Is Choice a Panacea? An Analysis of Black Student Attrition From Charters and Urban Districts

• In Event: Roundtable Session 52
  In Roundtable Session: Alternatives to Traditional Public Schools for Black Students: What Works?

Abstract

Discontent with pervasive inequalities in traditional public schools, combined with growing political, parental and corporate support, has created the expectations that charter schools are the solution for educating minority youth, particularly African Americans. There is a paucity of research on the educational attainment of African American youth in private charters, particularly on the issue of attrition. The paper finds that peer urban districts in Texas on average show lower incidence of Black student dropouts and leavers relative to charters.

Authors

• Julian Vasquez Heilig, The University of Texas - Austin

• Amy Rachel Williams, The University of Texas - Austin

• Linda McSpadden McNeil, Rice University

• Christopher Lee, The University of Texas - Austin