How to Lose Your Charter

Abstract

In this scholarly commentary, the author examines the major reasons U.S. charter schools have closed since 1992. The commentary provides examples of charter school failures in high-frequency areas, such as financial and organizational mismanagement, and academic underperformance; it further identifies two subcategories of academic risk: high-school-only status, and independence from CMO affiliation. Finally, the author identifies two long-term risk factors for charter school failure: high teacher and leadership turnover, and unrepresentative student bodies.

Keywords:

• school choice
• charter schools
• closure
• nonrenewal
• revocation
• authorization
• operations
• risk