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Advancing civic learning and competence remains a fundamental objective in social studies education. Persistent civic performance outcome gaps, similar to other educational achievement disparities, are influenced by race, class, and other social constraints. Charter schools, known for their innovative structures and curricula, are often proposed as a solution for enhancing civic outcomes, particularly for Black and Hispanic youth. This study analyzes the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2014 and 2018 Civics Grade 8 results using a multilevel regression model to assess whether charter schools improve civic outcomes compared to traditional public and private schools. Key variables examined include race/ethnicity, school type, and teacher credentials. The findings reveal that charter schools perform comparably to traditional public schools in fostering civic knowledge and skills. Teacher time spent on civics instruction nor teacher credentials relate to student civic performance outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the First Amendment's Religion Clauses were ratified, church and state became increasingly divorced from one another, as practicing religion became a private activity on which the government could not encroach. This separation, however, was slow, and much credit is owed to the U.S. Supreme Court for its efforts to disentangle the two. One particular area in which the Supreme Court exercised its influence was the U.S. education system; the Court invoked the Religion Clauses and neutrality principles to rid public schools of religious influences and ensure that private religious schools could partake in government programs that were available to all. The Court's efforts, in part, eventually yielded a rise in alternative education opportunities, including charter schools and, more recently, religious charter schools. This Note examines whether religious charter schools are private or state actors under the state action doctrine and, consequently, whether they are prohibited under the Religion Clauses. This Note argues that charter schools, generally, cannot be categorized as either private or public actors; rather, particular practices and characteristics of a charter school can be deemed state action such that the school must comply with the Religion Clauses' demands. This Note analyzes these instances, focusing on the Court's jurisprudence regarding religious curricula, teacher-led prayer, government funding, and religious symbols. Ultimately, this Note concludes that the most identifying feature of a religious charter school--its religious curriculum--cannot be considered state action and, thus, religious charter schools are permissible and beneficial additions to school choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the potential emergence of religious charter schools in Arizona and Massachusetts following the introduction of a universal school-choice program in Arizona, analyzing constitutional questions and the legal frameworks in each state.

The article offers information on the recent legislative developments in New Zealand, including the third readings of key bills aimed at improving mental health and education. Topics include the Mental Health Outcomes Amendment Bill for developing a national strategy on mental health, the Education and Training Amendment Bill to reintroduce charter schools, and the Family Violence Amendment Bill to make it easier to dissolve marriages or civil unions due to family violence.

Parental involvement is well-documented in the literature. Although research suggests a strong positive association between parental involvement and children's educational outcomes, few studies have examined parental involvement at home with children who attend charter schools, especially with small immigrant groups such as the Hmong. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine how Hmong parents of students in charter schools were involved in their children's education at home and what barriers they faced. This study included 23 Hmong parents (9 fathers, 15 mothers) of elementary school-aged children enrolled in three Hmong-focused charter schools in Minnesota. The results showed several themes related to barriers for at-home school involvement, including work schedules, literacy barriers, lack of spousal support, and multiple children at home. Despite these barriers, Hmong parents also indicated that they sacrificed for their children's education by taking on multiple jobs, created and maintained regular family routines to monitor children's education, and connected children to appropriate resources for homework help, including older siblings. Implications for school administrators and teachers who work with Hmong parents, especially Hmong parents who have children enrolled in charter schools, are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Education Policy Analysis Archives / Archivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas / Arquivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas is the property of Educational Policy Analysis Archives & Education Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Education Policy Analysis Archives / Archivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas / Arquivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas is the property of Educational Policy Analysis Archives & Education Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Educação is the property of EDIPUCRS - Editora Universitaria da PUCRS and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Although charter schools are a growing segment of the US education market, they are less likely than traditional public or private schools to have dedicated library facilities, staffing, or services. Currently there is little data about what services charter schools provide to support literacy, research, or technology skill building - services commonly provided by school libraries. Without these data it is unknown whether, how, or to what extent charter schools without school libraries ensure that their students have access to these crucial learning resources. This study collected data in 87 US based K-12 charter schools across 11 states using an online survey completed by school administrators. This survey addresses library services of charter schools both with and without school library facilities. The survey shows that most charters lack facilities and staffing to provide quality school library