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Charter Schools and Public School Choice

CRPE’s research examines both the promise and the challenges of charter schools and school choice, with a focus on how they can expand opportunity, drive innovation, and better serve diverse student needs. We study charter schools alongside district schools and other models, highlighting lessons that can inform the broader system. New data and evidence help innovators across the country collaborate, communicate, and develop best practices.

  • The Lens    

The Forces Behind Declining Enrollment and a New Way Forward

Our report, Better Together: Ensuring Quality District Schools in Times of Charter Growth and Declining Enrollment, takes an honest look at an urgent problem that has long divided education leaders.

  • The Lens    

Experts Respond to Better Together: How Can Districts and Charters Tackle Declining Enrollment?

Paul Hill

When districts go into a major period of declining enrollment, schools can experience chaotic changes in staffing, course offerings, and student supports—as fixed costs eat up an increasingly large share of revenues, and teacher and student morale spirals downward.

  • The Lens    

The charter movement’s “tipping point” strategy isn’t working. What now?

Robin Lake

For those in the charter movement who have viewed chartering as a systemic reform strategy (not just an escape hatch for some kids), the prevalent theory of action for the last ten to fifteen years has been a “tipping point” strategy.

  • In The News    

The Charter Movement’s ‘Tipping Point’ Strategy Isn’t Working. What Now?

Robin Lake discusses CRPE’s new report Better Together: Ensuring Quality School Districts in Times of Charter Growth and Declining Enrollment in this commentary piece for Education Next.

  • The Lens    

Returning the Favor: David Osborne Goes Deep in “Reinventing America’s Schools”

Paul Hill

22 years ago, I published a RAND report, Reinventing Public Education, urging that all public schools operate under contracts with public officials.

  • Research Reports    

Better Together: Ensuring Quality District Schools in Times of Charter Growth and Declining Enrollment

CRPE’s report urges districts, charters, and states to work together in new ways to address the financial challenges associated with declining district enrollment.

  • The Lens    

How Politics Can Enhance the Work of School Reform

Ashley Jochim

I live in Seattle, a deeply “blue,” progressive city. There are a lot of great things about being surrounded by people passionate about public policy and willing to exert their political muscles to fight for the things they care about, whether that may be protesting the Trump administration’s immigration policy or fighting for a higher minimum wage.

  • The Lens    

Evidence Isn’t Enough: Good Policy Needs Good Politics

Ashley Jochim

I’m a researcher at university-based center that prides itself on following the evidence. That means I spend most of my time thinking about “what works.” I’m not alone.

  • The Lens    

How Denver Is Working to Improve Its Portfolio of Schools

CRPE recently analyzed Denver’s portfolio of public schools—the curricular themes, instructional approaches, and extra programmatic offerings—as part of a new report (it also looked at New Orleans and Washington, D.C.).

  • The Lens    

What if Education Policy Were More Like Astronomy? The Value of ‘Soft Power’

Ashley Jochim

As my family heads down to eastern Oregon today to watch the solar eclipse, I can’t help but think about how different things might be if education policy was akin to astronomy.

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