Market Reforms and School Market Reforms and School Innovation: Comparing Traditional Innovation: Comparing Traditional

Public Schools and Charter Public Schools and Charter Schools Schools

Market Approaches: Arguments for School Choice

• Attract students of different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds with similar educational interests –voluntary integration

• Provide unique sets of learning opportunities• Encourage innovation through Encourage innovation through

competitioncompetition• Promote satisfaction • Propel school improvement through

competition • Increased parental involvement and

commitment

Arguments Against School Choice

• Social class creaming• Racial segregation• Imperfect information to make choices• Fragments communities• Vouchers are too small to help• Private good versus public good • Draw away resources from other schools

– Money, ‘good’ students, faculty• Place of special needs children and other

children left out of the choice process

What is a Charter School?• Charter schools are publicly funded schools that

have an independent board of overseers or directors that receives a contract or ‘charter’ from an authorizer to operate the school.

• In exchange for a charter, the charter school receives considerable autonomy from traditional public school regulations. – Recruit and enroll students without the confinement of an

encatchment zone, thus providing parent choice.– Hire and fire their personnel independent from the school

district where they are located.

– Develop their own instructional focus and curriculum.

History of Charter Schools• Charter schools have been in existence

since 1992.• 39 states and the District of Columbia

have charter school laws• There are more than 5,000 charter

schools that serve 1.5 million students• Approximately 650 charter schools have

closed due to low enrollment, mismanagement, or low academic performance

Charter School Authorizers• Charter school laws vary from state to state, and

thus there are different charter school authorizers.

• Nine states do not even permit charter schools, and some states have extremely restrictive charter school laws that limit the number of charter schools that can open.

• Other states have much more liberal laws regarding charter schools.– Arizona has one of the most far-reaching and open laws

regarding charter schools in the US. In this state, local school districts even have the power to authorize a charter school located outside of their own geographic boundaries (Dee and Fu, 2004).

Charter vs. Traditional PublicCharter Traditional Public

Enrollment Parents choose to enroll their children

Students are assigned to a specific school

Funding Publicly funded, but at a lower rate than TPS. Often supplemented with private funding

Completely funded by public funds

Management Privately managed Managed by traditional public school district

Staffing Certification requirements vary state by state

Teachers and administrators must be certified

Firing Teachers generally have at-will contract, so can be fired without lengthy bureaucratic process

Teachers often part of union or association; difficult to fire teachers

Curricula Determined at school level or by management organization

Prescribed by district

Learning Standards Set by state Set by state

Accountability State’s testing and accountability standards

State’s testing and accountability standards

Charter School Enrollment

1.9 2.1 2.32.6

2.9

00.5

11.5

22.5

3

Perc

en

t

04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09

Year

Percentage of Public School Students Attending Charter Schools in the United States

Source: Lake & Hill (2006), Lake (2007), Lake (2008), Lake (2010)

Arguments for Charter Schools1. Student achievement

• It is assumed that competition will spur traditional public schools to change and innovate, leading to improved student achievement (Chubb and Moe, 1990).

2. Access, equity and diversity• Theoretically, school choice provides a mechanism whereby

low-income students and their families can gain access to higher-quality schools, without moving their place of residence.

3. Innovation and professional autonomy• School choice may spur innovation and differentiation among

schools. 4. Parent engagement and involvement

• Charter schools must enroll students to be viable, and therefore teachers may be more open to working with students and their families and families more open to working with the school

• The purpose, or mission of many charter schools may increase the possibility of greater engagement between families and their schools, developing a ‘good fit’ between home and school

Key Findings on Charter Schools 1. Student achievement

• There is a tremendous amount of variance in terms of student achievement outcomes. Some charter schools have exhibited clear academic success when compared to traditional public schools in the same area, whereas others have proven to be a disappointment.

• There are examples of some charter schools, particularly CMOs that have founded multiple school sites that have a reputation for consistently increasing student achievement.

2. Access, equity and diversity• Allowing parents to choose where to send their children to

school does not automatically create equitable schools, and in some instances, can lead to schools that are more

homogenous in terms of race and socioeconomic status.

Key Findings on Charter Schools3. Innovation and professional autonomy

• Charter schools tend to coalesce around the same curricula, instructional techniques and subject areas (Lubienski, 2006). Charter schools have been found to innovate in areas such as staff recruitment and hiring, school calendars and disciplinary policies, which are areas that skirt around instruction. Much less innovation is seen in pedagogy and curricula (Lubienski,

2006).

4. Parent engagement and involvement• Many of the charter school models in the US have instituted

formal mechanisms that encourage or even mandate parental involvement through contracts (Becker et al. 1997; Hoxby et al., 2009).

What is Innovation?

