Research & White Papers
Key Questions for Philadelphia's Next Charter School Framework
June 2026
As Philadelphia develops its next Charter School Performance Framework through the RiSE process, several important questions remain unresolved. This series explores PCE's perspective on four key questions that will help shape how charter school performance is evaluated in Philadelphia.
#1: What should charter schools be evaluated on?
Are Philadelphia Public Charter Schools Required to Out Perform the School District of Philadelphia?
Pennsylvania's charter school law focuses on mission fulfillment, academic progress, and organizational performance. Yet charter schools are evaluated through comparisons to district averages that may not fully reflect whether a school is delivering on its charter promises. This paper examines how charter school performance should be evaluated within the RiSE framework.
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#2: How should student success be measured?d?
Is Growth Alone Enough?
Academic growth provides important information about student progress, but growth alone does not fully capture whether students are reaching meaningful academic milestones. This paper explores whether Philadelphia's next charter school accountability framework should measure academic growth and academic improvement to provide a more complete picture of student outcomes and student success.
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#3: How should Distinctive Models and Demonstrated Public Need be considered?
Should the Next Charter School Framework Value Distinctive Models and Demonstrated Public Need?
Philadelphia's charter school sector was created to expand educational opportunities and provide families with meaningful public school options. This paper examines whether the next framework should recognize distinctive educational models, family demand, and mission-aligned school models and outcomes while maintaining rigorous accountability standards.
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#4: Should geography determine access?
Should Renaissance Charter Schools be Limited by Geography?
As families increasingly seek schools based on quality, safety, and program fit, questions remain about whether existing geographic enrollment restrictions continue to reflect how families access public education. This paper explores whether Renaissance enrollment policies should evolve while maintaining commitments to the communities these schools were originally created to serve.
Read PCE's position paper