Should We Wait for Superman? Evaluating the Performance of Charter Schools in Greater Los Angeles

• In Event: Roundtable Session 101
  In Roundtable Session: Longitudinal Student Outcomes in a Variety of Charter School Contexts

Abstract

In 1992, California became just the second state in the United States to enact significant charter school legislation. Today, over 940 charter schools are operating in California servicing nearly 350,000 students. California leads the nation both in the number as well as the fastest rate of growth of charter schools (Center for Education Reform 2010). But how effective are these charter schools? In this study funded by the Haynes Foundation, we examine the performance of charter schools in the Los Angeles area and offer comparisons to the nearby traditional public schools. Furthermore, we examine the racial composition of charter schools in the region, and investigate whether these charter schools are locating where the public schools are failing.

Authors

• Greg Thorson, University of Redlands

• Matthew Gutierrez, University of Redlands