Charter schools are tuition-free public schools that are held accountable for improved student achievement. The Charter Schools Act of 1992 gives charter schools the freedom to make quick and effective changes to adapt to students’ needs. For the 2008-2009 school year, the State of California had 746 charter schools serving over 285,000 students in California. Over the past 10 years, California charter schools have consistently grown by an average of 50 schools a year. Charter schools serve a mix of students similar to those in California’s traditional public schools.
Research shows that charter schools do a better job at increasing student achievement than traditional public schools. [3] Employing credentialed teachers, charter schools participate in all state-mandated tests just as traditional district-run public schools do. Over 500 charter schools in California are committed to standards and accountability through the Certified Charter Schools Program. Charter school parents cited challenging curriculum and individualized student attention as key reasons for their high level of satisfaction according to a 2007 University of Southern California (USC) field study. [4]
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[1] Under California law, charter schools are required to employ credentialed teachers in core and college preparatory classes.
[2] Under California law, charter schools cannot discriminate on the basis or disability, race, color, gender, national origin, religion or ancestry.
[3] Research based on the California Department of Education’s Academic Performance Index from 2004-2007 indicates that 11% more charters than traditional public schools show substantially higher student achievement by the end of the school year.
[4] A 2007 USC field study entitled Charter Schools and Customer Satisfaction: Lessons from Field Testing a Parent Survey by Wohlstetter, Nayfack & Mora-Flores.