The U.S. Charter School Landscape: Extant Literature, Gaps in Research, and Implications for the U.S. Educational System

Abstract

More than 20 years into public charter school implementation, the U.S. experience offers many lessons to help inform policymakers and others about how to achieve the best possible results with charter school policies. In the last 15 years or so, a number of rigorous studies have examined the effects of these schools. This paper places this research within the framework of the charter school concept and what proponents saw as the goals for the reform. It then moves on to discuss the outcomes and what the research suggests makes some charter schools effective including student achievement. Finally, the paper concludes with discussion points and thoughts for policymakers and researchers.

Keywords

• charter schools
• charter school policies
• charter school movement
• charter school outcomes