Prof. Myron Orfield Quoted in a Star Tribune News Investigation Series and Editorial on the Underperformance of Charter Schools in Minnesota

Professor Myron Orfield, Earl R. Larson Professor of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and Director, Institute of Metropolitan Opportunity, was quoted in a Minnesota Star Tribune news investigation series and editorial on the underperformance of charter schools in Minnesota. The state created charter schools to be more independent than their public school counterparts, allowing them to innovate and better help struggling students. But studies have shown that lack of oversight often leads to financial mismanagement and fewer resources when things go wrong. Prof. Orfield, who has been researching charter schools since 2008, was an early supporter of these schools but is now critical of them. He said, “They promised these schools would be better. The vast majority are really bad. Many of them are so bad they never should have opened. We shouldn’t continue to allow that.” Reacting to this statement, the editorial board said, “We couldn’t agree more.”