A charter school is an autonomous entity that operates on the basis of a charter or contract between the individual or group (teachers, parents, and others) that organizes the school and its sponsor (local school board, county, or state board). Once granted a charter, the school receives educational formula-driven funding as though it were a…

Since the 1960s, schools have relied on federal and state programs to provide the extra resources and services needed to help certain categories of disadvantaged students catch up with their classmates. While many credit these categorical programs with expanding educational opportunities, increasing numbers question the effectiveness of this ad…

School-based management (SBM), the decentralization of decision-making authority to the school site, comes in many variations. However, all forms of SBM require a rethinking of how and where budgeting, curriculum, and personnel decisions are made. This bulletin provides an overview of what SBM is and how it is implemented by summarizing some of…