The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools has just released its annual rankings report of state charter laws. Each year, the Alliance measures states’ laws against a model charter law. This is the 13th year the Alliance has ranked the states. In this year’s ranking, for instance, North Carolina dropped a spot to #15 on the list.
For charter movements in many states, the past year was one of progress. As the Alliance notes:
“More than 50% of the states and territories with charter laws gained legislative ground last year, resulting in some of the most significant changes ever seen in a single year. 2021 was widely recognized as the year of public school choice in state capitols across the country.”
Highlights from the report
- Top five states for charter laws: Indiana, Colorado, Alabama, Minnesota, Florida
- Bottom five states: Wisconsin, Virginia, Alaska, Kansas, Maryland
- Most improved state: Iowa, which rose from #41 to #18 following significant changes to its charter law
What do model charter laws have in common? The Alliance evaluated 21 factors, which include equitable funding, “equitable access to capital funding and facilities,” and “automatic exemptions from many state and district laws and regulations.”
Find the report here.
