Charter Schools and Students with Disabilities: Preliminary Analysis of the Legal Issues and Concerns

In the wake of “National School Choice Week,” COPAA has released the brief  “Charter Schools and Students with Disabilities: Preliminary Analysis of the Legal Issues and Concerns” written by the Center for Law and Education under contract with COPAA. The stated purpose of National School Choice Week is to “shine a spotlight on effective education options for every child.” Charter schools have long been touted as one of the most promising educational choice options, yet the research remains limited, inconsistent, and for the most part, inconclusive as to whether charter school students are actually more effectively learning and performing than students of similar backgrounds enrolled in traditional public schools. Disturbingly, data shows that students with disabilities (especially low incidence, more significant disabilities) are denied meaningful access to and a free appropriate public education within charter schools. Read more about the Preliminary Analysis brief