Washington, D.C. Ranks #2 in 'Top 10' Public Charter School Communities by Market Share

Washington, D.C. Ranks #2 in 'Top 10' Public Charter School Communities by
Market Share

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Washington, D.C. ranks #2 in
the nation for public charter school market share with 36% of public school
students attending charter schools, according to the annual Top 10 Charter
Communities by Market Share report released today by the National Alliance for
Public Charter Schools. Washington, D.C. is also the sixth largest charter
school community by student enrollment with 25,729 students in public charter
schools.

"In a city like Washington, D.C., which has the second highest market share of
charter enrollment, the number of students choosing charters is impressive,"
said Anna Nicotera, Director of Research and Evaluation for the National
Alliance for Public Charter Schools. "D.C. public charter school enrollment
has jumped by eleven percentage points from 25% in (05-06) to 36% in (08-09)
and charters there now enroll 43,035 students, which is about 25,000 more
students than four years ago."

The report finds:
-- Charter Growth Remains Strong: There are 14 communities where more
than
20% of public school students are enrolled in charters, up from six in
2005-06. 72 communities now have at least 10% of public school
students
in charter schools, 27 more than three years ago.
-- 10 Districts Enroll 22% of Charter Students: The 10 districts with the
largest number of students in public charter schools represent 22% of
the total public charter school population nationwide, a total of
304,494 students out of roughly 1.4 million.
-- More than 1/3 of Public School Students in Charters in Three Cities:
Public charter school market share breaks 30% of students in Detroit
(at
32%), Washington, D.C. (36%), and New Orleans (57%).

-- New Orleans Remains at #1 in Market Share Percentage: Not only are
charters in New Orleans serving a higher percentage of public school
students - 57% - than anywhere else in the nation, they are also the
highest performing sector of public schools in the city. More
importantly, the city's public schools as a whole are outperforming
the
pre-Katrina system.

"Charter schools are working at scale in a growing number of American cities,"
according to Nelson Smith, President and CEO of the National Alliance for
Public Charter Schools. "Chartering is becoming well-established as a key
component of the public education delivery system," he added.

The "Top 10" largest market share public charter school communities (including
ties) are: New Orleans, LA (57%); Washington, D.C. (36%); Detroit, MI (32%);
Kansas City, MO (29%); Dayton, OH (27%); Youngstown, OH (26%); St. Louis, MO
(25%); Flint, MI (24%); Gary, IN (23%); Phoenix Union High School District, AZ
(22%); and Minneapolis, MN (22%).

The "Top 10" communities with the greatest number of students enrolled in
public charter schools are: Los Angeles, CA (59,122), Detroit, MI (43,035),
Philadelphia, PA (32,579), Houston, TX (29,889), Chicago, IL (28,973),
Washington, D.C. (25,729), Miami-Dade County, FL (23,865), New York City, NY
(21,367), New Orleans, LA (20,068), and Broward County, FL (19,867).

To see charter school market share data by state, visit the Public Charter
Schools Dashboard at http://www.publiccharters.org/dashboard/students/.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (www.publiccharters.org) is
the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school
movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high performing charter
schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority
families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The
Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource
centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as
the united voice for this large and diverse movement. Over 1.5 million
students attend more than 4,900 charter schools in 39 states and the District
of Columbia.

SOURCE National Alliance for Public Charter Schools

Sarah Johnson of National Alliance for Public Charter Schools,
+1-202-521-2826, pressroom@publiccharters.org