A regulatory analysis, case law analysis, and limited program review of New Jersey's charter school program

The establishment of charter school programs in a majority of states over the past decade has been one of the most significant developments in public education. This dissertation analyzes three aspects of New Jersey's charter school program. First, it analyzes the program's evolving regulatory scheme from its inception in 1996 to 2002. Second, it analyzes the scope and outcomes of legal challenges to charter schools to ascertain how litigation has impacted the operation of New Jersey's charter school program. Third, it analyzes the extent to which New Jersey's charter school program has complied with the requirements and goals of federal and state law intended to promote educational equality and opportunity for historically disadvantaged students.; In analyzing the state's regulatory scheme, the dissertation examines applicable state and federal statutes, regulations and evaluations authorized by the New Jersey and United States Departments of Education. In analyzing the impact of litigation, the dissertation examines all legal challenges throughout the United States in which charter schools have been a party. In analyzing the extent of New Jersey's compliance with requirements pertaining to historically disadvantaged students, the dissertation provides a limited program review that identifies and explains such requirements, indicates areas of potential noncompliance, and offers recommendations on how the program might be modified to advance the goals of those requirements.; The dissertation's findings demonstrate that New Jersey's charter school program has undergone substantial revisions during its short history, as policymakers have subsequently responded to problems that the original enabling legislation failed to address or anticipate. New Jersey has also encountered more charter school litigation than any other state, as adversaries have persistently sought to stop the program's continuation and individual charter school operations. Legal challenges, however, have not succeeded in preventing the expansion of the program. Nevertheless, several indicators reveal that certain charter schools may not have met their obligations to historically disadvantaged students, especially students with disabilities and limited English proficiency. The findings suggest that closer state monitoring and more proactive admissions policies should be implemented.