ACRE Research Papers
鈥淭he Effects of Charter Schools on Disciplinary Infractions in Traditional Public Schools: Evidence from Arkansas鈥�
by Mavuto Kalulu, Thomas Snyder, and Aaron Newell
How do charter school options affect student discipline in traditional public schools in Arkansas?
The authors examine the effect charter schools have on student behavior in traditional public schools. They find that an increase in charter school enrollment is associated with fewer disciplinary infractions in traditional public schools in Arkansas.
The research paper was a project Newell undertook with Kalulu and Snyder during his tenure as an听ACRE Undergraduate Research Fellow听in the spring semester of 2018. Newell is currently a first-year law student at Bowen School of Law.
“Charter Schools’ Impact on Traditional Public School Performance: Evidence from Arkansas”
by Mavuto Kalulu, Thomas Snyder, and Saliou N. Ouattara
This study estimates the effects of open enrollment charter schools on student performance in traditional public schools in Arkansas. It examines the change in Iowa Assessment scores for first and second graders across Arkansas school districts between the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years. The ordinary least squares regression estimates demonstrate a positive and statistically significant relationship between elementary charter school enrollment and traditional public school Iowa Assessment scores across districts, controlling for relevant factors. Improvements in traditional public schools鈥� math, reading, and language test scores were greater in school districts that had a larger percentage of students enrolling in charter schools. The most influential impact of charter schools on predicted test scores was in math, where a 1 percent increase in elementary charter school enrollment led to a 0.13 percent predicted improvement in normal-curve-equivalent test scores across Arkansas school districts.
“Can We Simply Raise the Bar on Teacher Quality?”
by James Shuls
To ensure teacher quality, states require听teachers to pass qualifying exams to obtain听a teaching license. This study examines听whether there is a positive correlation听between teachers鈥� effectiveness and听their qualifying-exam scores. Taking听advantage of the fact that Arkansas does听have some teachers who scored less than听the minimum qualifying score, this paper听evaluates whether students whose听teachers score higher on standardized听tests outperform students whose teachers听score lower on the tests. The study finds听no significant difference in effectiveness听between teachers who pass the Praxis I听teacher certification exam and those who fail. The implication of Shuls鈥檚 finding is听that instead of screening out only ineffective听teachers,听Praxis I exams actually听screen out potentially high-quality teachers听in Arkansas.
Policy Reviews
“Arkansas Charter Schools: Myths and Facts”听
by Mavuto Kalulu
This policy review addresses some common myths and misconceptions that many Arkansans have about charter schools in Arkansas. It听debunks five of the major myths cited by opponents of expanding access to open enrollment charter schools: (1) Open enrollment charter schools don鈥檛 enroll many black or Hispanic students. (2) Education outcomes at open enrollment charter schools are worse than those at traditional public schools. (3) Open enrollment charter schools hire underqualified teachers. (4) Open enrollment charter schools receive more public funding than traditional public schools. (5) Traditional public schools will be forced to shut down because they can鈥檛 compete with open enrollment charter schools.
Op-Eds and Commentary
- 鈥溾��: op-ed published by ACRE Undergraduate Research Fellow Morgan Burke in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on April 11, 2019.
- “听op-ed published by ACRE Research Assistant Aaron Newell in the听Log Cabin Democrat on April 30, 2018.
- “听op-ed published by ACRE Policy Analyst Mavuto Kalulu in the听Arkansas Democrat-Gazette听on January 27, 2017.
- 听op-ed published by ACRE Policy Analyst Mavuto Kalulu in the听Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on听September 23rd, 2016.
- op-ed published by ACRE Policy Analyst Mavuto Kalulu in the听Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on听July 30th, 2016.
- “Celebrate School Choice”:听op-ed published by ACRE Policy Analyst Mavuto Kalulu in the听Jonesburo Sun听on February 13, 2016.
- 听op-ed听published by ACRE Policy Analyst Mavuto Kalulu in the听Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on听December 3, 2015.
- 听op-ed听published by ACRE Policy Analyst Mavuto Kalulu in the听Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on听September 28, 2015.
- 听op-ed听published by ACRE Policy Analyst Mavuto Kalulu in the听Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on听July 31, 2015.
Check out the ACRE Review to find all of our K-12 education-related blog posts.听听