Fourth Year Evaluation of Tennessee Charter Schools 2006 - 2007

i Preface In 2002, Tennessee passed its first Public Charter School legislation. Four schools were successful in gaining approval to begin operating in the 2003-2004 academic year. The second cohort of three charter schools began operation during the 2004-2005 academic year, with the third cohort of five schools starting-up during the 2005-2006 academic year. No new schools were added during the 2006-2007 academic year. According to the charter school law, these charter schools were granted " maximum flexibility " to achieve alternative ways for public schools to educate school children. Though the flexibility granted to these schools is considered an advantage, previous research on charter schools has demonstrated mixed results in their success. The purpose of the present evaluation study was to examine the progress made in program implementation, school climate, and student achievement by the charter schools. A " mixed-methods " design, encompassing both qualitative and quantitative data, was employed. The questions upon which the evaluation methods are based relate to the progress of individual schools and the overall group in implementing desired strategies for curriculum, instruction, and organization, and in attaining the goals of No Child Left Behind by bringing every child to proficiency in reading and mathematics on the TCAP by 2014. It should be noted that student achievement will be more fully examined in a supplemental report when student-level data become available. The purpose of the present evaluation study was to examine the progress made in program implementation, school climate, and student achievement by the Tennessee charter schools. Six evaluation questions guided the methodology for this study. Student achievement results (Question 1) are addressed in a separate report. The following evaluation questions (2-6) are addressed in this report. 2. What is the frequency of usage of various traditional and alternative (student-centered) instructional strategies in the charter schools and compared to national norms? 3. What is the school climate at the charter schools and how does the climate compare to national norms? 4. To what degree and levels of quality are the goals and strategies of the charter school being implemented? 5. What are teacher reactions to and experiences in the charter school? What are the adequacy and quality of professional development and resources? 6. What are parent (caregiver) reactions to and experiences with the charter school? An overview of the schools is provided in the following table. A description of each school is provided in the …