National Charter School Research Project

The National Charter School Research Project (NCSRP) aims to bring rigor, evidence, and balance to the national charter school debate. Our research ranges from the school level to charter management organizations (CMOs) to school districts and authorizers. We provide ongoing charter research and information on: accountability and oversight, CMOs, state landscape, and teachers and leaders. To date, we have published over 80 reports and provided over 50 presentations on our work.

We review recent reports on charter schools and provide analysis on student achievement studies based on well defined standards.

Hopes, Fears, & Reality is our annual report that examines the current issues and controversies across these areas.

Executive Director Robin Lake's latest book is Unique Schools Serving Unique Students: Charter Schools and Children with Special Needs.

More about the project

Publications

Charter-School Management Organizations: Diverse Strategies and Diverse Student Impacts
Melissa Bowen, Allison Demeritt, Joshua Furgeson, Brian Gill, Joshua Haimson, Paul Hill, Alexandra Killewald, Robin Lake, Moira McCullough, Ira Nichols-Barrer, Bing-ru Teh, Natalya Verbitsky-Savitz

Are Charter School Unions Worth the Bargain?
Mitch Price

The Effect of Charter Schools on Student Achievement: A Meta-Analysis of the Literature
Julian Betts, Y. Emily Tang

Charter Schools and Achievement
Julian Betts, Y. Emily Tang

Making Sense of Charter School Studies: A Reporter's Guide
Lydia Rainey

Will Seniority-Based Layoffs Undermine School Improvement Efforts in Washington State?
Robin Lake, Michael DeArmond, Cristina Sepe

Inside Charter Schools: Unlocking Doors to Student Success
Betheny Gross

Inside Charter Schools: Unlocking Doors to Student Success - BRIEF
Betheny Gross

What have we learned in 15 years about getting high-quality charter schools? Lessons for Washington State
Robin Lake

Paying for Scale: Results of a Symposium on CMO Finance
Robin Lake, Allison Demeritt

Charter School Authorizers and Student Achievement: A Case Study of Ohio - BRIEF
Brian Gill, Kaitlin Obenauf, Ron Zimmer

Charter School Authorizers and Student Achievement
Ron Zimmer, Brian Gill, Kaitlin Obenauf

You’re Leaving? Sustainability and Succession in Charter Schools - BRIEF
Christine Campbell

You’re Leaving? Sustainability and Succession in Charter Schools
Christine Campbell

Parallel Patterns: Teacher Attrition in Charter vs. District Schools
Betheny Gross, Michael DeArmond

The National Study of Charter Management Organization (CMO) Effectiveness: Report on Interim Findings
Robin Lake, Brianna Dusseault, Melissa Bowen, Allison Demeritt, Paul Hill

Charter Management Organizations: Innovations, Opportunities, and Challenges - BRIEF
Robin Lake, Brianna Dusseault, Melissa Bowen, Allison Demeritt, Paul Hill

Unique Schools Serving Unique Students: Charter Schools and Children with Special Needs
Robin Lake

Introduction: Unique Schools Serving Unique Students
Robin Lake

Unique Schools Serving Unique Students: Charter Schools and Children with Special Needs - BRIEF
Robin Lake

Taking Measure of Charter Schools: Better Assessments, Better Policymaking, Better Schools
Julian Betts, Paul Hill

How Do Charter Schools Compete for Teachers? A Local Perspective
Betheny Gross, Michael DeArmond

Hopes, Fears, & Reality: A Balanced Look at American Charter Schools in 2009
Robin Lake

Charter High Schools: Alternative Paths to Graduation
Sarah Yatsko, Betheny Gross, Jon Christensen

Performance Management in Portfolio School Districts
Robin Lake, Paul Hill

Custom Tailored: Trends in Charter School Educational Programs
Jon Christensen, Lydia Rainey

Hopes, Fears, & Reality: A Balanced Look at American Charter Schools in 2008
Robin Lake

Value-Added and Experimental Studies of the Effect of Charter Schools on Student Achievement: A Literature Review
Julian Betts, Y. Emily Tang

Working Without a Safety Net: How Charter School Leaders Can Best Survive on the High Wire
Christine Campbell, Betheny Gross

Exploring Success in the Charter Sector: Case Studies of Six Charter Schools Engaged in Promising Practices for Children with Disabilities
Lauren Morando Rhim, Dana Brinson

Closing the Skill Gap: New Options for Charter School Leadership Development
Christine Campbell, Brock J. Grubb

Challenges and Charter Schools: How Families with Special-Needs Students Perceive and Use Charter School Options
Tracey O'Brien, Kelly Hupfeld, Paul Teske

Special Education Challenges and Opportunities in the Charter School Sector
Lauren Morando Rhim

Hopes, Fears, & Reality: A Balanced Look at American Charter Schools in 2007
Robin Lake

Quantity Counts: The Growth of Charter School Management Organizations

Beyond the Battle Lines: Lessons From New York’s Charter Caps Fight
Lisa M. Stulberg

Leadership to Date, Leadership Tomorrow: A Review of Data on Charter School Directors
Betheny Gross, Kirsten Martens Pochop

Identifying and Replicating the "DNA" of Successful Charter Schools: Lessons from the Private Sector
Robin Lake

School Safety in Urban Charter and Traditional Public Schools
Jon Christensen

Inside Charter Schools: A Systematic Look at Our Nation's Charter Schools

Hopes, Fears, & Reality: A Balanced Look at American Charter Schools in 2006
Robin Lake, Paul Hill

Key Issues in Studying Charter Schools and Achievement: A Review and Suggestions for National Guidelines
Charter School Achievement Consensus Panel

Holding Charter Authorizers Accountable: Why It Is Important and How It Might Be Done
Robin Lake