticism of charter schools. Read why charter schools are not to blame for Philadelphia’s financial problems: Read more »
November 22, 2013
Officials from Metro Nashville Public Schools have announced a controversial new policy that limits where charter school operators can apply to open a new school starting in 2014. According to the policy, charter growth will be limited to geographic areas with overcrowded schools (schools expected to exceed 120 percent capacity by 2017) or to charter school […] Read more »
November 19, 2013
The PA Senate Appropriations Committee is close to passing a charter school bill that could negatively impact schools. We continue to be concerned with the proposal because the goal of any legislative effort to reform Pennsylvania’s charter school sector should be one that ensures quality growth. As currently written SB 1085 does not. To grow […] Read more »
November 4, 2013
Your editorial, “Reject move toward independent charter schools,” attempts to convey the misconception that charter schools authorized by public universities would be void of any oversight, when it’s actually this type of system that produces schools of the highest quality and accountability for students most in need of other options. Public universities have proven to be […] Read more »
October 28, 2013
The state of Arizona has become a model of Parent Power in recent years, due in no small part to innovative reforms such as the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA). First enacted in 2011, ESAs were initially available to students with special needs. Today, approximately 200,000 students, or 1 in 5 public school families, are now […] Read more »
October 22, 2013
What was once billed as an effort to improve Pennsylvania’s modest charter school law has gone horribly off-track. One anti-charter school bill, HB 618 passed the General Assembly earlier this month and now another anti-charter school bill, SB 1085, has been released from the education committee and is being discussed in the Senate Appropriations Committee. […] Read more »
October 9, 2013
Poll Introduction and Methodology Click here for PDF of America’s Attitudes Towards Education Reform: Executive Summary Power and Options The American People Want Power and They Want Options. A plurality of Americans say that parents should have more power over their child’s education, including access to information and data about their child’s school. • Support […] Read more »
October 1, 2013
A recent report by the Ohio Alliance of Public Charter Schools found that when matched up to individual schools, a greater percentage of charter schools receive high grades on value-added scores than in their district school counterparts in the state’s eight biggest cities. The report rebuts an earlier study put out by the Fordham Institute, […] Read more »
September 26, 2013
NEW! September, 2013 Parent Power Index: How does your state stack up! See where your state ranks in ensuring great learning opportunities for your children. Read more »
August 8, 2013
In its latest installment of state-level charter school achievement research, CREDO found charter school students in Louisiana acquire on average 50 more days of learning in reading and 65 more in math than their traditional school counterparts. The study separately analyzed New Orleans students – where the majority of Louisiana’s charter students are located– concluding […] Read more »
August 8, 2013
A recent study published in Education Next explores whether or not districts are responding to the competition of the school choice movement. This pressure of choice on districts to change or evolve is known as a “ripple” effect and prior research has also shown this effect is real. This particular study reviewed over 8,000 media […] Read more »
July 31, 2013
Charters 101: A quick guide from CER on understanding charter schools. Download or print your PDF copy of Charter School Primer Read more »
July 31, 2013
Washington, DC exemplifies how charter schools can help improve student achievement, according to results from the most recent DC-CAS, the city’s standardized test. Read more »
July 31, 2013
Seventy-one percent of Newark, N.J., residents support expanding the city’s charter school sector. Read more »
June 25, 2013
Prior to its release of the National Charter School Study 2013, The Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) produced a series of reports – one national, the others state-based – looking at student achievement in charter schools as compared to traditional public schools. CREDO’s 2009 national report, Multiple Choice: Charter School Performance in 16 […] Read more »
June 24, 2013
June 25, 2013 The Center for Education Reform (CER) has argued – echoing highly respected researchers — that the only reports valid for understanding and comparing charter school achievement are “gold standard” randomized control trials (RCTs) such as those authored by Stanford Economist Dr. Caroline Hoxby, and University of Arkansas’ Dr. Patrick Wolf, to name […] Read more »
June 20, 2013
Continuing its research series on state charter school achievement, CREDO releases a report finding that Illinois charter school students outperform their traditional public school (TPS) counterparts, especially in Chicago where the majority of Illinois charter students live. Read more »
June 10, 2013
School may be out for the summer, but that doesn't mean that your support for school choice needs to take a vacation, too! National School Choice Week has launched a campaign to demonstrate that support for school choice stretches far and wide. Read more »
May 14, 2013
A survey by the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice polled a group of “school moms” who had at least one child in preschool, elementary school or high school and asked them several questions on the state of education in America. Some interesting findings from the survey: • School moms were much more likely to favor […] Read more »
