Center for Education Reform Charter School Study Released

The Center for Education Reform released its Charter School Survey: Innovative Education Models Succeed Despite Large Funding Gap today.

Findings include:

• Even though they are public schools and should receive the same amount of federal, state and local funds, charter schools receive nearly 40 percent less funding than other public schools.
• Despite receiving less money, charter schools are able to offer longer school days, longer school years, and innovative curricula not available in conventional public schools.
• Charter schools have grown at a rapid pace over the last ten years, but state caps and moratoriums on new schools are now impeding the necessary growth.

The study found that states with multiple authorizers have the highest quality and quantity of charter schools. Colorado has two authorizers: the local school district and a state chartering agency. However, recent legislative changes to the Charter School Institute law has further restricted where CSI may authorize charter schools. This year the CSI can charter in only 13 school districts, five of which are over 3,000 students (Durango, Grand Junction, Westminster, Roaring Fork and Poudre). None of these five districts requested exclusive chartering authority this year.