Study of the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Charter Schools in Indiana - In July 2007, the Indiana state legislature contracted with the Center for Evaluation and Education Policy to conduct an evaluation of the state’s charter schools. Specifically, the evaluation addresses research questions with respect to charter school enrollment patterns and policies, funding patterns and sources, innovations in charter schools, impacts on neighboring corporations (school districts are called corporations in Indiana), accountability and performance of charter schools on achievement measures and the effectiveness of the support provided by charter school sponsors. The Center arrived at five conclusions about the state’s charter schools. (Center for Evaluation and Education Policy, January 2009)...

Maintenance Required: Charter Schooling in Michigan - Today, only California and Florida have more students in public charter schools than Michigan. This report examines both the achievements and shortfalls of Michigan’s experiment in charter schooling. It reviews the state’s charter school legislation and the evolution of charters in Michigan. The report also evaluates charter school performance, explores challenges facing the schools and offers recommendations for improvement. (Sara Mead, Education Sector, October 2006) ...

A Look at Tennessee's Charter Schools - This report discusses the characteristics of Tennessee’s charter schools, national research on charter school performance and successful practices and policy for charter schools. The report contains recommendations for charter school policy and future research that we hope will prove useful for policy makers in strengthening the state’s educational system. (Office of Research and Education Accountability, March 2006) ...

The Effect of Charter School Competition on Traditional Public School Students in Texas - This report looks for changes in student achievement in traditional public schools following the introduction of charter schools as a form of competition. The report finds evidence of a positive impact on student performance – at least in terms of test scores – for students remaining in traditional schools in Texas. The effect was consistent across math and reading, districts and campuses and across a variety of specifications. (Kevin Booker, Scott Gilpatric, Timothy Gronberg and Dennis Jansen, National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, September 2005)...

Charter School Operations and Performance: Evidence from California - This study of charter schools in California focuses on four questions: Who attends charter schools? How does student achievement in charter schools compare to achievement in conventional public schools? How are charter schools monitored? Does the operation of charter schools differ significantly from that of conventional public schools? (RAND Corporation, 2003)...