Charter Schools in Eight States: Effects on Achievement, Attainment, Integration, and Competition

Although charter schools are growing in number, debate continues about whether they provide a better education than traditional public schools. The report examines charter schools in Chicago, Denver, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, San Diego, and the states of Florida, Ohio, and Texas, using longitudinal student-level data to examine issues across multiple communities and varied charter laws. Overall, there is little evidence that charter schools, on average, are producing test-score impacts that are substantially better or worse than those of conventional public schools, but favorable high school graduation and college-entry results suggest the possibility of long-term benefits. The authors also note that much more is yet to be learned, particularly about the performance of charter elementary schools.