Hopes, Fears, & Reality: A Balanced Look at American Charter Schools in 2006

December 2006
Edited by: Robin Lake, Paul Hill

Like last year�s debut edition of Hopes, Fears, & Reality, the 2006 volume explores some of the most current and controversial issues facing the charter school movement. This year�s essays focus on the implications of continued charter school growth for leading players in the charter school debates, including parents who choose schools, teachers unions, school districts, authorizers, and state policymakers.

The authors examine issues that educators, policymakers, and parents grapple with, such as how to inform parents about school choices, how to broker conflicts between unions and school leaders, how to improve schools and attract families in the face of enrollment declines and funding losses, and how to assess the quality and performance of individual schools.