Who’s Doing the Choosing—Charter Schools or Students?

The pandemic was good for charter schools in America. Enrollment went up in charter schools, while public schools saw a decline across the country. Now charter schools technically are public schools—they get public money and aren’t supposed to charge tuition or be as selective as private schools. But charter schools have found lots of ways to be selective without openly rejecting students. Kevin Welner, head of the National Education Policy Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder and co-author of “School’s Choice: How Charter Schools Control Access and Shape Enrollment,” explains charter schools’ selectivity and why it matters. (Segment produced by James Hoopes)