Charter schools’ growth is hamstrung by a lack of sustaining capital, which is required to fill the gap between per-pupil funding and the amount charter schools need to provide both consistent, high-quality education services and back office support for their schools.

This article – from the Fall/Winter 2006 issue of Urban Education journal, published by the Rossier School of Education at University of Southern California – examines the evolution of the capital markets for charter schools, including for-profit and nonprofit providers, and explains how the capital barriers are limiting the further development of this market.