From the Thomas B. Fordham Institute website:
This new study from the Fordham Institute tackles a key question: Which of thirty major U.S. cities have cultivated a healthy environment for school reform to flourish (and which have not)? Nine reform-friendly locales surged to the front: New Orleans, Washington D.C., New York City, Denver, Jacksonville, Charlotte, Austin, Houston, and Fort Worth. Trailing far behind were San Jose, San Diego, Albany, Philadelphia, Gary, and Detroit.
The authors of the report concluded,
Charlotte has much going for it. Between its countywide district configuration, strong district leadership, abundant financial capital pipelines, and a weak teachers? union, it is an appealing destination for some entrepreneurs. But not charter-school entrepreneurs, who should proceed with caution since they?ll have to deal with unsatisfactory state charter laws.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg earned a B grade and ranked 6th out of 26 cities evaluated. It was the only North Carolina school district included in the study.
Obviously, that “countywide district configuration” makes comparisons with city-bound districts difficult.