A Bay Area District's Response to Charter Schools: Free Market Effects on Education

The Charter Schools Act of 1992 allows parents, teachers, community groups, and other organizations to design charter schools with the specific focus on achieving student success. Charter schools are public schools, in that they receive public funds and must report to a public authority; but, they also have autonomy from district and state regulations and thus are free to set local goals and strategies. Charter schools are based on the business free-market concept, with the belief that consumer choice in education will stimulate competition among educational institutions. The free market concept in education is thought to allow parents to freely choose the best school setting for their child, which ultimately creates a sense of competition within the educational community. The expected result of free market influence in education is an improved educational system, enhanced student achievement, and increased parent satisfaction through competition among schools to attract and retain students while achieving student success. The purpose of this study is to investigate the level of impact on a Bay Area school district due to the establishment of charter schools. Interview and surve