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A GROWING MOVEMENT
Americas Largest Public Charter School Communities
T W E L F T H A N N U A L E D I T I O N , O C TO B E R 2017
AU T H O R S
INTRODUCTION
Public charter schools are unique public schools that are allowed The National Alliance collected public school enrollment data
the freedom to be innovative while being held accountable for the 201617 school year to identify communities across the
for advancing student achievement. Over the past ten years, country where the highest proportions of students were enrolled
enrollment in charter schools has nearly tripledfrom 1.2 million in charter schools. To calculate these proportions, charter schools
students in 200607 to more than 3 million students in 201617. were mapped to geographic school district boundaries based on
The number of school districts with a significant charter school their address.3 This report compares the enrollment of charter
presence continues to grow. In 201617, 19 districts had 30 percent schools located within geographic school district boundaries with
or more of their students enrolled in charter schools, and 208 district-run schools in the same arearesulting in enrollment
districts had at least 10 percent of their students enrolled in charter share.
schools. In 201617, nearly 10 million public school students, or one
in five, attended school in a district with at least 10,000 students in
which 10 percent or more were enrolled in charter schools. OUR GROWING PRESENCE
The first charter school opened in Minnesota in 1992. For the
past 25 years, the charter school movement has been a leader in Districts With Significant Charter Enrollment
innovation, school choice, and education reform. By unleashing
an environment of creativity in states and communities, charter
208 10%+
schools have demonstrated that all children are capable of
academic achievement that prepares them to succeed in college,
58 20%+
their career, and their life. Charter schools have led efforts to
eliminate achievement gaps, boost graduation rates, and revitalize 30%+
19
communities. Because charter schools have a successful track
record of meeting students specific needs, parental demand for 7 40%+
them remains high.
3 50%+
This report identifies communities that have the highest
percentage and the highest number of students enrolled in
charter schools. When families have public school choice, they
increasingly select charter schools over district-run schools. In fact, States With Significant Charter Enrollment4
a recent survey by Phi Delta Kappan (PDK) found that 17 percent of
parents would send their child to a charter school if location and
2%+ 35
capacity were not an issuemeaning that the potential number
of charter school students is nearly 9 million.1 In addition, a 2016
4%+ 27
survey commissioned by the National Alliance for Public Charter
Schools (National Alliance) shows that 78 percent of parents would
6%+ 20
support a new charter school opening in their neighborhood.2
8%+ 10
1 There are roughly 50 million public school students in the U.S. 49th
Annual Poll of the Publics Attitudes Toward the Public Schools, Phi Delta 10%+ 8
Kappan, September 2017 (http://pdkpoll.org/assets/downloads/PDKnation-
al_poll_2017.pdf).
2 New National Survey Shows 78% of Parents Support Charter Schools 3 This analysis is performed based on geographic school district bound-
Opening in Their Neighborhood, National Alliance for Public Charter aries and does not take into account what entity authorizes the school.
Schools, April 2016 (http://www.publiccharters.org/press/national-sur- 4 The District of Columbia has a 46 percent charter school enrollment
vey-shows-78-parents-support-charter-schools-opening-neighborhood/). share and has not been included in this table.
DISTRICTS WITH THE HIGHEST SHARE OF four of these five districts (New Orleans, the District of Columbia,
CHARTER SCHOOL ENROLLMENT Camden, and Newark), charter schools enrolled more than 30
percent of all public school students in 201617. In the fifth district
When this report was first published, only one districtNew with a unified enrollment system, Denver, the charter school
Orleanshad more than 30 percent of students enrolled in charter enrollment share hit 20 percent for the first time.
schools. In 201617, 19 districts had at least 30 percent of students
California Now Has Three Districts with Charter School
attending charter schools.
Enrollment Share of Greater than 30 Percent. In 201617, two
Seven Districts Have at Least 40 Percent Charter School new districts in California passed the 30 percent charter school
Enrollment Share. In 201617, the share of students who attend enrollment share threshold: Inglewood Unified School District and
charter schools was 40 percent or more in seven districts: New Franklin-McKinley School District. These districts join Natomas
Orleans ranked first (93 percent); Flint, Mich., ranked second (55 Unified School District as California districts with the highest
percent); Detroit, Mich., ranked third (53 percent); Queen Creek, charter school enrollment share. In addition, Victor Valley narrowly
Ariz., ranked fourth (48 percent); Gary, Ind., and the District of missed the 30 percent mark this year with a 29 percent charter
Columbia both ranked fifth (46 percent); and Kansas City, Mo., school enrollment share.
ranked seventh (43 percent).
