Why is it difficult to compare charter schools with noncharter schools?
There are a number of factors contributing to this challenge. Charter schools are growing at a very rapid rate, so the universe of schools for comparison is quite different from year to year. Lack of data is also a significant obstacle. About one-quarter of charter schools—and more than 40 percent of nonclassroom-based charters—did not have test scores for enough students to be included this report. Also, some charters have non-traditional grade structures (such as 2-7 or 9-10) that make comparisons problematic. Finally, direct comparisons between charters and noncharters can be misleading because of different student demographics. Generally, charter schools are less likely to serve Hispanic students, English learners, or students from low-income families.
