Public Charter School Accountability

Publication Date: January 2003

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Education

Type:

Abstract:

A public charter school is a publicly funded elementary or secondary school that is operated according to the terms of a charter or contract granted by a public chartering agency. The terms of a school charter typically include provisions granting autonomy in the operation of the school in exchange for adherence to specific accountability requirements, and are limited to a set number of years. In order to retain or renew its charter, a school must adhere to the accountability requirements written into its charter and also must continue to attract enough students to continue functioning as a viable school.

A public charter school may be accountable to a number of concerned actors, both internal and external to the school, for a variety of actions or outcomes. This report focuses on accountability relationships external to the school, such as those involving students' families, communities, and the broader society. Means through which a charter school may be held accountable for specific actions or outcomes include the terms of its charter, provisions in federal and state statutes that apply generally to all schools or more specifically to all charter schools, and the satisfaction of parents and community members.

Currently, 39 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have charter school laws, and charter schools are operating in all but three of those states. Charter schools are being held accountable for results, as outlined in charter agreements or as required by federal and state law, by chartering agencies and state educational agencies, although through somewhat differing means and to degrees of effectiveness that vary from state to state. Charter schools also are being held accountable through market mechanisms, such as parental satisfaction, with the result that many have waiting lists while others have been forced to close because of insufficient enrollment.

The federal government supports charter schools primarily through the Charter Schools program, a competitive federal grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Education which awards funds for charter schools that have met certain eligibility, including accountability provisions. While in general public charter schools have received broad support during the past several Congresses, a proposal to legislate more rigid accountability requirements specific to public charter schools was among a host of accountability issues debated during the recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Ultimately, in passing the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) to reauthorize the ESEA, the Congress voted to retain the Charter Schools program accountability requirements as previously enacted, and to enact comprehensive accountability requirements that will apply generally to each public school, irrespective of its charter status. As the 108th Congress oversees implementation of NCLBA accountability requirements, it may pay close attention to the performance of charter schools.