May 6, 2013
May 5-11 is a time to showcase achievements of charter schools in local communities (like yours!) that are working tirelessly to close achievement gaps and elevate learning across the nation. The first charter school opened 21 years ago in Minnesota, and today more than two million students are enrolled in over 6,000 charter schools across […] Read more »
May 1, 2013
Every few years there is a flurry of activity across the country to create or amend state charter school laws. This paper shows how and why lawmakers and policy advocates need to revisit what has become a dangerous trend in charter policy debates. Download or print your PDF copy of Charter Authorizers: The Truth About […] Read more »
April 25, 2013
University of Arkansas EDUCATION’S FISCAL CLIFF, REAL OR PERCEIVED? Public Education Funding During the Economic Downturn and the Impact on Public Charter Schools By Larry Maloney, Meagan Batdorff, Jay May & Michelle Terrell A recent analysis by Larry Maloney published by the University of Arkansas on the inequity of public charter school funding versus their […] Read more »
April 16, 2013
Did you see AppleTree profiled in Education Week today? The piece, titled “Preschool Network Puts ‘Innovation’ Grant to Test ,” highlights how AppleTree has used Investing in Innovation (i3) funds from the Department of Education to develop Every Child Ready , its evidence-based preschool instructional model. Education Week, the national newspaper of record for education, presents Every […] Read more »
February 19, 2013
A series of articles by Stephanie Simon for Reuters News, published on Friday, February 15, and subsequently in papers in several states nationwide, portrays charter schools generally as selective in their admissions processes and “[leaving] low-income parents scrambling to find a way to feed their children.” The allegations of widespread selectivity are deeply exaggerated. Read more »
February 5, 2013
What you need to know for effective policymaking. In the wake of dozens of state and local officials seeking clarification over best practice charter school laws, it’s important to understand the context for the Center for Education Reform (CER)’s 2013 Charter School Law Rankings, and how it fits with other evaluations now being issued by […] Read more »
February 1, 2013
The Center for Education Reform (CER) was asked to take a critical look at the issues facing struggling Catholic schools and determine if there were any new, untapped solutions worth exploring to stem their losses, reduce the closures, and sustain what is widely believed –– by educators and experts alike, regardless of catholicity –– to […] Read more »
January 31, 2013
The Education and the Workforce Committee put together these 10 fast facts on school choice in honor of National School Choice Week 2013. For a more in-depth look at education options and school choice programs across the U.S., check out "Improving American Education with School Choice".
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January 24, 2013
Tweets about “#SCW” Read more »
January 15, 2013
As of January 2013, there are 8 states that have not enacted charter school legislation. Read more »
January 15, 2013
Click on a state name to get detailed information about the charter school law and the rating. Press Release Download or print your PDF copy of 2013 Charter School Law Ranking & Scorecard Read more »
January 9, 2013
Three Friendship Public Charter School students awarded Posse Scholarships, which are full, four-year tuition scholarships, to Bucknell and Sewanee: The University of the South. Read more »
January 8, 2013
Debate over the widely cited national CREDO study on charter schools, and insight on CREDO state-level studies. Read more »
December 18, 2012
A December 2012 Policy Update offering data and facts about school choice options in the United States. Read more »
December 12, 2012
The results of the 2012 Education Next-PEPG national poll are in, and they offer some insights into the state of public opinion on major education issues. Support for the reform agenda continues to grow. Reformers enjoy majority support on a variety of school choice initiatives, and trends across time continue to move in a positive direction. Read more »
December 5, 2012
A recent study by Stanford’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) found that charter school students in New Jersey had learning gains in reading and math that were 0.06 and 0.08 standard deviations greater than the averages of their virtual comparison panel, or students in conventional public schools. Overall, 30 percent of charters had […] Read more »
December 3, 2012
Contact:Lauren HayesTennessee Charter Schools Association615-927-6780lauren@tncharterschools.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 28, 2012 CITY-WIDE CHARTER SCHOOL FAIR TO BE HELD ON DECEMBER 8TH All fall 2013 Nashville charter schools will be present to help MNPS families apply for enrollment Nashville, TN- The TCSA Voice, a program of the Tennessee Charter Schools Association, will host the first Nashville […] Read more »
November 30, 2012
Download or print your PDF copy of The Essential Guide to Charter School Law: Charter School Laws Across the States 2012 Press Release Webinar Briefing on Charter School Laws Across the States 2012 Charter School Laws 2012 Ranking & Scorecard Read more »
October 26, 2012
For the first time ever, this current 2012-2013 school year will see more of our nation’s students in charter schools than in Catholic schools. A recent report explores ideas Catholic schools can adopt from charter schools in order to remain a viable option for parents.
