Charter Schools: Lessons in School Reform

This book provides an in-depth look at the charter school movement, including its history, characteristics, and potential impact on society. It offers insights into the challenges faced by charter school founders and provides guidelines for creating successful schools. It also discusses the tensions between local control and centralized schooling traditions and the bureaucratization of public schools.
This book explores the charter school movement, including its history, characteristics, and potential impact on society. It offers insights into the challenges faced by charter school founders and provides guidelines for creating successful schools. It also discusses the tensions between local control and centralized schooling traditions and the bureaucratization of public schools.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 30 September 2020
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive book delves into the world of charter schools, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of these unique educational institutions. It begins by answering essential questions such as "What is a charter school?" and "How are charter schools different from other public schools?" To provide a thorough exploration, the book employs detailed case studies of seven schools located in three states. These case studies not only shed light on the challenges faced by the founders of these schools but also offer valuable guidelines for creating a successful charter school.

Seymour Sarason's work on the creation of settings serves as a foundation for examining the complex human interactions that contributed to the formation of a distinct culture at each of these schools. By analyzing these interactions, the book establishes principles for establishing a successful school.

In addition to providing a historical and social context, the introductory and concluding chapters of the book address important tensions between the American tradition of local control of schools and the centralized tradition of schooling imported from Europe in the late 19th century. The gradual bureaucratization of U.S. public schools during the 20th century is also discussed, along with the problems associated with the increasingly hierarchical and impersonal nature of educational institutions.

By offering a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of charter schools, this book is an invaluable resource for educators, policymakers, and anyone interested in understanding the evolving landscape of education. It provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with this innovative form of education, and serves as a catalyst for further discussion and exploration.

Weight: 395g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781138874671