The Charter Watch.
Charter oversight, made visible.
The Charter Watch is a public-interest data project that makes charter school oversight measurable. Tracking money flows, academic outcomes, governance signals, and closure risk so communities can protect and strengthen public education.
Ohio School Insights
Explore public school funding, charter school transfers, and performance data across Ohio
School Year 2024-2025
Ohio School Funding Map
Counties colored by total charter school funding transfers. Click a county to explore.
Charter policy is often sold as choice.
The reality it's a Redistribution of Tax Dollars To Private Corporations From The Neighborhoods that need it the Most.
Funding & Spend Signals
Where public dollars go? Many patterns raise oversight questions.
Governance & Transparency
Board structure, operator ties, and public accountability signals.
Outcomes & Student Experience
Performance trends, attendance, mobility, and stability indicators.
Enrollment & Community Impact
Growth, churn, and what changes around the district ecosystem.
Charter Schools are often Snake Oil Sold As A solution to Failed Policies Create By Politicians
In the End, Public school districts are left managing the Fallout.
HOW IT WORKS
01.
Our goal
We make charter oversight measurable. Our focus is transparency, governance signals, financial risk markers, stability indicators, and outcomes trends—presented in a way the public can understand and validate.
02.
Data sources
We use publicly available records, including state education reporting, audit materials where available, public filings, and related oversight documentation. Sources and definitions are documented per metric.
03.
Standardization
Different entities report differently. We standardize naming, entity relationships (schools, networks, operators), geography, and time windows to improve comparability.
04.
What a “signal” means
A signal is a pattern worth reviewing—not a verdict. Our site highlights where the public should look closer and what documents are relevant.
05.
Corrections
If you find an error, submit a correction request. We log changes, verify against sources, and update transparently.
06.
Limits
No dataset is perfect. Timing gaps, reporting changes, and inconsistent filings can affect metrics. We document these limitations where they apply.
What makes us great
Flexible availability 24/7
Our facilities
Connect with us for any questions
Take Action
Accountability doesn’t require a huge platform. It requires informed questions, public records, and consistent follow-through.
1) Questions to ask at a charter board meeting
“Who are the related parties and vendors, and how are conflicts disclosed?”
“What percent of spending goes to management organizations or affiliated entities?”
“What is the plan if enrollment drops by 20%?”
“How are special education services delivered and funded?”
“Where can the public view contracts, budgets, and audits?”
2) Questions to ask authorizers
“What are renewal criteria and enforcement actions?”
“How do you verify financial controls and procurement?”
“What triggers intervention?”
“What is your closure contingency plan?”
3) Public records checklist
Budgets, board minutes, vendor contracts, audits, enrollment reports, policies
4) Support public schools
- Public schools serve every student and provide stable community infrastructure. The most effective long-term strategy is strengthening funding fairness, transparency, and proven programs that improve student outcomes.
About
The Charter Watch is an independent public-interest project built to improve charter oversight and strengthen public education. We believe public dollars require transparent governance, comparable reporting, and real accountability—especially when policies shift funding and enrollment at scale.
We don’t publish hot takes. We publish standardized oversight data, definitions, and plain-language summaries so parents, taxpayers, educators, and journalists can ask better questions and advocate for stable, well-funded public schools.