A majority of states continue to be viwed as a barrier to charter school success

Even with federal incentives and tremendous media attention over the past year, weak laws in a majority of states continue to be the greatest barrier to charter school success, according to an analysis of the country's 41 charter school laws by The Center for Education Reform (CER). CER's 2011 ranking and scorecard – their 12th annual overview – gives 29 states a grade of C or lower for their law, showcasing a real need for substantive changes to their laws if they are to permit the creation of innovative and successful charter schools.

Forty states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws that allow for charter schools, resulting in more than 5,400 operating this school year, according to CER. But the laws vary considerably in composition, as is clearly evidenced in this report. Only three – Washington, DC, Minnesota and California – have laws that provide optimal conditions for the establishment, growth and success of charters. Only nine other states have strong laws on the books and have seen demonstrated student achievement gains.