Definition of innovation varies considerably Innovation for one may be standard practice for

another

In this paper, we draw on Lubienski (2003) Educational innovation

Practices related to curricular content and instructional strategies with immediate impact at the classroom level

Administrative innovation

School structure and design level, not directly affecting classrooms

Innovation in Context• Innovativeness in terms of local structures

and dynamics (Traill and Grunert, 1997; Mowery and Rosenberg, 2000).

• Practices cannot be deemed innovative in an absolute sense, but innovations must be considered in terms of their relative prevalence in a local and state context.

Research Questions

• Do levels and types of innovation differ between charter schools and traditional public schools?

• What practices constitute innovation in various local and state contexts?

School Sampling Frame for 2007-08

Schools tested by Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA)

321 schools of choice 223 charter public schools 65 magnet public schools 33 private

5,864 traditional public schools 345 after applying matching criteria

Matching Criteria for Choice & TPS

School zip codes used to identify list of public schools

Same state Geographic proximity Grade level configuration Percentage of students tested School-level demographic data

Common Core of Data (CCD) (2005-06) Private School Survey (PSS) Free and reduced price lunch Race/ethnicity

School Sampling Frame for 2007-08

116 CPS and 118 TPS matched Same state Within 20 miles

300 matched pairs 59 CPS 59 TPS

School Sampling Frame for 2007-08

Final Sample: Logistic regression to predict charter schools Propensity score calculated for each school For each CPS chose minimum propensity score

differential between its matched TPS 59 matched pairs Linked via NCES district identifiers to

schools surveyed by the 2007-08 SASS 13 districts 20 matched pairs 72 district public schools

Measuring Innovation In survey development, we reviewed research

on innovation, school choice & comprehensive school reforms

Concentrated on those educational innovations aimed at changing the core technology of schools (curriculum & instruction) and administration (stakeholder involvement)

Survey of What Makes Schools Work (WMSW) Number of items on the teacher (16 items) and

principal surveys (36 items)

We present principal responses in this paper.

What are Some Educational Innovations Asked of Principals?

Extended learning time

Alternative grouping arrangements

Instructional organization of teachers

Curriculum & course taking

Innovative support for families & communities

School policies

Schools and Staffing Survey 2007-08 (SASS)• Nationally representative survey• Focuses on

– Teacher and administrator characteristics– School programs– School conditions

• Stakeholder Questionnaires– School

• 87.8% response rate

– Principal• 79.4% response rate

– District• 80.4% response rate

Innovation in ContextScenario Who is Innovative?

A charter school reports having the practice, matched traditional public does not report having the practice, SASS schools in the same district do not report having the practice.

Charter School

Conversely, with some measures of innovation (e.g., comprehensive curriculum, tenure) a charter school does not report having a practice, while its matched traditional public school and SASS schools in the same district do. In these situations, the charter school is innovative in employing the particular practice.

Charter School

A charter school, matched traditional public school, and SASS schools in the district all report having the practice or all report not having the practice.

No one

A charter school does not report having a practice, nor do the SASS schools in its district. However, its matched traditional public school does report having the practice. Similar to the first scenario, a matched traditional public school may report while its corresponding charter school and SASS schools in the district do report having the practice.

Traditional public school

Both a charter school and its matched traditional public school may report having an innovative practice while the SASS schools in the district do not report having the practice or a charter and matched traditional public report not having a practice while the SASS schools in the district do have the practice.

Unclear

Measures of Innovation: CurriculumWMSW SASS

Which of the following best describes your school’s primary focus in terms of program content? We have a special curricular focus (e.g., arts, math/science, foreign language, character education)

Which of the following best describes this school? SPECIAL PROGRAM EMPHASIS school – such as a science or math school, performing arts school, talented or gifted school, foreign language immersion school, etc

Which of the following best describes your school’s primary focus in terms of program content? Our curriculum is based on a particular educational philosophy or set of values (e.g., Montessori, open school)

Does this school offer the following programs? Programs with special instructional approaches (e.g., Montessori, self-paced instruction, open education, ungraded classrooms, etc.)

Which of the following best describes your school’s primary focus in terms of program content? Other

Which of the following best describes this school? ALTERNATIVE/OTHER school – offers a curriculum designed to provide alternative or nontraditional education; does not specifically fall into the categories of regular, special program emphasis, special education, or vocational school

Measures of Innovation: Academic Programs

WMSW SASSDoes your school use any of the following organizational strategies during this 2008-09 school year? Our students can earn course credits from supervised internships or paid workplace assignments.

Are the following opportunities available for students in grades 9-12 in this high school? Work-based learning or interships outside of school, in which students earn COURSE CREDITS for supervised learning activities that occur in paid or unpaid workplace assignments.

Does your school use any of the following organizational strategies during this 2008-09 school year? We offer distance learning course(s).

