Pennsylvania Charter School Evaluation

Charter schools offer students alternative and diverse educational programs, with the goal of improving academic achievement. The intention behind this new form of public schooling is that by providing further autonomy to schools, they can pursue innovative teaching practices and create a diversity of school options from which parents can choose.

In Pennsylvania, charter school legislation was approved in 1997. Six charter schools were approved to operate in 1997 and the the total number grew to 31 during the following school year. Currently, a total of 90 charter schools are in operation.

The Initial Study of Pennsylvania Charter Schools was commissioned by The Pennsylvania Department of Education commissioned The Evaluation Center to conduct an initial 17 month study of charter schools in 1999 and 2000. In 2001, the Department of Education commissioned us to conduct the legislatively mandated 5 year evaluation, which was completed in October 2002. In 2003, The Evaluation Center will complete the last report which will focus on areas that require further study.