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October 15, 2012
An essential guide to charter school lawmaking grounded on experience and practice. Press Release Download or print your PDF copy of The Essential Guide to Charter School Lawmaking: Model Legislation for States Grounded in Experience and Practice Read more »
October 15, 2012
by Barbara Jones Los Angeles Daily News October 10, 2012 Her empire stretches from the aging Vaughn Elementary School at one end to the state-of-the-art Global and Green Generation campus at the other. In between lies a primary center, a middle school, a campus for senior high students and a half-dozen lots where Yvonne Chan […] Read more »
October 15, 2012
Throughout the media, a statistic is often repeated that suggests charter school achievement is “mixed” and that only 1 in 5 charter schools actually perform well. This started in June 2009, when The New York Times published a report on a study by a small research center out at Stanford University, whose press releases for […] Read more »
September 24, 2012
Cincinnati’s public school system is featured as an Education Nation case study because of its holistic approach to education, beginning with wraparound services before children have even entered kindergarten. But while the achievement claims made by the superintendent sound promising, there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure that all of Cincinnati’s students are achieving at grade level. Read more »
September 24, 2012
A Stanford University report from the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) gained major attention in June 2009 when the New York Times ran its findings that public charter schools do no better or worse than traditional public schools. Unfortunately, these findings continue to be taken as fact today despite the study’s shortcomings. Below […] Read more »
September 10, 2012
After 5 years of planning, Avenues: The World School is open for business. It is the largest independent school opening in the history of New York City. CER President Jeanne Allen got a sneak peak of Avenues before it opened. The New York City school is the flagship in a planned global network of schools […] Read more »
August 30, 2012
A new study from The Brown Center on Education Policy at Brookings Institution reveals the positive impact that school vouchers may have on college enrollment. In 1997, a privately funded scholarship program in New York City was created for low-income families. As is typical today, demand far outweighed supply and there were 20,000 applicants for […] Read more »
August 6, 2012
CER President Jeanne Allen recently visited Avenues: The World School, which is an innovative new school opening its doors this fall in New York City. The New York campus is the flagship in a planned global network of schools with a unique mission to promote and nurture global preparedness. Pledging to “set an example as […] Read more »
June 12, 2012
Corbett's Crusade...Parent Trigger in MI... cost of Neshaminy teacher strikes...and more in today's Newswire. Read more »
May 24, 2012
Success stories from schools that have high standards. Read more »
April 25, 2012
Frequently asked questions regarding tuition tax credits and tax deductions. Read more »
April 23, 2012
Today, Chiefs for Change, an organization of chief state education officers committed to putting children first through visionary education reform, congratulated Louisiana for its student-centered reforms. Read more »
April 17, 2012
There’s talk in Lansing of trying to tax charter schools to fix the state’s broken retirement system. It’s an idea that won’t work, is unfair and will devastate Michigan’s charter schools and its employees. Read more »
April 13, 2012
Highlights from the most recent annual report from the Florida Department of Education comparing charter school and conventional public school performance. Read more »
April 11, 2012
The DC Opportunity Scholarship Program (DC OSP) is once again on the chopping block as President Obama has allocated zero funds to the program in his proposed 2013 federal budget. Read more »
April 3, 2012
The NJ Spotlight Opinion Piece “Voucher Bills Fall Prey to False Advertising and Small Thinking” is a subjective commentary by Mr. MacInnes which mischaracterizes both the intent of the Opportunity Scholarship Act and the urgency of the need for OSA. Read more »
March 21, 2012
John Paul II Catholic High School announces tech-adventurous funding-raising goal of $99,000 via Crowdtilt as part of $676,000 May 1 goal Read more »
February 10, 2012
In response to your dozens of calls and emails, I am writing with good news about a much-publicized issue regarding charter school teachers’ state retirement eligibility. Nothing in the regulations is directly aimed at charter schools. There is nothing that is becoming final this summer. Read more »
January 26, 2012
Download or print your PDF copy of CER Summary Hoxby New York Charters 2009 Read more »
January 26, 2012
Download or print your PDF copy of Fact-Checking Charter School Achievement Read more »
January 26, 2012
Print or download PDF here: America’s Attitudes Toward Charter Schools 2008 Read more »
January 26, 2012
On June 27, 2002, the United States Supreme Court ruled that that the state of Ohio was within its constitutional power to enact a school choice program for Cleveland's children. Read more »
January 26, 2012
Download or print your PDF copy of National Charter School and Enrollment Statistics 2010 Read more »
January 26, 2012
Print or download PDF here: Next Generation Charter Schools Act Read more »
January 26, 2012
Overview of CER 2011 Charter School Laws Full Report Read more »
January 26, 2012
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January 26, 2012
Download or print your PDF copy of Fact-Checking School Choice Research [issuu width=420 height=272 backgroundColor=%23222222 documentId=120126200911-e607b020933f486bbb18966341258a07 name=factcheckschool_choice_oct2010 username=centerforedreform tag=research unit=px id=2547131d-653c-00c8-1bb9-1dddc729b2cd v=2] Read more »
