Charter School Barriers: Do Enrollment Requirements Limit Student Access to Charter Schools?

The potential of the charter school movement to positively influence traditional public education lies in the ability of charter school officials to provide all students access to the curriculum. The aim of this study was to document potential registration and enrollment barriers incorporated into the practices of Colorado charter schools. The barriers discussed in this article include parent commitment requirements, fees, registration, and lottery information. The findings from this study suggest that Colorado charter schools have created specific barriers to registration that could impede some students from fully participating in charter schools. The researchers conclude the study with a call for charter schools to increase transparency related to every aspect of the registration and enrollment process and work to eliminate the identified barriers.