Analysis of Kansas City, Missouri secondary charter schools

The project report was a problem-based learning model, which employed policy analysis. The Kansas City, Missouri School District's secondary charter schools were the subject of the project report. The schools studied were Alta Vista, Don Bosco Education Center, Hogan Preparatory Academy, Southwest and University Leadership Academy.; The project report addresses school reform which focused on secondary charter schools. The purpose of the study was to answer the question: Have secondary charter schools in the Kansas City, Missouri School District used their freedom from Missouri state-mandated requirements to develop more effective schools that: (1) increase student achievement and performance and (2) have economic viability. The project report focused on an analysis of Missouri charter school legislation passed in 1998 and the characteristics of five secondary charter schools that were in operation between 2001 and 2004. Missouri Assessment Program assessments in communication arts, mathematics, science, and social studies were used to describe student achievement. Dropout rates and social capital were used to measure economic viability. Economic benefits were measured through data consisting of per pupil cost, student achievement and performance.; The findings were: (1) through the Missouri statutes the five secondary charter schools were unique and operated independently in their approaches to educating students; (2) slight progress was made in improving student achievement and performance at Alta Vista, Don Bosco, Hogan and University Leadership Academy; (3) progress was not made in student achievement or performance at Southwest; (4) per pupil expenditure in the five charter schools was approximately {dollar}5500 per pupil.; Recommendations for Missouri regarding charter schools are: (1) require fiscal oversight of charter schools; (2) allow Missouri suburban or larger out-state school districts to create charter schools; (3) fully fund charter schools through average daily attendance funds on the state level; and (4) change achievement standards for charter schools and assessment of individual charter school student achievement.; The recommendations for future study are: (1) to investigate other charter schools by examining student achievement and performance, student social conditions, and economic effectiveness; and (2) to complete a longitudinal study of secondary charter schools.