Two dozen states lack the kind of “charter-friendly” policies they need to earn top points on their Race to the Top applications, according to a new review of charter school laws.
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools report finds that 13 states continue to cap the growth of charter schools, while another 11 states have yet to enact laws establishing public charter schools.
The report also ranks states and districts based on how closely their state laws align with the Washington-based advocacy group’s model charter school law. Its top 10 jurisdictions, in ascending order, are: Minnesota, the District of Columbia, California, Georgia, Colorado, Massachusetts, Utah, New York, Louisiana, and Arizona.
The U.S. Department of Education has said that it will give extra points to states with supportive charter school policies when they apply for some of the $4.35 billion in grants available to them through the Race to the Top fund.