Charter schools are public schools that operate free from some government regulations in return for a commitment to achieve a set of student outcomes specified in their charter. Nearly 8,000 public charter schools enrolled 3.7 million students in the U.S. in 2020-21. In major cities, charter schools receive less funding per pupil compared to…

This study examines charter school funding equity in 18 cities using 2019-20 data, the most recent available. The study uses official school district and state budget documents to capture every dollar flowing to schools, including in-kind services. The study answers the following questions: (1) What is the difference in per-pupil revenue between…

Three decades after the first charter school law passed in the United States, myths about these public schools not only persist but continue to fuel strong claims and divisive debates. Commentators point to education management organizations (EMOs), for-profit organizations which manage or operate a network of charter schools, as examples of…

This report looks at Rochester, New York, where, in the 2019-2020 school year, 11 public charter schools enrolled slightly more than 18 percent of public school students. Given that Rochester's charter schools educate a large proportion of that city's students, it is important to understand exactly how those schools are performing and whether…

In 2015-16, the United States spent over $660 billion on its public education system in hopes of providing children with greater opportunities to excel academically and to improve their life trajectories. While public education dollars have risen at a relatively fast pace historically, future challenges, including underfunded pension liabilities,…

Public charter schools increasingly are part of both the national conversation about education policy and the local urban scene in America. Previous studies of public charter schools have examined their achievement effects focused on both the state and metropolitan levels, and funding disparities focused on the state levels. This report is the…

Public charter schools increasingly are part of both the national conversation about education policy and the local urban scene in America. Previous studies of public charter schools have examined their achievement effects focused on both the state and metropolitan levels, and funding disparities focused on the state levels. This report is an…

New York City was home to 1,575 district and 183 charter schools in Fiscal Year 2014 (FY2014). Seven percent of all public school students in New York City attended charter schools that year. Researchers systematically reviewed funding and spending documents involving the city's district-run and independent charter schools for FY2014. Research…

Public charter schools increasingly are part of both the national conversation about education policy and the local urban scene in America. Previous studies of public charter schools have examined their achievement effects focused on both the state and metropolitan levels, and funding disparities focused on the state levels. This is the first…

This is the first national study of the productivity of public charter schools relative to district schools. This report is a follow up to the charter school revenue study, "Charter School Funding: Inequity Expands" (see ED581409) in April 2014 by the School Choice Demonstration Project at the University of Arkansas. While the revenue…

This revenue study is based on Fiscal Year 2010-11 (FY11) data for each of 30 selected states plus the District of Columbia (D.C.). Traditional school districts and public charter schools were analyzed and aggregated "statewide." For each state, one to three "focus areas" were selected based on larger concentrations of charter…

This report is the fourth in a series of annual reports produced by the School Choice Demonstration Project (SCDP) that provides descriptive information about the schools participating in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP). A total of 115 schools participated in the MPCP for the entire 2009-10 academic year, with 20,899 students enrolled…

This report analyzes the net fiscal impact of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP). The net fiscal benefits of the MPCP have continued to grow. The estimated increase was particularly sharp in FY10, from $37.2 million to $46.7 million. This increase was primarily due to the cut in the voucher amount, while MPS' per pupil revenues continued…

This report is the third in a series of annual reports produced by the School Choice Demonstration Project (SCDP) that will provide descriptive information about the schools participating in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP). This year's report contains a new section that examines schools from both the public and private sectors that…