How are California's Charter Schools Performing?

May 2005
With the Charter Schools Act of 1992, California began allowing for the creation of a new type of public school. The school's organizers would operate more or less independently under a charter negotiated with a school district or county office of education. Groups could start new schools from scratch or convert existing schools to charter status. A charter school would be subject to fewer restrictions, but be more accountable for student achievement.

Today about 500 charter schools operate throughout California. In recent years, a number of studies have attempted to assess the effectiveness of the charter experiment, particularly its impact on students' academic achievement. These studies come to very different conclusions depending on the schools, the timeframe, and the performance measures they analyze.

This 24-page report discusses the complex nature of comparing charter and noncharter schools. It summarizes the most recent data from California's assessment and accountability systems, comparing types of charter schools with each other and with the larger system. It presents findings from prominent research studies and raises questions Californians should be asking about the state's charter schools and their performance.

Read a summary of the findings of this report:

Summary of findings from 'How are California’s Charter Schools Performing?'

Read Frequently Asked Questions about How Are California’s Charter Schools Performing?

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