Gary Miron has a diverse background in the field of education. He worked as a public school teacher in Michigan in the mid-1980s. Later he worked as an educational researcher and university instructor in the field of education. Currently, he is Principal Research Associate at Western Michigan University′s Evaluation Center. There, he has completed or is working on a variety of school reform evaluations including evaluations of charter schools in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Illinois, and Cleveland. In Connecticut and Cleveland, he has been involved in providing training and technical assistance to charter schools in terms of helping them develop and implement accountability plans and self-evaluations. He has also conducted a study of student achievement gains in schools operated by Edison Schools Inc. Before joining The Evaluation Center, Dr. Miron worked at Stockholm University where he had completed his graduate studies. While in Sweden he conducted a study on the national voucher reform in the early 1990s and later took part in a study of school restructuring in Europe. He has researched and written on such topics as educational evaluation, special needs education, educational planning and policy, multimethod research, charter schools, and school reform. Christopher Nelson is Senior Research Associate at Western Michigan University’s Evaluation Center, where he works on large-scale evaluations of state charter school laws. He is project manager for evaluations in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and the city of Cleveland, and has contributed to evaluation reports on charter schools in Michigan and Connecticut. Before joining The Evaluation Center, Dr. Nelson was on the faculty of the H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University, where he taught courses on evaluation methodology, policy analysis, and public organizations. While in Pittsburgh, Nelson worked on a number of regional education policy studies,including a large-scale assessment of work force readiness among high school students, and a study of early-grade literacy. In addition, he played a leading role in the development of an education policy indicator system that is still in use today. Nelson holds an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a B.A. summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

"What’s Public About Charter Schools? provides valuable insights for charter school operators and advocates, school administrators, community members, politicians, and policy makers looking for data upon which to base decision making. Miron and Nelson have lived school reform evaluation for years, and their experience shows in this thoughtful and useful book."

• PrefaceOutline of the BookAcknowledgmentsAbout the AuthorsChapter 1: Charter Schools and Privatization - With Christopher LubienskiWhat Are Chater Schools? A Crash Course in the Charter ConceptAccountability to Whom? The New Politics of EducationWhat′s Public About Charter Schools?Formalist and Functionalist Views of Public-nessChapter 2: Shifting From Public to Private: Historical and Political BackdropCharter Schools in the National and International ContextThe Public-Private Pendulum in MichiganThe Emergence of Michigan′s Charter School LawChapter 3: The Charter School Reform in MichiganThe Charter School Concept in MichiganThe Growth and Development of Michigan Charter SchoolsChapter 4: Charter School Finance - With F. Howard NelsonHow Michigan Funds Charter SchoolsGeneral Fund ExpendituresCase Studies of Charter School and School District Revenues and ExpendituresThe Cost Advantage of Charter SchoolsChapter 5: Choice and AccessDistribution by GradeRacial/Ethnic Composition of the Charter SchoolsIncome, Family Structure, and Other CharacteristicsSpecial Education--or the Lack of It--in Michigan Charter SchoolsBeyond Demographics: Reasons for Choosing Charter SchoolsChapter 6: Teachers′ Characteristics and Working ConditionsTeacher DemographicsCertification and Qualification of TeachersReasons to Seek Employment at a Charter SchoolWorking Conditions and Levels of SatisfactionChapter 7: Innovation and ImpactImpact on Surrounding School DistrictsImpacts on Educational PracticeThe Diffusion of Charter School Innovations and PracticesChapter 8: Student AchievementMichigan in National ContextAssessing Charter School Impacts in MichiganA Summary of the FindingsEMOs and Student AchievementChapter 9: Customer SatisfactionNontest Indicators of Academic PerformanceSatisfaction With and Accomplishment of MissionSatisfaction With Curriculum and InstructionSatisfaction With Facilities and Available ResourcesThe Relationship Between Market and Performance AccountabilityChapter 10: The Effects of Education Management OrganizationsThe Growth of EMO Involvement in Charter SchoolsRoles and Types of EMOsOwnership of Charter Schools and the Problem of BundlingControl and Governance of Charter Schools: Is the Tail Wagging the Dog?Operating Charter Schools for Profit: Strategies and ConsequencesChapter 11: Lessons in Choice and AccountabilityWhat′s Public About Michigan Charter Schools? A Review of the EvidenceAre Charter Schools a Good Public Investment? The Question of EfficiencyDiagnoses and Prescriptions for Charter School LawsThe Future of Choice and AccountabilityAppendix A: Key Historical Developments in Michigan That Have Affected the Public and Private Nature of SchoolingAppendix B: Background and Supporting Documentation for Analysis of Student AchievementAppendix C: List of EMOs and the Number of Schools They Operated in 2000-01ReferencesIndex

