Exploring Advanced Course Offerings, Course-Taking Patterns, and Educational Practices in Utah's High-Performing, Specialized Charter High Schools

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 12:40 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Perspectives on Market-Based Education (Table 28)

Abstract

This study examines the conditions or circumstances within Utah's five high-performing charter schools that provide access to advanced coursework opportunities and support high school completion. Using the Opportunity to Learn framework, the analysis includes the multiplicity of factors that create the conditions for more advanced coursetaking and the likelihood of graduation, such as curricula, learning materials, instructional experiences, and school counselors. Data collected, analyzed, and documented in this study include: school websites, published annual reports, longitudinal administrative data, and in-depth interviews. The preliminary findings in this study are significant because they indicate the need to probe deeper into the internal workings, resources, and educational practices/activities of charter schools that have adopted ‘human capital-oriented’ education models (STEM, IB, and early college).

Authors

• Charisse A. Gulosino, University of Memphis

• Yongmei Ni, University of Utah

• Andrea K. Rorrer, University of Utah

• Bill Altermatt, University of Utah