Does this school offer the following programs? Distance learning course(s) (Taught primarily via television, satellite, Internet, or e-mail)

Does your school use any of the following organizational strategies during this 2008-09 school year? We offer a language immersion program.

Does this school offer the following programs? A program in which at least half of the core subjects are taught in a foreign language (A foreign language immersion program)

Measures of Innovation: Academic Support Services

WMSW SASSWe offer voluntary summer school or tutorial programs.

LAST summer (2007) or LAST school year (2006-07), were summer school activities or academic intersessions provided for students enrolled in this school who needed ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE?

We offer voluntary before-school, after-school, or weekend tutorial or instructional programs.

Are the following programs or services currently available AT THIS SCHOOL for students in any of grades K-12 or comparable ungraded levels, regardless of funding source? Extended day program providing instruction beyond the normal school day for students who need academic assistance

Measures of Innovation: Teacher Compensation

WMSW SASSDoes your school use any of the following strategies regarding teachers during this 2008-09 school year? We pay teachers specifically for high or improved student achievement.

Does this district currently use any pay incentives such as cash bonuses, salary increases, or different steps on the salary schedule to- reward excellence in teaching?

Does your school use any of the following strategies regarding teachers during this 2008-09 school year? We offer higher pay to teachers in shortage fields.

Does this district currently use any pay incentives such as cash bonuses, salary increases, or different steps on the salary schedule to- recruit or retain teachers to teach in fields of shortage

Measures of Innovation: Instructional OrganizationWMSW SASS

Does your school use any of the following policy strategies during this 2008-09 school year? We have school uniforms or a standardized dress code

THIS school year (2007-08), is it the practice of this school to do the following? Require students to wear uniforms or enforce a strict dress code

Does your school use any of the following organizational strategies during this 2008-09 school year? We use "looping": teachers progress with their students through two or more consecutive grade levels.

THIS school year (2007-08), does this school use the following methods to organize most classes or most students? Student groups that remain two or more years with the same teacher

Does your school use any of the following organizational strategies during this 2008-09 school year? We use block scheduling

THIS school year (2007-08), does this school use the following methods to organize most classes or most students? Block scheduling

Does your school use any of the following organizational strategies during this 2008-09 school year? We are a year round school

Does this school use a year-round calendar to distribute school days across 12 months?

Does your school use any of the following organizational strategies during this 2008-09 school year? Our school is organized into "houses" or "families" that are larger than one classroom?

THIS school year (2007-08), does this school use the following methods to organize most classes or most students? Grades subdivided into small groups such as "houses" or "families"

Does your school use any of the following organizational strategies during this 2008-09 school year? In core subjects, our classrooms are multi-grade or mixed age.

THIS school year (2007-08), does this school use the following methods to organize most classes or most students? Multi-age grouping

Academic Support Services• Summer School

– 74% of TPS offer summer school– 76% of CPS offer summer school

• After School Tutorials– 82% of TPS offer after school tutorials– 84% of CPS offer after school tutorials

Academic Support Services in Local Context

Academic Support Services in Local Context• After school tutorials

– One charter school is innovative in its local context

• Summer school– No charter schools are innovative in their local context

Stakeholders’ Influence on Hiring Practices

• Teachers– 17% of TPS where teachers have

influence– 19% of CPS where teachers have

influence• Principals

– 100% of TPS where principals have influence

– 95% of CPS where principals have influence

• Parents– 17% of TPS where parents have

influence– 19% of CPS where parents have

influence

Stakeholders’ Influence on Hiring Practices in Local Context

Stakeholders’ Influence on Hiring Practices in Local Context

• Teachers’ influence– No charter schools are innovative in their local context

• Principals’ influence– No charter schools are innovative in their local context

• Parents’ influence– Two charter schools are innovative in their local context

Instructional Groupings• Looping

– 20% of TPS use looping– 28& of CPS use looping

• Houses/ Families– 22% of TPS have houses/families– 27% of CPS have houses/families

• Mixed Age/ Multi-Grade Classes– 21% of TPS have mixed age classes– 35% of CPS have mixed age classes

• Block Scheduling- 25% of TPS use block scheduling- 46% of CPS use block scheduling

Instructional Groupings in Local Context

Instructional Groupings in Local Context

• Looping– Two charter schools are innovative in their local context

• Houses/families– Two charter schools are innovative in their local context

• Mixed age/ multi-grade classes– No charter schools are innovative

Theoretical Perspectives

• Market Theory – Educators in charter

schools are given the opportunity and motivation to experiment with and create in-schools processes for improving student achievement

• Institutional Theory – There are “powerful

institutional rules” held by public opinion, important constituents; laws and regulations contribute to conformity and congruency between schools of choice and regular public schools

Conclusions

• Little support that charter schools are ‘innovative’.

• It may be that the institutional environments of schools are very strong .

• Innovations and change move across sectors

• More educators are moving across sectors