Closure and the roles of student performance and enrollment characteristics: A survival analysis of charter schools in Ohio’s largest urban counties

Abstract

In this study, we seek to contribute to the literature on traditional charter school (TCS) closure by examining the potential relationships among racial and socioeconomic enrollment characteristics, TCS age and early adopter status, student achievement and the likelihood of closure within Ohio’s “Big 8” Urban Counties (OBEUC). Using life tables and binary logistic regression, we examined 3,204 TCS school years (424 TCS) in OBEUC from the arrival of TCS in 1998 through 2015 to assess these relationships. While the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) reports that poor academic performance is the second most cited reason for TCS closure, we find no evidence that student performance predicts TCS closure in OBEUC. However, we find that compared to TCS with integrated enrollments, TCS with predominantly White or Black enrollments face higher risks of closure in OBEUC, even when controlling for other factors. This lack of a connection between student performance and TCS closure calls into question the argument that TCS closure is evidence that the accountability function of school choice policy is working.

Charter School Closure in Ohio’s Largest Urban Districts: The Effects of Management Organizations, Enrollment Characteristics and Community Demographics on Closure Risk

“…However, academic achievement was not a significant predictor of closure, even among charter schools with larger Black enrollments (Paino et al, 2017). Gilblom and Sang (2019b) conducted a survival analysis of charter school closure in OBEUC to investigate the potential relationships among racial and socioeconomic enrollment characteristics, charter school age and early adopter status, student achievement with the likelihood of closure. This analysis did not include the community characteristics surrounding each charter school.…”

“…We drew upon variables and variable definitions previously used in other studies investigating closure, such as Burdick-Will et al ( 2013), Paino et al (2014Paino et al ( , 2017, and Gilblom and Sang (2019b).…”

“…Since the urban areas in Ohio still experience high level of segregation between White and Black residents, we calculated a composite variable that compared charter schools with predominantly Black, predominantly White, and diverse student bodies. Community racial composition and enrollment predominance level was set at 75% or more, as used by Gilblom and Sang (2019b) and Paino (2017). We used the same process to calculate community racial composition.…”

“…OBEUC are fitting sites for investigating the connections between MOs and closure because more than half of charter schools in Ohio are affiliated with MOs, some of which are the largest MOs in the country (David, 2018). Also, charter schools in OBEUC with predominantly White or Black enrollments have higher closure risk in OBEUC, even when controlling for other factors (Gilblom & Sang, 2019b). However, the role of community characteristics on charter school closure in combination with MO type, racial enrollment characteristics, student achievement has yet to be investigated in these urban counties.…”

“…Other studies have explored the enrollment characteristics of charter schools managed by EMOs and CMOs (Chubb, 2002;Booker et al, 2005;Ertas & Roch, 2014;Finnigan et al, 2004;Garcia et al, 2009;Lacireno-Paquet et al, 2002;Lacireno-Paquet, 2006;Miron & Nelson, 2002;Wamba & Ascher, 2003) or the strategic positioning of charter schools in areas that ultimately shape their racial and socioeconomic enrollment characteristics (Gilblom & Sang, 2019a;Gulosino & d'Entremont, 2011;Lubienski et al, 2009;LaFleur, 2016;Saultz & Yaluma, 2017). Moreover, several studies exist that examine predictors of charter school closure, including student achievement, age of school, early adopter status, and enrollment characteristics (Burdick-Will et al, 2013;Carlson & Lavertu, 2016;Gilblom & Sang, 2019b;Paino et al, 2014Paino et al, , 2017. effects of MO type (EMO, CMO and freestanding schools with no MO), racial enrollment characteristics, student achievement and the community characteristics surrounding each charter school on the likelihood of closure in Ohio.…”