Charter-School Management Organizations: Diverse Strategies and Diverse Student Impacts

A new analysis from the National Study of Charter Management (CMO) Effectiveness provides the first systematic evidence available on the effects of CMOs on the critical long-term outcomes of high school graduation and college entry. The study shows that some—but not all—CMOs substantially boost students' chances of graduating from high school and enrolling in postsecondary education. The study also shows that each CMO's impact on test scores is typically consistent across schools, suggesting that CMOs are having some success in promoting uniformity (whether in a positive or negative direction). Further, some CMOs have implemented policies, programs, and procedures that enable them to outperform other CMOs.