Gary Miron has a diverse background in the field of education. He worked as a public school teacher in Michigan in the mid-1980s. Later he worked as an educational researcher and university instructor in the field of education. Currently, he is Principal Research Associate at Western Michigan University′s Evaluation Center. There, he has completed or is working on a variety of school reform evaluations including evaluations of charter schools in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Illinois, and Cleveland. In Connecticut and Cleveland, he has been involved in providing training and technical assistance to charter schools in terms of helping them develop and implement accountability plans and self-evaluations. He has also conducted a study of student achievement gains in schools operated by Edison Schools Inc. Before joining The Evaluation Center, Dr. Miron worked at Stockholm University where he had completed his graduate studies. While in Sweden he conducted a study on the national voucher reform in the early 1990s and later took part in a study of school restructuring in Europe. He has researched and written on such topics as educational evaluation, special needs education, educational planning and policy, multimethod research, charter schools, and school reform. Christopher Nelson is Senior Research Associate at Western Michigan University’s Evaluation Center, where he works on large-scale evaluations of state charter school laws. He is project manager for evaluations in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and the city of Cleveland, and has contributed to evaluation reports on charter schools in Michigan and Connecticut. Before joining The Evaluation Center, Dr. Nelson was on the faculty of the H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University, where he taught courses on evaluation methodology, policy analysis, and public organizations. While in Pittsburgh, Nelson worked on a number of regional education policy studies,including a large-scale assessment of work force readiness among high school students, and a study of early-grade literacy. In addition, he played a leading role in the development of an education policy indicator system that is still in use today. Nelson holds an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a B.A. summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

"What’s Public About Charter Schools? provides valuable insights for charter school operators and advocates, school administrators, community members, politicians, and policy makers looking for data upon which to base decision making. Miron and Nelson have lived school reform evaluation for years, and their experience shows in this thoughtful and useful book."

• PrefaceOutline of the BookAcknowledgmentsAbout the AuthorsChapter 1: Charter Schools and Privatization - With Christopher LubienskiWhat Are Chater Schools? A Crash Course in the Charter ConceptAccountability to Whom? The New Politics of EducationWhat′s Public About Charter Schools?Formalist and Functionalist Views of Public-nessChapter 2: Shifting From Public to Private: Historical and Political BackdropCharter Schools in the National and International ContextThe Public-Private Pendulum in MichiganThe Emergence of Michigan′s Charter School LawChapter 3: The Charter School Reform in MichiganThe Charter School Concept in MichiganThe Growth and Development of Michigan Charter SchoolsChapter 4: Charter School Finance - With F. Howard NelsonHow Michigan Funds Charter SchoolsGeneral Fund ExpendituresCase Studies of Charter School and School District Revenues and ExpendituresThe Cost Advantage of Charter SchoolsChapter 5: Choice and AccessDistribution by GradeRacial/Ethnic Composition of the Charter SchoolsIncome, Family Structure, and Other CharacteristicsSpecial Education--or the Lack of It--in Michigan Charter SchoolsBeyond Demographics: Reasons for Choosing Charter SchoolsChapter 6: Teachers′ Characteristics and Working ConditionsTeacher DemographicsCertification and Qualification of TeachersReasons to Seek Employment at a Charter SchoolWorking Conditions and Levels of SatisfactionChapter 7: Innovation and ImpactImpact on Surrounding School DistrictsImpacts on Educational PracticeThe Diffusion of Charter School Innovations and PracticesChapter 8: Student AchievementMichigan in National ContextAssessing Charter School Impacts in MichiganA Summary of the FindingsEMOs and Student AchievementChapter 9: Customer SatisfactionNontest Indicators of Academic PerformanceSatisfaction With and Accomplishment of MissionSatisfaction With Curriculum and InstructionSatisfaction With Facilities and Available ResourcesThe Relationship Between Market and Performance AccountabilityChapter 10: The Effects of Education Management OrganizationsThe Growth of EMO Involvement in Charter SchoolsRoles and Types of EMOsOwnership of Charter Schools and the Problem of BundlingControl and Governance of Charter Schools: Is the Tail Wagging the Dog?Operating Charter Schools for Profit: Strategies and ConsequencesChapter 11: Lessons in Choice and AccountabilityWhat′s Public About Michigan Charter Schools? A Review of the EvidenceAre Charter Schools a Good Public Investment? The Question of EfficiencyDiagnoses and Prescriptions for Charter School LawsThe Future of Choice and AccountabilityAppendix A: Key Historical Developments in Michigan That Have Affected the Public and Private Nature of SchoolingAppendix B: Background and Supporting Documentation for Analysis of Student AchievementAppendix C: List of EMOs and the Number of Schools They Operated in 2000-01ReferencesIndex

