Virtual charter schools: large, negative effects on mathematics and English/language arts achievement

As researchers continue to examine the growing number of charter schools in the U.S., they have focused attention on the significant heterogeneity of charter effects on student achievement. This paper contributes to this agenda by examining the achievement effects of virtual charter schools vis-à-vis brick-and-mortar charters and traditional public schools and whether characteristics of teachers and classrooms explain the observed impacts.

The authors found that students who switched to virtual charter schools experienced large, negative effects on mathematics and English/language arts achievement that persisted over time, and these effects could not be explained by observed teacher or classroom characteristics.