Charter schools in Oregon

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Charter schools in Oregon are public schools operated independently of public school systems, either by nonprofit or for-profit organizations. Although they are largely publicly funded, charter schools are exempt from many of the requirements imposed by state and local boards of education regarding hiring and curriculum. As public schools, charter schools cannot charge tuition or impose special entrance requirements; students are usually admitted through a lottery process if demand exceeds the number of spaces available in a school. Charter schools generally receive a percentage of the per-pupil funds from the state and local school districts for operational costs based on enrollment. In most states, charter schools do not receive funds for facilities or start-up costs; therefore, they must rely to some extent on private donations. The federal government also provides revenues through special grants. As of March 2017, 44 states and the District of Columbia had approved legislation authorizing the creation of public charter schools. Six states had not.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, a charter school advocacy group, there were an estimated 127 total charter schools in Oregon in the 2015-2016 school year. These schools enrolled approximately 31,500 students.
  • Overall, charter school students accounted for 5.36 percent of total public school enrollment in Oregon in 2015.
  • The Oregon State Legislature approved the state's charter school law in 1999.

    • Background

    History

    The Oregon State Legislature approved Oregon's charter school law in 1999.

    The concept of creating public charter schools as alternatives to traditional public schools was first brought to public attention in the late 1980s by a small group of policymakers and educators. The notion gained traction in the early 1990s, and in 1991 Minnesota became the first state to pass a charter school law.[1]

    The National Conference of State Legislatures defines charter schools as follows:[2]

    “

    Charter schools are publicly funded, privately managed and semi-autonomous schools of choice. They do not charge tuition. They must hold to the same academic accountability measures as traditional schools. They receive public funding similarly to traditional schools. However, they have more freedom over their budgets, staffing, curricula and other operations. In exchange for this freedom, they must deliver academic results and there must be enough community demand for them to remain open.[3]

    		”
    —National Conference of State Legislatures

    Across the nation, charter schools have grown in number since the passage of the first public charter school law. As of March 2017, 44 states plus the District of Columbia had enacted charter school laws, and in 2013 it was estimated that 4.6 percent of all public school students attended charter schools. Performance results of charter schools nationally have been mixed, with some performing demonstrably better and others closing because they could not meet required standards.[2][4][5]

    Oregon passed its charter school law in 1999, making it the 35th state to enact such a measure. Charter school legislation had been introduced three times before, but failed each time.[6]

    Since its passage, two provisions of the law have expired: the requirement that 80 percent of a charter school’s student body must reside in the district where the school is located, and the restriction on the number of students in all charter schools in a district to 10 percent of the district’s total student population.[6]

    Beyond this, the law has not been amended in a way that significantly affects how the system works. Some minor changes include altering the way poverty is calculated for a charter school’s funding and prohibiting corporal punishment in charter school classrooms.[7]

    Participation

    According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, a charter school advocacy group, there were an estimated 127 total charter schools in Oregon in the 2015-2016 school year. These schools enrolled approximately 31,500 students. Overall, charter school students accounted for 5.36 percent of total public school enrollment in Oregon in 2015.[8]

    Charter schools, 2015-2016
    State Total number of charter schools Estimated enrollment Percentage of total public school enrollment
    Oregon 127 31,500 5.36%
    California 1,234 581,100 9.18%
    Idaho 48 21,100 7.20%
    Washington 0 0 0.00%
    United States total 6,824 2,930,600 5.85%
    Note: The percentages in the column labeled "Percentage of total public school enrollment" were calculated by taking the estimated number of charter school students in a given state and dividing by the total estimated number of public school students in that state in 2015. Total public school enrollment estimates came from the National Center for Education Statistics.
    Source: National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, "A Closer Look at the Charter School Movement," February 3, 2016

    Demographics

    See also: Charter school demographics and Demographic information for all students in the United States

    The table below presents information about the race/ethnicity of charter school students in Oregon in the 2013-2014 school year, as reported by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. To facilitate comparison, the same figures are also provided for all public school students.[9][10]

    Enrollments by ethnicity, 2013-2014 (as percentages)
    Data sample White Black Hispanic Asian Other
    Charter schools in Oregon 78.0% 2.0% 10.0% 2.0% 8.0%
    Public schools in Oregon 63.8% 2.5% 22.4% 3.9% 7.4%
    Charter schools in the U.S. 34.9% 27.1% 30.0% 4.1% 3.8%
    Public schools in the U.S. 50.3% 15.6% 24.8% 4.8% 4.4%
    Sources: National Center for Education Statistics, "Table 203.70. Percentage distribution of enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools, by race/ethnicity and state or jurisdiction: Fall 2003 and fall 2013," accessed June 7, 2016
    National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, "The Health of the Charter Public School Movement: A State-by-State Analysis," March 2016

    State law

    Authorizers

    Charter school authorizers are, according to the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA), the organizations "designated to approve, monitor, renew, and, if necessary, close charter schools." NASCA has identified six primary types of charter school authorizers:[11]

    1. Higher education institutions (HEI)
    2. Independent charter boards (ICB)
    3. Local education agencies (LEA)
    4. Non-education government entities (NEG)
    5. Not-for-profit organizations (NFP)
    6. State education agencies

    The table below lists charter school authorizers in Oregon as of June 2016. Click [show] to expand the table's contents.

