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Abstract from the NASSMC Briefing Service (NBS) that is supported by the National Security Agency (NSA) and ExxonMobil Foundation, Wednesday, September 1, 2004. Original article is in the New York Times [Education], Sunday, August 29, 2004, p. A 17. See http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/29/education/29charter.html
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U.S. Cutting Back on Details in Data About Charter Schools

A week after a national comparison of test scores showed charter school students trailing behind their counterparts in traditional schools, the U.S. Department of Education has confirmed that they are cutting back on the amount of data they collect on charter schools.

The most recent federal report known as the Schools and Staffing Survey profiled 1,010 charter schools, providing information on their location, percentage of low-income students, teacher credentials and student-teacher ratios. From now on, however, the survey will provide information on a random sample of about 300 charter schools. The same method is already used for collecting data on traditional public and private schools.

Susan Aspey, a department spokeswoman, said the decision was made long ago "for technical reasons." She added, "There is nothing sinister or untoward about this."

Education researchers, however, said they rely heavily on the survey data for their work, and that the change would make it more difficult for them to study charter school performance. Given the Bush administration's strong support for charters, "we need to learn as much as we can about them, and for that we need good data," said Helen Ladd, a professor of public policy studies at Duke University.
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Jerry P. Becker
Curriculum & Instruction
Southern Illinois University
Carbondale, IL 62901-4610
Phone: (618) 453-4241 [O]
(618) 457-8903 [H]
Fax: (618) 453-4244
E-mail: jbecker@siu.edu