Charter School Reckoning: Decline, Disillusionment and Cost. Part II: Disillusionment
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| Title: | Charter School Reckoning: Decline, Disillusionment and Cost. Part II: Disillusionment |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Network for Public Education (NPE), National Center for Charter School Accountability (NCCSA) |
| Source: | Network for Public Education. 2025. |
| Availability: | Network for Public Education. 225 East 36th Street, Apartment 10-O, New York City, New York 10016. Tel: 646-678-4477; e-mail: info@networkforpubliceducation.org; Web site: https://networkforpubliceducation.org/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 35 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Evaluative |
| Education Level: | Elementary Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Charter Schools, School Choice, Trend Analysis, School Closing, Declining Enrollment, Failure, Educational Finance, Financial Problems, Educational Administration, Moral Issues, Deception, School Funds, Educational Innovation, Proprietary Schools, School Law, Educational Legislation, Public Opinion, Educational Change, Educational Policy, Federal Aid, State Aid, Income, Financial Support, Costs, Governance, Governing Boards, Accountability, Elementary Secondary Education |
| Abstract: | Thirty years ago, charter schools embodied possibility. They were envisioned as nimble, innovative, community-driven alternatives to traditional public schools -- laboratories of experimentation led by teachers and grounded in equity. The grand bargain was clear: more freedom from regulations and bureaucracy in exchange for heightened accountability. Charter schools were not meant to compete with districts, but to complement them. They would pilot new approaches, share what worked, and remain rooted in the voices of parents and teachers -- the people closest to students. "Decline," the first part of the three-part report, "Charter School Reckoning: Decline, Disillusionment, and Cost," documented how charter school growth has stalled, with openings barely keeping pace with closures. One in four charter schools closes before its fifth year of operation, a trend likely to continue as new charter schools compete with existing schools for a declining student population. The authors argued that it is time to strengthen the schools already open, rather than continuing to pour increasing federal funds into creating new ones. This second part of this comprehensive report, "Disillusionment," explores the deeper question of why support for charter schools has declined by contrasting the movement's original aspirations with the reality of what charter schools have become today. It delves into the recurring scandals and exposes how lax charter laws enable mismanagement, profiteering, and fraud. Scandals and closures have tarnished the charter brand resulting in mounting public disillusionment with charter schools -- even among progressive policymakers who once embraced the idea. This second part of the report concludes by outlining the legislative and policy reforms necessary to bring charter schools back to the vision of accountability, equity, and public purpose that animated their creation. |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | ED677430 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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