A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

   FOR RELEASE                      Contact: Melinda Kitchell Malico    September 28, 1995                                 (202) 401-1008

A consortium comprised of RPP International, a research organization in Berkeley, Calif., the University of Minnesota's Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement, and the Institute for Responsive Education in Boston, will receive $536,000 this year to begin the four-year study.

"This first-ever national evaluation of charter schools is absolutely critical to help states and communities answer certain key questions about charter schools," Riley said. "Do charter schools really boost student achievement? If so, what kinds are most effective and what kind of charter school laws help them succeed?"

Nineteen states have passed charter school laws and more than 200 charter schools are in operation this school year. That is almost double the 110 charter schools that were in operation last spring, and many more are expected next year.

"Charter schools are creating alternatives and choices around the country that have the potential to help make public schools more effective, involve more communities and parents in learning and help more students succeed," Riley said. "This evaluation will help us all to learn if charter schools can meet these high expectations."

Charter schools are public schools under contract, or charter, from a public agency to groups of parents, teachers, school administrators or others who want to create more alternatives and choice within the public school system.

The study promises to be the most comprehensive and ambitious look at charter schools to date. The consortium plans to conduct an annual survey of all charter schools, gather data on student achievement and school operation, and compare those findings to those of non-charter schools with similar characteristics. How charter schools differ from other public schools on goals, expectations, curricula, teacher qualifications, assessing achievement, and the types of students they serve will also be studied. The consortium plans to visit schools to look at government policies that help or hinder the operation of charter school programs, and how formation of charter schools affects other public and private schools and overall school improvement efforts.

Riley also formally announced during a nationwide conference call that nine states and two individual schools in New Mexico will receive more than $5 million to support innovative charter schools. The grants, awarded under the new Public Charter Schools Program, go to state education departments in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota and Texas and two schools in Albuquerque and Portales, New Mexico.

Schools participating in the program cannot charge tuition, may not be religiously affiliated, and must abide by civil rights, health and safety laws. They also must meet standards set forth in their charters or they risk losing their public support.

States receiving the federal support must have passed legislation that allows public charter schools to bypass virtually all state rules and regulations -- except civil rights, health and safety, and financial audit requirements -- in exchange for a plan designed and executed to realize better results in student learning.