    Enrollment regulations

    Oregon’s charter school law requires that students residing in the same district as the location of a charter school receive enrollment preference should they wish to attend. However, schools no longer must admit 80 percent of their student body from the district. If demand exceeds available space, enrollment must be determined by a random lottery, although the preference requirement still applies.[12]

    Virtual schools seeking to enroll more than 3 percent of students from a district that did not authorize them must receive permission from the district. The school may appeal to the state upon denial.[12]

    Conversion schools may give enrollment preferences to students that attended the school prior to the conversion, and start-up schools may give preference to prior-year students after their first year.[12]

    The law does not explicitly allow or prohibit preference to be given to the children of founders, board members and staff.[12]

    Funding

    In Oregon, charter schools receive a portion of their funding from the state.

    The way charter schools are financed differs from state to state, and even between districts within states. In Oregon, funding depends on the authorizer and grade levels of the school. Schools authorized by local school boards that serve grades K-8 receive funds equal or greater than 80 percent of per-pupil funding formula, while those that serve grades 9-12 receive at least 95 percent of the formula. Schools authorized by the Oregon State Board of Education or an institution of higher learning and serve grades K-8 receive 90 percent of the per-pupil funding formula, while those that serve grades 9-12 receive at least 95 percent of the formula. The amount of funding varies depending on the level of poverty in the school.[12][13]

    Authorizers may retain 20 percent of K-8 charter school funding and 5 percent of 9-12 charter school funding for administrative and oversight purposes.[12]

    The state does not provide any start-up grants or facilities funding, although charter schools may seek bonds from the Oregon Facilities Authority. Charter schools are mostly responsible for the transportation of their students.[12][13]

    Accountability

    See also: Accountability measures for charter schools

    Oregon law does not require performance standards by which the school will be evaluated to be detailed in the charter contract. It does require authorizers to visit schools annually for the purpose of monitoring performance and progress. Schools must also undergo an annual financial audit which must be reported to the authorizer, the state board of education and the state department of education. Separate reports on performance must be submitted annually to the school’s authorizer and the state board of education.[12]

    These audit and performance reports provide the basis for renewal, non-renewal or revocation decisions by authorizers. Authorizers must give schools 60-days notice of revocation decisions, which may be appealed to the Oregon State Board of Education.[12]

    The legislature and the governor are responsible for overseeing the Oregon State Board of Education and may revoke its authorizing authority.[12]

    Charter school law rankings

    In January 2016, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools released a report ranking all of the nation's charter school laws. Oregon's law ranked 28 out of 43. The organization ranked each state's law by considering what it called "20 essential components of a strong charter school law." The table below compares Oregon's score with that of neighboring states. To access the full report, including methodology, click here.[14]

    Charter school law rankings, January 2016
    State 2016 ranking 2015 ranking Ranking difference 2016 score 2015 score Score difference
    Oregon 28 26 -2 133 133 0
    California 15 11 -4 152 152 0
    Idaho 22 20 -2 141 141 0
    Washington N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
    Source: National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, "Measuring Up To The Model: A Ranking of State Charter School Laws," January 2016

    Issues

    Debate

    Proponents of charter schools such as the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools argue that, due to their freedom from some state oversight and regulation, they can adopt more innovative educational approaches. This allows them to cater to their particular higher-risk school age populations, which are generally composed of more minority and poor students. In addition, advocates argue that charter schools empower parents and improve traditional public schools through competition.

    Meanwhile, critics such as Diane Ravitch argue that charter schools have not been proven to produce significantly higher levels of academic achievement as promised. It is difficult to find data comparable to traditional public schools. Critics also contend that charter schools divert funds from traditional public schools, which continue to enroll significant majorities of public school students, thereby compounding problems at failing schools and generating unequal outcomes for students.[15]

    Funding inequity

    In 2014, the University of Arkansas Department of Education Reform released a report identifying disparities between charter school funding and traditional public school funding. Examining 31 states, the researchers considered all sources of charter school funding, including public funds, grants, and philanthropic donations. Researchers found that charter schools received on average 28.4 percent less than traditional public schools. Tennessee's funding disparity was lowest at 0.1 percent, while Louisiana's was highest at 58.4 percent. The disparity in Oregon was 44.1 percent, earning the state an F grade. Charter schools in the state received on average $4,841 less per pupil than traditional public schools.[16]

    Below is a chart that compares Oregon's grade and funding disparity with those of surrounding states. To access the full report, click here.

