After two years of extensive research, The Center for Learner Equity (CLE) has published the Charter School Equity, Growth, Quality, and Sustainability Study, a first-of-its-kind report  that examines the learning experiences of students with disabilities in charter schools and documents  policies and practices that foster access and success. 

The research, commissioned by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, consisted of an extensive review of  education policy literature, a quantitative growth analysis, a media scan, legislative analyses, and more  than 150 interviews with education leaders and policymakers. Researchers at CLE found that with  dedicated collaboration from decision-makers and various external partners, charter schools can  harness their freedom and flexibility and shed outdated models that are currently holding students with  disabilities back.  

“We pursued this research because too many students with disabilities, especially students of color and  students from low-income communities, are being failed by their public schools,” said Lauren Morando  Rhim, Executive Director of CLE. “Our research findings provide a roadmap for charter schools to  address this crisis and live up to their promise of educating all students equally.”  

The findings reveal that education leaders and policymakers are not doing enough to ensure students  with disabilities receive a high-quality education at charter schools — a blight on the sector’s otherwise  strong record of educating historically marginalized students. The research provides insights and  recommendations, including highlighting models and approaches that can provide a guide for  policymakers, education leaders and funders at the national, state, regional, and local levels to create  the conditions for charter schools to enroll and enable students with disabilities to succeed. 

There are exceptions. In Camden, New Jersey, renaissance schools—hybrids of charter and district schools—serve more students with disabilities (17%) than Camden City Public Schools (13%). Traditional charter enrollment of Camden students with disabilities is 11%. Throughout NJ, the percentage of students with disabilities in public charters is 10%, The US average is 11.5%.

“Students with disabilities need to be placed at the center rather than the periphery of charter  education,” said Lauren Morando Rhim. “We’re seeing political support for charters weaken, fueled by  largely valid concerns that the sector is not living up to its promise to educate all students. Charters have the opportunity to right this ship by capitalizing on their flexibility. Still, we need our leaders at every  level— from state policymakers to authorizers, nonprofits, charter management organizations, schools,  and funders—to step up and help remedy these inequities.” 

According to journalist Beth Hawkins, “instead of pressing for growth in the charter sector, conservatives are calling for the rapid expansion of vouchers and other private-school choice programs. Meanwhile, as they confront unprecedented enrollment declines, defenders of traditional district-run schools are quick to decry charters as a competitive threat.”

As the Center for Learning Equity makes clear, if charter schools can increase their focus on students with disabilities they will not only help students and families but ensure the sector’s political survival.