Twenty Years After Education Reform: Choosing a Path Forward to Equity and Excellence for All, by Citizens for Public Schools (June 2013). See, especially, Chapter 4, The Impact of Charter Schools.
Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America’s Public Schools, by Diane Ravitch (Alfred Knopf, 2013). See, especially, chapters 16, 17 and 26.
DianeRavitch.net – Diane Ravitch’s Blog, which often discusses charter schools.
Edushyster.com – This blog is Massachusetts-focused and often addresses charter school issues (and it’s hilarious).
National Education Policy Center is a good resource on charter school issues, especially for its analysis of charter school “studies” by charter advocates and developers. It also partners with the Ford Foundation and the Great Lakes Center to provide its own policy briefs. See, especially, Using Charter School Legislation and Policy to Advance Equal Educational Opportunity, by Julie Mead and Preston Green, 2012.
Charter School Success or Selective Out-Migration of Low-Achievers? Effects of Enrollment Management on Student Achievement, Massachusetts Teachers Association, Center for Education Policy and Practice; this report details how charter schools in Boston push out lower-achieving students; report is here.
For bills before the Massachusetts Legislation, click here. Current legislation on charter schools is now before the Joint Committee on Education, Co-chairs are Rep. Alice Peisch (D-Wellesley) and Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz (D-Boston).
The Massachusetts Charter School Law is: MA General Laws Chapter 71, Section 89, which can be found here.
Charter School law and regulations, and data on all charter schools in Massachusetts, as well as information about proposed new charter schools or expansion of current charter schools can be found at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education here.
Other people and organizations to follow on charter schools, across the country:
Bruce Baker’s blog, School Funding 101, especially on charter school funding issues.
Richard Rothstein, author and research associate at the Economic Policy Institute.
National Opportunity to Learn Campaign – information, studies and reports from across the country on education “reform” issues and organizing, including charter schools.