January 26, 2012
Download or print your PDF copy of Closed Charter Schools By State 2011 Read more »
January 17, 2012
Download or print your PDF copy of Charter School Laws Across the States 2011 Read more »
December 26, 2011
Download or print your PDF copy of The State of Charter Schools: What We Know – and What We Do Not – About Performance and Accountability Read more »
December 21, 2011
Download or print your PDF copy of National Charter School & Enrollment Statistics 2011-12 Read more »
December 10, 2011
Download or print your PDF copy of Multiple Authorizers Primer Read more »
December 1, 2011
This Policy Perspective report analyzes New Jersey's charter application methodology from a 2011 cycle and uncovers some concerning evaluation processes. Read more »
November 30, 2011
Frequently asked questions regarding school choice and what choice means for students, educators, schools, and communities. Read more »
November 23, 2011
Findings from a recently released report by Mathematica Policy Research and the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) point to increased effectiveness of Charter Management Organization (CMOs) schools over district schools. The study was conducted over the last two years. It was composed of surveys of principals and teachers at 292 qualifying CMO schools (40 […] Read more »
November 15, 2011
Students, parents and educators head the to steps of the Pennsylvania Capitol on Tuesday, November 15, to show support for a proposal that is now pending in the House, to provide children in the lowest 5% of failing schools a scholarship to attend a successful school of choice. The REACH Foundation’s Rally for School Choices […] Read more »
October 18, 2011
Click here to read an excerpt of Subversion Inc. by Mathew Vadum (published by WND Books). Read more »
October 18, 2011
New Orleans’ Algiers Charter School Association CEO, Dr. Andrea Thomas-Reynolds, spent some time with Newswire sharing the road her charter took to high student and teacher success in a post-Katrina environment. Following is a brief re-cap: Newswire: What was the impetus to starting the charter network? Reynolds: It actually emerged from the aftermath of Katrina, […] Read more »
September 25, 2011
“By the time a charter schools student has reached the end of eighth grade, our estimates indicate that he will be scoring about 30 points higher in math than he would have been scoring if he had been lotteried-out and remained in the regular public schools.” That’s just one of the conclusions of the most […] Read more »
September 25, 2011
Yes. In addition to the positive pressure they put on the public school system as a whole, charter schools satisfy and serve their primary constituents (teachers, parents, and students) by providing exciting and viable new education in an inclusive, individual manner. Harvard University Professor and Economist Caroline Hoxby recently released a study called “A Straightforward […] Read more »
September 25, 2011
Skeptics often argue that school choice programs only succeed because they “cream” the best students, those with the most involved parents or the best academics, and leave the hard-to educate behind in the troubled traditional public school system. By measurement of student academic progress, parental involvement, constituent satisfaction and public school reaction to competition, the […] Read more »
September 25, 2011
The CER’s annual survey of the day-to-day operations of charters reveals that charter schools are experiencing stronger parental demand than ever before, with growing waiting lists at 65% of schools. Read more »
September 25, 2011
There are more than 5,400 charter schools serving more than 1.7 million children across the country. (Fall, 2010) Visit the National Charter School Directory for a complete searchable listing and website links. Charters schools are growing at a rapid pace. For the 2010-2011 school year, 465 new charter schools opened in 40 states and the District of […] Read more »
September 25, 2011
The strongest critics of choice scholarship programs claim that if dollars are used for religiously affiliated schools then they violate the First Amendment (establishment of religion). The First Amendment provides freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. Choice scholarship programs let parents choose where to direct their children’s education funds. The state is not imposing […] Read more »
September 25, 2011
Charter schools are public schools. Like district public schools, they are funded according to enrollment (also called average daily attendance, or ADA), and receive funding from the district and the state according to the number of students attending. The ways and amounts at which charters are funded compared to their district counterparts differ dramatically in an […] Read more »
October 1, 2010
Why some are saying only 1 in 5 charter schools perform, and why it’s wrong. Insight on the widely cited CREDO study. Read more »
January 26, 2010
Download or print your PDF copy of Annual Survey of America’s Charter Schools 2010 Read more »
December 20, 2009
A handbook to help parents make sense of schooling options to get a better education for their child. Download or print your PDF copy of Know Your Choices Read more »
August 4, 2009
A recent study of charter schools' effect on student achievement has been published by CREDO (2009). It contains a statistical mistake that causes a biased estimate of how charter schools affect achievement. This paper explains that mistake. Read more »
January 12, 2007
With NCLB now five years old, looking at places like the DC Catholic School consortium can offer some real life lessons for improving the law.
Read more »June 22, 2002
Statement By Center For Education Reform President Jeanne Allen On Supreme Court Ruling Supporting School Choice For Cleveland Children Read more »