Charters May Need More Oversight, Report Suggests

By Lynn Schnaiberg

Now that charter schools have become a reality in several states, policymakers need to figure out just how much freedom is too much, researchers at the Hudson Institute suggest.

A report released this month offers preliminary findings from the think tank's "Charter Schools in Action" project, part of Hudson's Educational Excellence Network. The 13-page report is based on interviews with parents, charter school supporters and opponents, policymakers, and others, as well as site visits to 12 charter schools in five states.

The authors plan to have two more-formal reports released by summer 1997. Those will cover a total of 35...