    Charter school funding disparity by state
    State Grade District per-pupil revenue Charter per-pupil revenue Disparity in dollars Disparity in percents
    Oregon F $10,968 $6,127 -$4,841 -44.1%
    California F $11,777 $8,324 -$3,453 -29.3%
    Idaho F $8,262 $6,134 -$2,128 -25.8%
    Washington Was not studied
    Source: University of Arkansas Department of Education Reform, "Charter School Funding: Inequity Expands," accessed October 22, 2014

    Charter school management organizations and other groups

    See also: Charter school management organization

    A significant majority of Oregon’s charter schools are freestanding, meaning they do not contract with a charter school management organization for education services. In the 2010-2011 school year, 100 schools in Oregon were freestanding, six operated under charter management organizations, and one operated under an education management organization.[17]

    Oregon has one charter school advocacy organization, the League of Oregon Charter Schools.

    Innovation

    See also: Charter school innovation indicators and High-performing charter schools

    Charter school proponents argue that charter schools have the freedom to adopt more innovative practices, which in turn lead to improved academic performance. To get a sense of the level of innovation occurring in charter schools, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools surveyed charter schools across the country on the various innovative education practices they employed. In Oregon, an average of 19 percent of charter schools reported using innovative practices in the 2011-2012 school year. The table below displays the prevalence of a variety of innovative practices in Oregon as a percentage of all charter schools in the state. The figures are compared with those in surrounding states.[18]

    Charter schools with innovative practices, in percents (2011-2012)
    State Extended day Extended year Year-round calendar Independent study School-to-work Higher education courses Average
    Oregon 26% 8% 2% 34% 12% 32% 19%
    California 49% 24% 6% 33% 7% 22% 23%
    Idaho 44% 22% 6% 33% 22% 56% 31%
    Washington No data available
    Source: National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, "The Health of the Public Charter School Movement: A State-By-State Analysis," accessed October 3, 2014

    Ballot measures and legislation

    Ballot measures

    See also: School choice on the ballot and List of Oregon ballot measures

    Ballotpedia has tracked the following statewide ballot measures relating to school choice.

    1. Oregon Measure 11, School Choice System and Tax Credits for Private Enrollment Initiative (1990)

    Legislation

    The following is a list of recent charter school bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Oregon state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

    Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

    Recent news

    The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Oregon charter school. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

    Charter schools in Oregon - Google News

    See also

    School Board badge.png

    External links

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Public School Review, "What is a Charter School?" accessed October 2, 2014
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 National Conference of State Legislatures, "Charter School Finance," accessed October 9, 2014
    3. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    4. ↑ Center for Research on Education Outcomes, "National Charter School Study," accessed October 9, 2014
    5. ↑ National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, "Total Number of Students," accessed October 9, 2014
    6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Oregon Department of Education, "Oregon Charter Schools Directory, 2011-2012," accessed November 25, 2014
    7. ↑ Cascade Policy Institute, "Oregon Charter School Report Card," accessed November 25, 2014
    8. ↑ National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, "A Closer Look at the Charter School Movement," February 3, 2016
    9. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Table 203.70. Percentage distribution of enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools, by race/ethnicity and state or jurisdiction: Fall 2003 and fall 2013," accessed June 7, 2016
    10. ↑ National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, "The Health of the Charter Public School Movement: A State-by-State Analysis," March 2016
    11. ↑ National Association of Charter School Authorizers, "Types of Authorizers," accessed June 6, 2016
    12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 12.8 12.9 National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, "Measuring Up: Oregon," accessed November 25, 2014
    13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Education Commission of the States, "Charter Schools Update 2014 - State Profile - Oregon," accessed November 25, 2014
    14. ↑ National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, "Measuring Up To The Model: A Ranking of State Charter School Laws," January 2016
    15. ↑ The New York Review of Books, "The Myth of Charter Schools," November 11, 2010
    16. ↑ University of Arkansas Department of Education Reform, "Charter School Funding: Inequity Expands," accessed October 22, 2014
    17. ↑ National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, "The Health of the Public Charter School Movement: A State-By-State Analysis," accessed October 3, 2014
    18. ↑ National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, "The Health of the Public Charter School Movement: A State-By-State Analysis," accessed October 3, 2014
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