As public schools, charters are legally required to accept every child who comes through the door. Greater choice in public education is unlikely to increase either program variety or overall school performance, unless accompanied by strong educational-improvement measures. Moreover, waivers and altered governance systems are no guarantee of improved student outcomes. Public alternative schools seeking appropriate or innovative programs do not have to design them from scratch. So might knowledge of research findings on characteristics of effective schools and the movements to reduce the size of schools and fashion schools into learning communities.
Details matter in designing and implementing choice policies.
According to Elmore and Fuller, not all choice designs are created equal. Experts agree that informing and welcoming parents of diverse backgrounds should be at the heart of any choice endeavor. Also, more attention should be paid to the educational content of available parental options. As Wells' study of St. Louis youth showed, the assumption that suburban schools were universally preferable to innercity schools proved mistaken. Researchers and policy-makers must remedy this situation.