Charter Schools : A Reference Handbook

A timely work that examines this unusual experiment and the controversies that surround public choice and charter schools as a means of educational reform.

Charter Schools: A Reference Handbook looks at what motivates the rise of charter schools, from the frustrations of parents, teachers, and students, to the expectations of community members. This unique work illuminates the political and pedagogical maneuvering as it examines the charter school challenge from multiple perspectives, looks at political realities, offers a critical perspective on key school programs and curriculum design, and provides analyses of race, class, and special education needs as they affect charter schools.

Charter Schools critically examines the record and curriculum of charter schools, the laws that govern them, the circumstances that surround them, and how both legislation and politics define and maintain the charter school movement. The coverage concludes with a directory of organizations, associations, and government agencies associated with the movement.

• Includes information about the performance and curricula of charter schools, related laws, and legislation

• Includes four appendixes, an index, a chronology, and selected print and nonprint resources such as union and government publications, books, and journals

Danny Weil is professor of philosophy and critical thinking at Allen Hancock College in Santa Maria, CA.