services. In charters that have a school library the data suggests the school benefits from more services to encourage reading for fun and information literacy instruction that can improve technology use and research skills. This study informs future research and advocacy for charter school libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the rise of charter schools in New York City through the lens of representation of educators on school governing boards. During its inception in the early 1990s, the charter school movement garnered support from progressives and conservatives alike. Albert Shanker, longtime head of the American Federation of Teachers, initially endorsed charter schools as engines for experimentation to be carried out by educators with fresh and potentially radical theories of pedagogy. While the charter school movement has pushed full steam ahead over the past three decades, the role of teachers in this expansion remains unclear. I use publicly available data from the New York State Education Department to identify 268 authorized charter schools for the 2020-21 academic school year. I record data on charter school board membership made available by the New York City Department of Education and State University of New York and then scrape the web (school websites, LinkedIn profiles, online CVs) for board members' current and prior professional occupations. Descriptive results suggest that school board members are overrepresented by financiers and business managers while current and past educators are less represented. The lack of teacher representation on charter school boards suggests that the charter school movement has not followed through on its initial promise to help professionalize teaching and enhance the role of educators in school governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to develop and examine the initial psychometrics of an instrument, the Charter School Teacher Development Inventory (CSTDI), designed to measure the professional learning opportunities available in U.S. charter schools. Items on the CSTDI were derived from a review of relevant literature and were intended to gather information on how frequently U.S. charter schools employ traditional professional development methods and the five areas of more effective professional development (content focus, active learning, collaboration, coherence, and duration). The final form of the CSTDI was sent electronically to 6322 charter school administrators and 2428 returned completed surveys. Exploratory factor analysis performed on a randomly assigned half of the sample (n =1214) suggested that the CSTDI was comprised of five factors: traditional, content, coherence, duration, and active learning/collaboration. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the second half of the sample and provided additional support for a five factor structure of the CSTDI. Reliability coefficients for each of the five factors were above .90. This study provides promising support for a five-factor instrument that assesses professional development practices in charter schools. While the CSTDI was developed for use with charter school administrators, further research is warranted to determine if it may be relevant for use with teachers and administrators in both traditional public schools and charter schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Education Policy Analysis Archives / Archivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas / Arquivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas is the property of Educational Policy Analysis Archives & Education Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article argues that a paradox exists for U.S. charter schools in that they enjoy much support and advocacy despite 30 years of lackluster performance. This disconnect has serious consequences for families and students in charter schools that are underperforming. Of the 3 million students in charter schools across the country today, as many as 1 million of them on average are in schools that perform worse than comparable traditional public schools. This article traces the history of charter schools and compares the mixed performance of charters to the strong support from researchers, advocates and funders, making the case that neoliberals are more effectively presenting their case for innovation, freedom of choice and liberty than the social justice advocates who oppose charters. In light of this paradox, the article proposes an alternative role for charters that would build on and strengthen their original role as laboratories of innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since President Johnson passed the first federal education legislation in the 1960s, lawmakers at both the state and federal level have been searching for effective ways to hold public schools accountable. The 2015 amendments to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act gave states increased flexibility to implement their own innovative accountability measures, and with this newfound authority, Texas passed two laws: House Bill 1842 (HB 1842) in 2015 and Senate Bill 1882 (SB 1882) in 2017. The stringent measures in HB 1842 threaten struggling schools with state takeover if they consistently fail to meet standards, while SB 1882 incentivizes schools to enter two-year partnerships with charters or nonprofits with the goal of meeting state standards in exchange for a pause on HB 1842 sanctions. Focusing on the Houston and San Antonio Independent School Districts, this Comment explores the implications of the two recent laws and argues that state takeovers disenfranchise voters and families, and that SB 1882 partnerships—though not without challenges—present a necessary alternative. Taking the legal battles in the Houston and San Antonio school districts as lessons, this Comment proposes some measures that school districts exploring the partnership option could take to ensure that students and their families remain the priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on concerns reported by students, parents, and teachers formerly affiliated with the New Orleans-based Collegiate Academies charter school network as part of qualitative research study conducted during 2017-2018. It mentions Louisiana's education accountability system is provided, which outlines the measures used to assess charter school performance. It also mentions call for ensuring academic integrity and accountability in charter schools and accurate student achievement.

