Charter Schools at 25
Twenty-five years ago this month, Minnesota passed the country’s first charter school law. Since then, the charter sector has expanded exponentially to include dozens of states, thousands of schools, and millions of students. While the charter movement has benefited significantly from wealthy funders—which have been crucial in fueling its growth—it still faces a litany of criticisms. Among the most persistent: Charter schools have a harmful lack of diversity.
School & District Management
The Evolution of the 'Chartered School'
Charters have evolved from the original idea of allowing parents and teachers to create new kinds of public schools into a powerful movement driven, to a large extent, by private philanthropy.
School & District Management
From Our Research Center
Data and the Debate Over Diversity in Charters
Charter schools have long been criticized for a lack of diversity, but a national analysis reveals a varied demographic profile.
School Climate & Safety
Video: A Tale of Two Charter Schools
Step inside the Avalon School in St. Paul, Minn., and the Alliance Collins Family College-Ready High School in Los Angeles to see how the charter movement has changed over the last 25 years.
Coverage of issues related to creating opportunities for all American students and their families to choose a quality school is supported by a grant from the Walton Family Foundation, at waltonk12.org. Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage.
