Starting from Scratch: Political and Organizational Challenges Facing Charter Schools

Abstract

Charter schools are publicly funded schools of choice operating free of state regulation and independent of local school districts. Twenty-nine states have enacted laws establishing charter schools since 1991. Nationwide, an estimated 700 charter schools have opened their doors and hundreds more are planned This study examines the organizational and political obstacles encountered by "start-from-scratch" charter schools. We analyze what these challenges mean for individual charter schools, the charter school experiment in general, and the state's policy role in governing these new institutions.

Can a school change its spots? The first year of transforming to an innovative school

“…Suffering from a shortage of resources, inadequate accommodation, and sometimes a lack of leadership and experience (Bulkley and Fisler 2003;Leonard 2002;Loveless and Jasin 1998;Meier 1995), the transforming schools have to concentrate on only a few aspects of the innovation and leave the rest for further development.…”

The feasibility of charter schools in the United States: a national study

“…Charter schools in most states also face regulatory and political hurdles and problems (Berman, Nelson, & Seppanen, 1997;Loveless & Jasin, 1998). "Charter schools in most states 12 continue to be burdened by myriad rules and procedures.…”

“…"Charter school legislation in the U.S. ties accountability to pupil performance, specifying that the contract may not be renewed if a school fails to meet the specified requirements for pupil perfonnance" (Wohlstetter & Anderson, 1994). Charter school advocates believe that the educator-client relationship can be pivotal in causing schools to focus on student outcomes (Loveless & Jasin, 1998).…”

“…New Mexico offers planning grants of $5,000 for up to ten schools interested in developing charters and in the 1960s, California offered one-year planning grants of $30 per smdent (Wohlstetter & Anderson, 1994). Massachusetts provides $10,000 of start-up fimds (Loveless & Jasin, 1998). …”

“…Charter 30 schools are a compromise between defenders of public schools and advocates of educational choice (Loveless & Jasin, 1998).…”