Exclusive: Improving Charter Schools

The Southern Regional Education Board says policymakers should establish more rigorous oversight of charter schools, work more closely to improve struggling charters and conduct more research on what works and what doesn’t in charter schools.

The organization’s report, "Charter Schools in SREB States: Critical Questions and Next Steps for States," recommends that state policymakers:

-Ensure that authorizers establish and enforce rigorous standards at all steps of the charter school oversight process, including application and approval, day-to-day oversight, and school renewal or closure decisions — and ensure that authorizers are held accountable for maintaining these standards.

Ensure that states work to improve charter schools with the lowest levels of student academic performance and close down schools that do not improve.

Seek more high-quality research on charter school policies and outcomes, and use that research to develop policies and practices that are most likely to improve charter school performance.