ABSTRACT
Recent evidence from international comparisons reveals that students in the United States (US) tend to compete well with those in other countries at younger ages, but as US students age, their academic achievement scores lag behind those of their international contemporaries. Federal policies have provided support for school choice over the past two decades. The rigorous study of issues related to school choice is both timely and important for policy makers, practitioners, scholars, and families to understand what choice options are effective or not and the social context and conditions that promote or inhibit the effectiveness of school choice alternatives. Charter schools are public schools funded by the government, but they have a different governance structure compared with traditional public schools in that they are established under a charter by parents, educators, community groups, or private organizations to encourage school autonomy and innovation.
