The Effect of Charter Schools on Student Achievement: A Meta-Analysis of the Literature

Report Details
Julian Betts and Y. Emily Tang, National Charter School Research Project
October 2011
Research and Evaluation, Understanding Charter Schools

In this October 2011 meta-analysis, Julian Betts and Y. Emily Tang, writing for the National Charter School Research Project at the Center on Reinventing Public Education, take a look at the recent research on student achievement in charter schools across the country. By analyzing several rigorous studies, Betts and Tang found considerable variability in charter school performance. On average, charter schools outperform traditional public schools in elementary reading and mathematics and middle school mathematics, but no difference was found in reading or mathematics in high schools or in middle school reading.