San
Carlos, CA - In a confirmation that teachers are demanding more freedom
from cumbersome regulations and parents are demanding more choices for
their children within public education, this year, the California charter
school movement has experienced one of its greatest one-year gains in
the number of new charter schools. This fall alone, 79 new charter schools
have either opened their doors for the first time or have converted from
an existing public school.
A total
of 437 public charter schools are now operating in California, serving
more than 166,000 students, according to the California Network of Educational
Charters (CANEC). These figures represent a dramatic increase in charter
school activity over last year, when there were 358 California charter
schools in operation, with enrollments of roughly 135,000 students.
"The
rapid growth of the charter school movement in California confirms what
many parents know - that charter schools are meeting a critical need for
children in our system of public education," said Sue Bragato, Executive
Director of CANEC. "Charter schools are dramatically expanding choices
for parents, learning opportunities for kids and are increasing student
achievement here in California."
The
following are important highlights of the data recently collected by CANEC
on the state's charter school community:
70 percent (307 of a total 437) of charter schools currently in operation
are start-up schools. (A "start-up" charter school is a school
created and organized from scratch by educators, parents and community
leaders.)
The
other 30 percent (130 of a total 437) are conversion schools. (A "conversion"
charter school is a public school that has been converted to charter by
existing school faculty or by the local school district.) Of these, a
total of 15 conversion schools are operating within eight all-charter
school districts.
Start-up
schools account for a relatively large percentage of those new charter
schools opening their doors for the first time in this fall. 90 percent
(70 of a total 78) of all new charter schools are start-ups, while only
10 percent (eight of a total 78) of new charter schools are considered
conversion charter schools.
Of the 473 charter schools that have opened since the inception of charter
school law in 1992, a total of 36 schools (under eight percent) have closed
permanently. While 17 of these 36 schools closed because of a charter
revocation, the other 19 schools closed for reasons unrelated to revocation,
including due to difficulties in obtaining a facility or attracting students,
among other possibilities.
About
CANEC
The California Network of Educational Charters (CANEC) is California's
premier charter school networking and service organization and is the
public voice of its members for the charter school movement in California.
CANEC represents its members through networking, advocacy and public awareness.
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