Charter Schools
Recommendation
Remove the 100-charter-school cap.
Background
The state has reached the maximum of 100 charter schools allowed by law, and additional charter schools would begin to satisfy the public's demand for more educational options.
The Need to Remove the Charter School Cap
• Demand for existing charter schools remains strong. In 2006, there were 17 applications for new charter schools but only three vacancies. In some cases, charter schools have long student waiting lists and must use a lottery admissions process.
• Many students do not have access to a charter school. For the 2006-07 school year, only 48 out of 115 school systems will have a charter school. In eastern North Carolina, 28 counties share nine charter schools. There are no charter schools in the 14 counties in the northeastern corner of the state.
• Charter schools improve district schools. Researchers found that charter school competition raised the performance of students at traditional schools who were at or near the cutoff scores for passing state tests.
• Students excel in charter schools. Charter schools had a higher percentage of Schools of Excellence and a higher percentage meeting Adequate Yearly Progress under No Child Left Behind than district schools.
• Charter schools serve our most at-risk students. Seven alternative charter schools serve students who have emotional or mental disabilities. Charter schools and district schools serve the same percentage of students who have a specific learning disability (5 percent).
• Charter schools promote diversity. Charter schools serve a higher percentage of African American students than district schools (34.6 percent and 31.4 percent, respectively).
• Charter schools can lower school construction costs. Because charter schools do not receive state funds for capital expenditures, additional charter schools could reduce a portion of the school facilities needs that strain the resources of our fastest growing counties.
• Charter schools save taxpayers money. Charter schools receive an average of $690 less per student than district schools because they do not receive funds for capital expenditures.
• The public supports legislators who work to remove the cap. In a July 2006 poll, the John William Pope Civitas Institute found that 62 percent of respondents were more likely to vote for candidates who promised to remove the cap on charter schools.
Analyst: Terry Stoops
Education Policy Analyst
919/828.3876 • tstoops-at-johnlocke.org
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