Gary Miron has a diverse background in the field of education. He worked as a public school teacher in Michigan in the mid-1980s. Later he worked as an educational researcher and university instructor in the field of education. Currently, he is Principal Research Associate at Western Michigan University′s Evaluation Center. There, he has completed or is working on a variety of school reform evaluations including evaluations of charter schools in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Illinois, and Cleveland. In Connecticut and Cleveland, he has been involved in providing training and technical assistance to charter schools in terms of helping them develop and implement accountability plans and self-evaluations. He has also conducted a study of student achievement gains in schools operated by Edison Schools Inc. Before joining The Evaluation Center, Dr. Miron worked at Stockholm University where he had completed his graduate studies. While in Sweden he conducted a study on the national voucher reform in the early 1990s and later took part in a study of school restructuring in Europe. He has researched and written on such topics as educational evaluation, special needs education, educational planning and policy, multimethod research, charter schools, and school reform. Christopher Nelson is Senior Research Associate at Western Michigan University’s Evaluation Center, where he works on large-scale evaluations of state charter school laws. He is project manager for evaluations in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and the city of Cleveland, and has contributed to evaluation reports on charter schools in Michigan and Connecticut. Before joining The Evaluation Center, Dr. Nelson was on the faculty of the H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University, where he taught courses on evaluation methodology, policy analysis, and public organizations. While in Pittsburgh, Nelson worked on a number of regional education policy studies,including a large-scale assessment of work force readiness among high school students, and a study of early-grade literacy. In addition, he played a leading role in the development of an education policy indicator system that is still in use today. Nelson holds an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a B.A. summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

"What’s Public About Charter Schools? provides valuable insights for charter school operators and advocates, school administrators, community members, politicians, and policy makers looking for data upon which to base decision making. Miron and Nelson have lived school reform evaluation for years, and their experience shows in this thoughtful and useful book."

• PrefaceOutline of the BookAcknowledgmentsAbout the AuthorsChapter 1: Charter Schools and Privatization - With Christopher LubienskiWhat Are Chater Schools? A Crash Course in the Charter ConceptAccountability to Whom? The New Politics of EducationWhat′s Public About Charter Schools?Formalist and Functionalist Views of Public-nessChapter 2: Shifting From Public to Private: Historical and Political BackdropCharter Schools in the National and International ContextThe Public-Private Pendulum in MichiganThe Emergence of Michigan′s Charter School LawChapter 3: The Charter School Reform in MichiganThe Charter School Concept in MichiganThe Growth and Development of Michigan Charter SchoolsChapter 4: Charter School Finance - With F. Howard NelsonHow Michigan Funds Charter SchoolsGeneral Fund ExpendituresCase Studies of Charter School and School District Revenues and ExpendituresThe Cost Advantage of Charter SchoolsChapter 5: Choice and AccessDistribution by GradeRacial/Ethnic Composition of the Charter SchoolsIncome, Family Structure, and Other CharacteristicsSpecial Education--or the Lack of It--in Michigan Charter SchoolsBeyond Demographics: Reasons for Choosing Charter SchoolsChapter 6: Teachers′ Characteristics and Working ConditionsTeacher DemographicsCertification and Qualification of TeachersReasons to Seek Employment at a Charter SchoolWorking Conditions and Levels of SatisfactionChapter 7: Innovation and ImpactImpact on Surrounding School DistrictsImpacts on Educational PracticeThe Diffusion of Charter School Innovations and PracticesChapter 8: Student AchievementMichigan in National ContextAssessing Charter School Impacts in MichiganA Summary of the FindingsEMOs and Student AchievementChapter 9: Customer SatisfactionNontest Indicators of Academic PerformanceSatisfaction With and Accomplishment of MissionSatisfaction With Curriculum and InstructionSatisfaction With Facilities and Available ResourcesThe Relationship Between Market and Performance AccountabilityChapter 10: The Effects of Education Management OrganizationsThe Growth of EMO Involvement in Charter SchoolsRoles and Types of EMOsOwnership of Charter Schools and the Problem of BundlingControl and Governance of Charter Schools: Is the Tail Wagging the Dog?Operating Charter Schools for Profit: Strategies and ConsequencesChapter 11: Lessons in Choice and AccountabilityWhat′s Public About Michigan Charter Schools? A Review of the EvidenceAre Charter Schools a Good Public Investment? The Question of EfficiencyDiagnoses and Prescriptions for Charter School LawsThe Future of Choice and AccountabilityAppendix A: Key Historical Developments in Michigan That Have Affected the Public and Private Nature of SchoolingAppendix B: Background and Supporting Documentation for Analysis of Student AchievementAppendix C: List of EMOs and the Number of Schools They Operated in 2000-01ReferencesIndex