Charter schools : from reform imagery to reform reality /

Powers (Arizona State Univ.) offers a unique study of charter schools, tracing their development from initial policy formation to implementation. Powers uses both national data sets and case studies of charter schools in California to demonstrate the limited success of charters in meeting the bold claims of advocates, emphasizing the complexity of charter reform. Powers offers a useful overview of the national charter school scene, including the development of legal frameworks for charter-prominent states such as Arizona and Michigan. Using national data sets from 1999-2000 and 2005-06, Powers presents useful information, including the characteristics of those who attend and work in charters, variations in program offerings and management, and more. Unlike recent volumes focusing on achievement or parental satisfaction (e.g., Berends, Springer, and Walberg's Charter School Outcomes, CH, Nov'08, 46-1615, and Buckley and Schneider's Charter Schools: Hope or Hype?, CH, Dec'07, 45-2159), Powers focuses on the role of state policy in shaping practice, linking specific features of a charter school's operation to the school's policy context. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Graduate, research, and professional collections. M. J. Garrison D'Youville College