Charter schools, unlike traditional public schools, must demonstrate that they can meet the bottom line – student performance. To reach this goal, they must adopt practices that are proven to work, unlike their standard public school counterparts. As a result, they are making tremendous strides in boosting student achievement, and often in low-income communities where most of the other district schools are failing.  

Free to Learn: Lessons from Model Charter Schools, co-authored by Lance T. Izumi and Xiaochin Claire Yan, reveals the recipe for success at seven high-achieving charter schools. These schools have a great deal in common – alternative models of organization, strong management, teacher accountability, and discipline. They shatter the status-quo orthodoxy and provide practical advice for parents, educators, and policymakers.

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