Kansas City and Camden, N.J. Saw Increases in Their Charter
Four of the Five Districts with Unified Enrollment Systems Have School Enrollment Share. Total public school enrollment levels
Charter School Enrollment Share of Greater than 30 Percent. were stable in both districts, while charter school enrollment
Five large urban districts currently use unified enrollment systems levels increased. In 201617, the charter school enrollment
in which parents can apply to any public school within the system share increased by four percentage points in Camden and three
(charter or district), regardless of where in the district they live. In percentage points in Kansas City.
FLINT
Flint
Grand
Grand Rapids
Rapids
DETROIT
Detroit
GARY
Gary Cleveland
Cleveland Newark
Newark
Philadelphia
Philadelphia Camden
Camden
KANSAS
KansasCITY
City Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Natomas
Natomas DaytonCity
Dayton City DISTRICT
District OF COLUMBIA
of Columbia
St.
St. Louis
Louis
Franklin-McKinley
Franklin-McKinley
Inglewood
Inglewood QUEEN Creek
Queen CREEK
Roosevelt
Roosevelt
NEW ORLEANS
New Orleans
3 Detroit Public Schools Community District 53% 10 Indianapolis Public Schools 33% 17 Inglewood Unified School District 30%
IN 201617, 19 DISTRICTS 4 Queen Creek Unified District 48% 11 Roosevelt Elementary District 33% 18 Franklin-McKinley School District 30%
HAVE AT LEAST 30 PERCENT 5 Gary Community School Corporation 46% 12 Dayton City School District 33% 19 Grand Rapids Public Schools 30%
OF STUDENTS ATTENDING 6 District of Columbia Public Schools 46% 13 Philadelphia City School District 32%
CHARTER SCHOOLS. 7 Kansas City School District 43% 14 St. Louis City School District 32%
21 Victor Valley Union High School District CA 4,030 10,010 14,040 29%
61 San Diego City Unified School District CA 24,440 105,870 130,300 19%
102 Monterey Peninsula Unified School District CA 1,770 9,780 11,550 15%
107 East Baton Rouge Parish School District LA 6,780 38,340 45,120 15%
117 Sacramento City Unified School District CA 6,820 40,770 47,590 14%
122 Alameda City Unified School District CA 1,550 9,450 11,000 14%
125 West Contra Costa Unified School District CA 4,610 28,430 33,040 14%
126 San Jose Unified School District CA 4,830 30,150 34,990 14%
130 Marysville Joint Unified School District CA 1,480 9,420 10,900 14%
142 Indian River County School District FL 2,310 15,550 17,860 13%
145 Port Arthur Independent School District TX 1,280 8,890 10,180 13%
147 Salt Lake City School District UT 3,310 23,050 26,360 13%
149 Santa Ana Unified School District CA 7,060 49,770 56,830 12%
152 San Jacinto Unified School District CA 1,370 9,810 11,180 12%
157 West Covina Unified School District CA 1,230 8,970 10,200 12%
158 Eden Prairie Public School District MN 1,230 8,960 10,190 12%
160 Traverse City Area Public Schools MI 1,280 9,480 10,750 12%
162 Napa Valley Unified School District CA 2,220 16,880 19,100 12%
165 Glendale Union High School District AZ 2,010 15,650 17,660 11%
167 St. Lucie County School District FL 4,630 37,030 41,660 11%
169 Palm Beach County School District FL 21,010 171,530 192,550 11%
183 St. Vrain Valley School District RE 1J CO 3,370 28,710 32,070 10%
185 Grand Prairie Independent School District TX 3,370 29,080 32,440 10%
191 Apple Valley Unified School District CA 1,450 12,900 14,350 10%
196 New York City Department of Education NY 102,960 946,170 1,049,130 10%
13 San Diego City Unified School District CA 24,440 105,870 130,300 19%