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Access Type

WSU Access

Date of Award

1-1-2003

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ed.D.

Department

Educational Leadership and Policy

First Advisor

Roger DeMont

Abstract

The purpose of the research was to examine perceptions of elementary school principals in Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties regarding charter schools in their respective areas. Five hundred forty-four (544) survey packets were mailed and following the initial and two follow-up mailings, one hundred sixty-four (164) responses were returned (30.1%). The response rate was similar to proportions of the distributed surveys. The attitudes investigated were perceptions of accountability, effectiveness, numbers of returning students to their districts, and perceptions of funding inequity between the two school types. The research found elementary school principals in the tri-county area were less than encouraged by the presence of charter schools in their districts. The principals felt charter schools have advantages the traditional public schools lack, e.g., selective admission policies, and some charter school students leaving and subsequently returning to their public school districts, and through that process, depriving public school students of critically needed funding. The principals also expressed concern regarding the veracity of the achievement claims of which some charter schools boast.

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