Policy Research

Wisconsin Charter School Policy and Its Effect on Private School Enrollment

Nathan L. Gray

Summary

Wisconsin’s charter school policy, like many charter school policies across the nation, states that its goal is to improve education through competition in school choice. However, Wisconsin gives local school districts authority to authorize the opening of a new charter school. The author concludes that when a public school district feels like a charter school is a direct competitor, they are unlikely to authorize the new school.

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Policy Implications

If open choice school districts are meant to be a free market, then the local authorization system inhibits the market competition needed to improve education. If states adopt independent authorization system, they will likely see competition, and therefore quality of overall education, improve.