The Feasibility of Creating and Sustaining Charter Schools in the Rural United States

Many parents in rural areas desire to make a choice for their child to have an education different from what the local TPS can provide, but the choice is not available (McCarthy, 2016, Bagley, Woods, & Glatter, 2001). Communities play a large role in the success of both TPSs and charter schools, especially in rural areas (Johnson & Howley, 2015, Stuit & Doan, 2012). In many cases, community characteristics impact student performance as much as the school characteristics (Bodine et al., 2008, Reeves, 2012). The research presented in this study acts as a feasibility study of the potential for rural communities across the U.S. to create and sustain charter schools, given their financial characteristics. This research adds to the national conversation of school choice by determining the accessibility and plausibility of U.S. students across the country, including those in rural areas, to have increased access to school choice options