Some Data

I found this data on one of the links at the bottom of the Center for Education Reform Article and I am not sure what to make of it. While it shows there is an increase in number of charter schools and achievement gains in some states that have them. It also shows that eleven percent that have ever open have been closed. While me and every parent out there would want there child to succeed as much as possible in school I would not want to have my child going to a school only to have it shut down. So I don't know how to feel about this data or charter schools yet.

• New schools: In the 2005-2006 school year, 424 new charter schools were opened, a full 13 percent increase since last year. (The previous school year saw an increase of 15 percent)
• The increase comes despite caps being reached prior or during this last school year in at least seven states.
• The total numbers of charter schools, 3,625, serve approximately 1,076,964 students in 41 states.
• Already for the 2006-2007 school year, 90 additional schools are approved to open.
• The largest numbers of students in charter schools are in grades K-8 (52 percent). Fully 83 percent of charter schools serve children in first grade, an increase of 27 points in two years.
• Fifty-two percent of charters nationwide are elementary, 21 percent are high school, and 27 percent are a combination.
• States with the strongest charter laws show the greatest consistent increases in the number of operating charter schools and student enrollment. (Arizona, California, Delaware, DC, Florida and Texas). Most of those states also show commensurate achievement gains.
• California leads the states with highest enrolment numbers at 219,480 and 81 charters opened this year. If counted as a state, DC leads the nation with market share of public schools at 26 percent.
• Eleven percent of charter schools ever opened have been closed.
• Three and one half percent of schools approved never open.