Charter Schools Against the Odds ― An Assessment of the Koret Task Force on K-12 Education

On average, charter schools generally operate on 23 percent less funding than other schools. That statistic is just the tip of the iceberg, according to the contributors of these seven articles; charter schools are also forced to pay rent out of operating funds, are limited to nonprofit organizations, and are kept low in number despite calls by parents and educators for needs-based, nonbureaucratic, alternative education. Contributors describe charter schools supply, funding, and authorization, as well as the innovations charter schools have made to thrive in a hostile environment, whether charter schools are part of a national movement or a cottage industry, and the lessons learned in a 15-year experiment in school choice in Milwaukee. Annotation c2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Paul T. Hill is a research professor in the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs and director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education, both at the University of Washington.