Charter Schools at the Crossroads offers a frank and nuanced analysis of the successes and shortcomings of the charter movement, and outlines possible directions for the future. Few observers present at the creation of the first charter schools a quarter-century ago could have predicted how rapidly this movement would spread or how thoroughly it would come to dominate the education reform agenda. And few recent debates in education have been as highly charged as those over charter schools' roles, responsibilities, and results. Chester E. Finn, Jr., Bruno V. Manno, and Brandon L. Wright write that charters have been ""spectacularly uneven in many ways, succeeding wonderfully in some cases while faltering in others"". They counter the often-oversimplified narrative of the movement's origins, showing how multiple agendas and intentions led to a cacophony of results. The authors highlight some of the key accomplishments of charter schools in serving selected populations while acknowledging the mixed results of the sector as a whole, and identify critical challenges for strengthening the charter sector. The candor of the authors' analysis and the forthrightness of their concerns offer both allies and opponents valuable insight into the workings of a movement whose influence is indisputable and whose future is far from clear.

How might school funds be spent more effectively in today's uncertain environment? This up-to-date volume explores a range of ideas to help schools and districts better manage their resources, including: how to rethink staffing and management to get more value for employee compensation; how policymakers might revisit pension arrangements in ways that control costs while putting more teacher compensation in the form of take-home pay; how educators and policymakers can leverage technology as a performance-enhancer and not just a cost-cutting opportunity; and how districts might frame spending options differently in order to more properly assess the needs and preferences of students and families. As American education enters the next decade of challenges, including shortfalls due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Getting the Most Bang From the Education Buck will be a valuable guide for how to spend dollars wisely and well. Book Features: A systematic look at issues like pension costs, declining enrollments, and school choice. Reflects changes in the political, policy, and practical landscapes to address the world as it stands now. A user-friendly presentation with sensible talk about how to make dollars go further. Each chapter covers a specific topic-from staffing to declining enrollments to pensions-making it easy for practitioners and professors to find their subject of interest.

How might school funds be spent more effectively in today's uncertain environment? This up-to-date volume explores a range of ideas to help schools and districts better manage their resources, including: how to rethink staffing and management to get more value for employee compensation; how policymakers might revisit pension arrangements in ways that control costs while putting more teacher compensation in the form of take-home pay; how educators and policymakers can leverage technology as a performance-enhancer and not just a cost-cutting opportunity; and how districts might frame spending options differently in order to more properly assess the needs and preferences of students and families. As American education enters the next decade of challenges, including shortfalls due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Getting the Most Bang From the Education Buck will be a valuable guide for how to spend dollars wisely and well. Book Features: A systematic look at issues like pension costs, declining enrollments, and school choice. Reflects changes in the political, policy, and practical landscapes to address the world as it stands now. A user-friendly presentation with sensible talk about how to make dollars go further. Each chapter covers a specific topic-from staffing to declining enrollments to pensions-making it easy for practitioners and professors to find their subject of interest.