Do charter schools play a significant role in the American education system?

Why is the question important? Charter schools have been promoted as a solution to poorly performing schools. The number of charter schools has grown in the past decade by more that 200%. This development has been praised by reformers and denounce by public school advocates including teacher unions. How big a role is this movement having on public schools?

See further discussion below.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics

Implications: Charter schools are growing at a rapid rate. The shift of over 1.4 million students in 40 states from traditional public school into charter schools is having a significant impact on local school budgets at the very moment when funding is being cut as a result of the economic downturn beginning in 2008.

Citation: National Center for Education Statistics (IES); Web site: http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=30