Top News Stories

The Impact of State Caps on Charter Schools
The Alliance has released the first of its 2006 Issue Briefs, titled "Stunting Growth: The Impact of State-Imposed Caps on Charter Schools." This report identifies the states with legislated limits on charter school growth and documents the impact these laws have on families seeking high quality public schools. As author Todd Ziebarth, senior policy analyst at the Alliance, explains, this issue is critically important in New York, Connecticut, Illinois, and Massachusetts, where caps are constraining growth today. Press release

2005 Summit Proceedings Now Available
This summer, the Alliance gathered some of the nation's top charter school leaders and education reform experts to consider and prepare for the next generation of the charter school movement. The event was extremely productive and thought-provoking. These important discussions were captured and are now available in a brief, accessible proceedings document. To read the pre-meeting papers, visit here.

Alliance Helps Save Federal Program For Charter Facilities
Though there was great uncertainty this summer and fall regarding its future, the Federal Credit Enhancement for Charter School Facilities Program will be funded at nearly $37 million in 2006. Funding for this program, which leverages private investment to help charters finance their facilities, was zeroed out during congressional action in 2005. However, the Alliance worked aggressively with the program grantees and key state associations this fall to inform federal officials of the great impact this program has had on charters and the families they serve. This team effort was successful, and in late December, Congress passed legislation that restored funding.

NAEP Shows Charters Excelling
Results from the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show dramatic improvement by charter school fourth graders, particularly among Latino, African-American, and low-income students. Alliance President Nelson Smith said, "These findings confirm those of national and state-level studies showing strong gains in achievement among public charter schools."

Features

News and Views
National Facilities Coalition Launched, by John Holdsclaw
A diverse group of community development organizations have joined forces to help the charter sector solve its most pressing problem: the lack of facilities. (News and Views Archive)

Alliance Resources
The State of the Movement, the Quality Task Force Report, and other valuable reports, advisories, and articles