Charter Schools: To Enhance Education’s Monitoring and Research, More Charter-School-Level Data Are Needed

January 12, 2005 Charter Schools: To Enhance Education's Monitoring and Research, More Charter-School-Level Data Are Needed Charter schools are public schools that are granted increased autonomy by states in exchange for meeting specified academic goals. State law determines who approves the formation of a charter school, often the board of education. As public schools, charter schools are subject to the performance requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) as well. In this environment, states' systems for allowing charter schools flexibility and ensuring school performance and financial integrity assume greater importance. GAO examined (1) how states . . .