Charter Schools
Education news, analysis, and opinion about publicly funded independently-operated schools
See also: School Choice
What Are Charter Schools?
This Education Week explainer answers frequently asked questions about charter schools.
Equity & Diversity
What the Research Says
Suburban Segregation Is Rising. What States and Districts Can Do
New research finds existing policy levers have failed to stop rising suburban racial segregation.
School Choice & Charters
Opinion
What's the State of Charter Schools Today?
Even though there's momentum behind the charter school movement, charters face many of the same challenges as traditional public schools.
School Choice & Charters
How a District Hopes to Save an ESSER-Funded Program
As a one-time infusion of federal funding expires, districts are searching for creative ways to keep programs they funded with it running.
Budget & Finance
2023 in School Finance: Legal Fights, School Choice Debates, Persistent Inequities
Highlights of the year in school finance coverage include school funding lawsuits, private school choice legislation, and the looming financial storms brewing.
School Choice & Charters
Q&A
How the Charter School Movement Is Changing: A Top Charter Advocate Looks Back and Ahead
Nina Rees, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, plans to step down as leader of the group at the end of the year.
School Choice & Charters
Lead NAEP Official Faces Scrutiny Over Improper Spending Alleged at N.C. Charter School
Peggy Carr, the National Center for Education Statistics' head, is vice chair of the school's board and part-owner of school properties.
School Choice & Charters
3 Decades In, Charter Schools Continue to Face Legal Challenges
Debates are raging in Kentucky and Montana over whether charter schools violate state constitutions.
School Choice & Charters
Opinion
Can a Network of Tiny, Teacher-Led Montessoris Spread Like Wildflowers?
Do the strengths of this school network hold lessons for traditional public schools?
School Choice & Charters
Charter Schools' Building Struggles Highlight Lingering Tensions With Local Districts
Charter leaders say they spend an outsized portion of their budgets on fixing buildings.
Federal
Dianne Feinstein's Fight to Stop Gun Violence in Schools Central to Her Legacy
The California Senator will be remembered for her strong support of gun restrictions to stop school shootings.
School Choice & Charters
Charter Schools Find Quiet Support in a World Focused on Private School Choice
As Republicans and Democrats fight over private school choice, charter schools are left in the middle.
Law & Courts
Lawsuit Challenges First Religious Charter School in Oklahoma
The suit argues that the Catholic virtual school violates a state constitutional requirement that public schools not be "sectarian."
School Choice & Charters
Q&A
Here's What's Next for Charter Schools, According to Their Chief Advocate
Nina Rees, head of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, sat down with Education Week to discuss the future of charter schools.
Law & Courts
Supreme Court Declines to Hear Closely Watched Case on Charter Schools
The justices won't consider whether charter schools are "state actors," which has implications for the push for religious charter schools.