LAUSR

ABSTRACT I calculate the cost-effectiveness of private schools participating in school voucher programs, independent charter schools, and district-authorized charter schools, compared to traditional public schools in Wisconsin for the 2017–18 school year. I calculate cost-effectiveness by dividing the Accountability Report Card score for each school by the public dollars invested in each school. Using a cautious analytic approach, I find that private and independent charter schools tend to be more cost-effective than traditional public schools. The most cautious estimates from the regression models controlling for school-level student demographics suggest that independent charter schools and private schools of choice are 29 percent to 30 percent more cost-effective, respectively, than traditional public schools in Wisconsin. Cost-effectiveness does not differ between district-authorized charter school and traditional public school sectors.