Congratulations to our NWPE members at Idaho Arts Charter School for its continued achievements.  The Arts Schools Network (ASN), has awarded The Arts Innovation Award to the school and its Electric Rock Orchestra for "breaking the mold" in using arts in teaching academics, and for making a positive difference in the students' lives and their community.

At the end of this month, the grassroots movement known as National School Choice Week will once again take shape in schools, districts, and cities across the country. From January 26th to February 1st, 2014, school choice advocates across the nation will gather to demonstrate their belief that parents should be empowered to choose the best educational environments for their children. NWPE is proud to be a partner in this unprecedented opportunity to shine a positive spotlight on the need for effective education options for all students and teachers.

This week, May 5-11, 2013, is both National Teacher Appreciation Week and National Charter Schools Week. AAE is pleased to recognize inspiring educators and to celebrate the growing national public charter school movement, this week and every week.

Welcome to the Association of American Educators' online biweekly publication, Reform Matters. This education reform-focused publication features both original AAE content and a compilation of the latest news from the growing education reform community.

Idaho recently hosted a School Choice Rally advocating for charter schools to have the same funding as public schools. Dedicated students gathered at 3am and 4am to attend the rally and talk to state lawmakers about the need for greater funding. "When I see the other schools with fancy gyms, I wish we had that equipment," advocated one student.   Continue Reading...

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools recently released a report on the growth of the public charter school movement nationwide. The data shows a state-by-state breakdown of public charter school enrollment and growth, as well as aggregate statistics of charter schools nationwide.   Continue Reading...

In a recent Tennessean op-ed article, Matt Throckmorton, executive director of the Tennessee Charter School Association, commented on the findings from theTennessee Report Card and the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University.

In the past year, Washington, D.C. public charter schools have experienced a five percent enrollment increase, rising to nearly 81,000 students this school year alone. They now comprise 41% of all public school students in the District of Columbia.    Continue Reading...

Although charter schools have only come to fruition in the past twenty years, they are now the fastest-growing sector of American public education.   Continue Reading...

With the general election just days away, Georgia continues to be in the spotlight about a charter school amendment to the state's constitution, also known as Amendment One. According to a new poll, the public is still split on the issue, which would create a state board that would approve public charter school applications. This new provision would allow charter schools to bypass local school boards, which often oppose public charter schools, in an effort to best facilitate school choice for Georgia's students and teachers.

As the number of public charter schools continues to increase, New Hampshire's decision to place a moratorium on new charter schools has warranted intense push-back, from both parents and elected officials. While the situation is magnified in New Hampshire, the tensions reflect a nationwide trend of concern over charter schools' long term growth under funding and regulatory hurdles.

One of the most pressing issues facing the public charter school movement is the push for equitable funding. Because they are public schools, charter schools are funded with tax dollars and are designed to provide options for students and for teachers. Although many of these schools have proved to be successful, charter schools have typically been forced to operate with fewer public dollars when compared to their traditional district school counterparts.   Continue Reading...

The public charter school movement in Georgia has received national attention over the last year. After push-back from union interests and a high-profile Georgia Supreme Court decision, a new amendment in support of charter schools is scheduled for a November ballot initiative. According to a new poll, Georgia voters are in support of the measure that would amend the Georgia Constitution to empower the state to grant charters to local schools.

As public charter schools gear up to celebrate twenty years of success and advancement, leaders in the movement are thrilled to report that charter school growth in the last two years has hit record levels. Since the beginning of 2011, 23 states have approved new laws aimed at strengthening public charter schools. Whether dealing with lifting caps or strengthening accountability, the news laws will be instrumental in creating a culture of public charter school excellence and continued growth in the years ahead.

In less than 20 years, public charter schools have grown from a novel educational experiment into an integral part of the education reform movement. While growth is impressive, effective policy that balances the demand for expansion and funding with the need for educational excellence is a constant challenge. With several Southern states rewriting their laws to foster charter school growth in recent years, a new report by the Southern Regional Education Board recommends policies that ensure academic quality and sufficient public funding.