The Center for Education Reform’s 1997-1998 National Charter School Directory includes the results of a survey of charter schools in operation in the 1996-1997 school year. Among its findings:
Curriculum: 24 percent offer back-to-basics, 19 percent use Core Knowledge, and 11 percent offer home or independent study programs.
Students: 40 percent serve dropouts or at-risk students, 24 percent serve gifted and talented students, and 10 percent serve adjudicated youth.
Formation: 68 percent are new start-up charter schools, 19 percent are converted public schools, and 14 percent are converted private schools.
Sponsors: 44 percent are sponsored by a state chartering body, 43 percent by the local school board, and 16 percent by a university or college.
Operators: 22 percent were started and/or run by parents, 17 percent by teachers, and 7 percent by for-profit firms.
Locations: 33 percent are located in a district facility, 24 percent in a retail or commercial facility, and 12 percent in a church facility.
Sites: 19 percent have multiple sites.
The complete survey results are included in the directory and also are available on CER’s web site at http://www.edrefrom.com.
