GROWTH AND QUALITY IN THE CHARTER SCHOOL MOVEMENT

2006 DASHBOARD

 

                        INDICATORS

DATA

Students

 

# Charter School Students

 

Source: Alliance 50-State Survey, April 2006.

Over 1 million

% Charter Students: Minority

 

Source: National Charter School Research Project, “Hopes, Fears, & Reality: A Balanced Look at American Charter Schools in 2005,” November 2005.

58% (2004-05)

(45% in Non-Charters)

(Schools and Staffing Survey: 57% in Charters vs. 39% in Non-Charters)

% Charter Students: Eligible for Free and Reduced-Price Lunch

 

Source: National Charter School Research Project, “Hopes, Fears, & Reality: A Balanced Look at American Charter Schools in 2005,” November 2005.

52% (2004-05)

(40% in Non-Charters)

(Schools and Staffing Survey: 49% in Charters vs. 42% in Non-Charters)

% Charter School Students: Special Education

 

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, “Characteristics of Schools, Districts, Teachers, Principals, and School Libraries in the United States: 2003-04 Schools and Staffing Survey,” April 2006.

11% (2003-04)

(13% in Non-Charters)

% Charter Schools Students: English Language Learners

 

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, “Characteristics of Schools, Districts, Teachers, Principals, and School Libraries in the United States: 2003-04 Schools and Staffing Survey,” April 2006.

12% (2003-04)

(11% in Non-Charters)

 

 

Growth

 

# of Charter Schools

 

Source: Alliance 50-State Survey, April 2006.

3,600

# of New Charters Opening in 2005-06 School Year

 

Sources: Alliance 50-State Survey, April 2006; National Charter School Research Project, “Hopes, Fears, & Reality: A Balanced Look at American Charter Schools in 2005,” November 2005.

Over 400

% Increase in # of Charters from Previous Year

 

Sources: Alliance 50-State Survey, April 2006; National Charter School Research Project, “Hopes, Fears, & Reality: A Balanced Look at American Charter Schools in 2005,” November 2005.

13%

Charter Student Market Share (% of K-12 Students in U.S.)

 

Sources: Alliance 50-State Survey, April 2006; National Center for Education Statistics, “Fast Facts: What Are The Enrollment Trends in Public and Private Elementary and Secondary Schools,” Accessed on April 27, 2006 at http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=65.

2%

Highest Market Share in Single State

 

Source: Alliance 50-State Survey, April 2006.

8% (Arizona)

Highest Market Share in Single City

 

Source: New York Times, “Federal Program on Vouchers Draws Strong Minority Support,” April 6, 2006.

28% (Dayton)

Share of Charter Schools Located in Top Three States

 

Source: Alliance 50-State Survey, April 2006.

38%

 

 

Performance and Accountability

 

% Charter Schools Making AYP

 

Sources: Alliance 50-State Survey, April 2006; Fordham Web Site, http://www.edexcellence.net/doc/AYP_results.pdf, accessed on April 27, 2006.

64%

(73% in Non-Charters)

 

# of States Where % of Charters Making AYP Exceeds the % of All Public Schools Making AYP

 

Sources: Alliance 50-State Survey, April 2006; Fordham Web Site, http://www.edexcellence.net/doc/AYP_results.pdf, accessed on April 27, 2006.

19 (of 35)

% Charter Students Proficient or Advanced on 2005 NAEP

 

Source: NAEP Data Tool, http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/.

4R – 28% (30% in Non-Charters)

4M – 29% (35% in Non-Charters)

8R – 24% (29% in Non-Charters)

8M – 21% (29% in Non-Charters)

% Charter Students Making More Than a Year of Learning Gains

Unknown

Charter High School Graduation Rate

Unknown

 

 

Policy Environment

 

Number of States with Charter Laws

 

Source: Alliance’s 50-State Survey, April 2006.

40 plus D.C.

# of States with State-Imposed Caps on Charters

 

Source: National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, “Stunting Growth: The Impact of State-Imposed Caps on Charter Schools,” January 2006.

25 plus D.C.

Average Per-Pupil Charter Funding as % of Average District School Funding

 

Source: Thomas B. Fordham Institute, “Charter School Funding: Inequity’s Next Frontier,” August 2005.

78% (Statewide)

76% (Urban Districts)

# of Non-Local School District Charter School Authorizers

 

Source: Education Commission of the States, “A State Policymaker’s Guide to Alternative Authorizers of Charter Schools,” September 2005.

127 (2004-05)

 

 

Public Opinion

 

% of Registered Voters Who Accurately Describe Charters as Public Schools

 

Source: Alliance’s 2006 Poll, April 2006

34%

% of Registered Voters Who Initially Favor Charters, Oppose Them, Are Unsure About Them

 

Source: Alliance’s 2006 Poll, April 2006.

35% - Favor

16%  - Oppose

49% - Unsure