ACRE Research Papers
“The Effects of Charter Schools on Disciplinary Infractions in Traditional Public Schools: Evidence from Arkansas”
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 ACRE Undergraduate Research Fellow 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’ 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 teachers to pass qualifying exams to obtain a teaching license. This study examines whether there is a positive correlation between teachers’ effectiveness and their qualifying-exam scores. Taking advantage of the fact that Arkansas does have some teachers who scored less than the minimum qualifying score, this paper evaluates whether students whose teachers score higher on standardized tests outperform students whose teachers score lower on the tests. The study finds no significant difference in effectiveness between teachers who pass the Praxis I teacher certification exam and those who fail. The implication of Shuls’s finding is that instead of screening out only ineffective teachers, Praxis I exams actually screen out potentially high-quality teachers in Arkansas.
Policy Reviews
“Arkansas Charter Schools: Myths and Facts”
by Mavuto Kalulu
This policy review addresses some common myths and misconceptions that many Arkansans have about charter schools in Arkansas. It debunks five of the major myths cited by opponents of expanding access to open enrollment charter schools: (1) Open enrollment charter schools don’t 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’t compete with open enrollment charter schools.
Op-Eds and Commentary
- “Rethink spending: Focus school funds on instruction”: op-ed published by ACRE Undergraduate Research Fellow Morgan Burke in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on April 11, 2019.
- “How Charter Schools Improve Student Outcomes”: op-ed published by ACRE Research Assistant Aaron Newell in the Log Cabin Democrat on April 30, 2018.
- “For school choice: Competition better for all”: op-ed published by ACRE Policy Analyst Mavuto Kalulu in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on January 27, 2017.
- “Shortage Solution: Lower Bar for Teacher Licensure”: op-ed published by ACRE Policy Analyst Mavuto Kalulu in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on September 23rd, 2016.
- “More to Choose: School Choice Friedman’s Vision”: op-ed published by ACRE Policy Analyst Mavuto Kalulu in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on July 30th, 2016.
- “Celebrate School Choice”: op-ed published by ACRE Policy Analyst Mavuto Kalulu in the Jonesburo Sun on February 13, 2016.
- “Lower the Screen: Don’t Cut Effective Teachers”: op-ed published by ACRE Policy Analyst Mavuto Kalulu in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on December 3, 2015.
- “Nothing to Show: Achievement Gap is Solvable”: op-ed published by ACRE Policy Analyst Mavuto Kalulu in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on September 28, 2015.
- “Happy Birthday, Sir: Friedman’s Influence Lives On”: op-ed published by ACRE Policy Analyst Mavuto Kalulu in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on July 31, 2015.
Check out the ACRE Review to find all of our K-12 education-related blog posts.