A National Geospatial Analysis of Charter Schools in the United States

This paper investigates whether charter schools in the United States, particularly those operated by for-profit Education Management Organizations (EMOs) and nonprofit Charter Management Organizations (CMOs), are strategically located in racially distinct areas, perhaps for financial or market-based incentives. Using county-level demographic and population data, combined with charter school management classifications, the study employs logistic regression models to test the relationship between race, population density, and school placement across three models: general charter presence, EMO, and CMO schools. The findings reveal that there is a correlation between population size and charter school presence, but racial demographics are more nuanced. Namely, there is an association with EMOs in white-dominant areas, while freestanding and CMOs have patterns with populous regions regardless of race. The paper discusses the role of state policy variation, market incentives, and parental choice in shaping these trends, and calls for future research using longitudinal data and more granular geographic units. The study concludes by urging policymakers to consider how charter school governance models and enrollment practices may reinforce educational stratification, and to design policies that center equity and community need.