An article of empirically informed philosophical analysis of charter schooling that features local histories, voices of stakeholders, and an optimistic view on the democratic potential of charter school policies, the original piece presents a compelling, if extreme, case of charter school formation. In this response, I offer an alternative theoretical framing to the case. I argue that the scholarship of constitutional scholars is much less relevant as an interpretive lens on the case than more critical, contemporary pragmatist thinkers. I hope to show in this response how Deweyan political philosophy might have been used throughout the argument to produce a more nuanced and less naïve reading of charter schooling as a venue for creating new public spheres in education beyond traditional public schools. The qualitative study featured in this paper produces a detailed reading of a local charter schooling initiative that is worthy of serious analysis. My response suggests new, more plausible ways to theoretically interpret the rich case offered here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frenkiewich and Onosko (2020) maintain that American public education has functioned as a pillar of democracy and a force for progress for most of the twentieth century, but they worry that a major turn to school privatization in recent years will undermine the democratic mission and vision of public schooling and harm society as well. The authors contend that school privatization is the latest attempt by federal and state officials to fix the seemingly intractable problem of "unsatisfactory student performance." They contend that there is a well-funded and organized effort by neoliberals and privatizers to create and multiply charter schools and education vouchers that undercut public schools, meritocracy, and educational opportunity. This response and discussion highlight the cause of the rise of school privatization and its relationship to the neoliberal "failure" narrative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the ways in which the democratic notion of "the people" may be enacted in the school choice arena. Through an investigation of a charter school movement in a rural and segregated district in the Deep South, we explore themes of the constituent paradox that enabled the community to move beyond individual interests towards an expression of the common good. It is argued that for "the people" to be invoked via the democratic claim, they must identify more deeply than the institutions of their representation and recognize an expanded form of individualism defined through participation over consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The system that funds the education of students with disabilities in the United States requires practitioners to navigate a complicated labyrinth of federal, state, and local rules and regulations. Charter schools' legal governance status as a local education agency (LEA) or part of an LEA defines their legal and financial responsibilities to provide special education to students who qualify for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Distribution of funding to educate students with disabilities in charter schools--especially in districts already struggling to provide quality services given notable funding inequities--can foster discord between the two sectors. To improve choice and access and to educate the roughly 11% of charter school students with disabilities--an estimated 340,000 students in 2019-2020--increased clarity and understanding of complex financial formulas and issues of equitable distribution and alignment of funding is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Education Policy Analysis Archives / Archivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas / Arquivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas is the property of Educational Policy Analysis Archives & Education Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Education Policy Analysis Archives / Archivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas / Arquivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas is the property of Educational Policy Analysis Archives & Education Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Throughout the 20th century, community-owned and operated public schooling was viewed in the United States as an essential mechanism for advancing the country's democratic ideals, institutions, and economic interests. But the first decades of the 21st century have witnessed a historic shift away from this commitment to public schools, as federal and state lawmakers created taxpayer-funded policies supportive of private school vouchers and for-profit charter schools. The authors examine more than 100 years of national newspaper coverage related to the perennial problem of "unsatisfactory student performance," particularly changes in terminology used to describe these students and explanations for their "unsatisfactory performance." A review of this discourse reveals shifting views on the causes of students' "unsatisfactory performance" in schools and helps illuminate reasons for the nation's recent turn to the private sector. The authors suggest factors that have contributed to this abandonment by some school reformers, especially rising costs associated with special education, racism related to public schools serving more students of color, and an orchestrated, well-funded effort by advocates of privatization to frame public schools as "failing." The authors conclude that abandoning public schools will move the United States further away from equality of educational opportunity (a core ideal and requirement of any society claiming to be meritocratic), increase segregated schooling in urban areas, exacerbate the problem of inequality in educational attainment, and reduce community control and transparent governance of their children's education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Education Policy Analysis Archives / Archivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas / Arquivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas is the property of Educational Policy Analysis Archives & Education Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Charter schools are the most popular alternative to traditional public schooling in the United States. The majority of research indicates positive effects of charter schools on student performance in traditional public schools. Most studies use the share of charter school students enrolled as a measure of the competitive pressure of charter schools. We contend that competitive pressure on traditional public schools also comes from an alternative teaching environment provided by charter schools. A teacher may be attracted to the freedom that a charter school provides, which can empower them to be innovative. These changes can spill over to traditional public schools. We empirically examine the impact this choice for teachers has on student performance in traditional public schools. We measure student performance by the percentage of 8th-grade students that attain proficiency level and above on National Assessment of Educational Progress exams. Our results indicate a positive relationship between teacher freedom in charter schools and the performance of traditional public school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

K-12 online students are increasingly communicating and collaborating with their peers; however, research on the topic is limited--especially research examining students' perceptions and experiences. Guided by the Adolescent Community of Engagement framework's concept of peer engagement, this qualitative descriptive case study examined learner-learner interactions at a cyber charter high school. Ten students were selected by teachers based on their ability to independently engage in learning activities--five students were more independent and five required more support from others. Each student took part in two, hour-long interviews for a total of 20 interviews. The interviewers covered students' perceptions and experiences regarding teachers, parents, and peers. This report only focuses on peers. Iterative emic coding and thematic analysis revealed that their interactions with peers allowed them to develop friendships, improve their motivation, receive peer instruction, and collaborate effectively with others. Challenges are also covered. The article concludes with recommendations for research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Education Policy Analysis Archives / Archivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas / Arquivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas is the property of Educational Policy Analysis Archives & Education Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Education Policy Analysis Archives / Archivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas / Arquivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas is the property of Educational Policy Analysis Archives & Education Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Pädagogik is the property of Julius Beltz GmbH & Co. KG Beltz Juventa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)