NACSA Report – 2017 – Charters began on the fringe of the public school landscape. As charters grow and become increasingly mainstream, the way they work and interact with other public schools and communities must evolve.
Improving access means growing the number of good schools (especially in neighborhoods of need), providing the information families need to identify schools that meet their needs, ensuring that all students have a fair opportunity to attend high-quality schools, and providing the infrastructure families need to attend the school of their choice.
This report—written primarily for charter school authorizers, especially those with a large or growing number of
charters—explores the issues communities must address to ensure equitable student and family access to great public
schools. It describes how authorizers in two communities with many charter schools—together with other change
agents—are tackling challenges such as transportation, enrollment, equity, accountability, and communication—among the most pressing issues in a growing number of communities across the country. Continue reading.