Jay P. Green, Ph.D.

Center for Civic Innovation at the Manhattan Institute 

      This is the first national empirical study of charter schools that compares apples to apples—that is, test scores at charter schools and regular public schools serving similar student populations.

      By comparing “untargeted” charter schools serving the general population to their closest neighboring regular public schools, we can draw a fair comparison and get an accurate picture of how well charter schools are performing.

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      We found positive effects from charter schools serving general populations, but for the most part these effects were modest in size....

      There are several possible explanations for the finding that charter schools outperformed their regular public school counterparts. One possibility is that charter schools benefit from the freedom they enjoy from many state regulations. With less of a regulatory burden, charter schools may be able to focus more of their energies on assisting students and enjoy greater flexibility in meeting student needs.

      The better academic performance of charter schools could also be a result of their being schools of choice. By allowing families to send their children to schools of their own choosing, charter schools may permit more efficient matching of student needs with school capabilities. Given that not every child learns in the same way, charter schools help families find a school that works well for them and their children.

      This “choice factor” may also produce better academic performance in charter schools because of the incentives that charter schools face when attempting to attract and retain students. Unlike public schools, to which students are assigned based on residence, charter schools have to earn their students. This makes it more likely that they will better serve those students’ needs.

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