h program, indicating low family socioeconomic status, with New Mexico and Colorado students again at the extremes of poverty and non poverty status, respectively. In addition, around 14 percent of the student population were classified as Limited English Proficient (LEP) while 16 percent qualified for special education placement.
While the foregoing data seems fairly equitable, not all large studies have shown such data. Schwartz (1996) reports that a different study, one conducted 1996 which included 225 charter schools in seven states, found that minority group members comprised a much larger proportion (63 percent) of the student bodies of charter schools.
Based on her review of the data, Schwartz (1996) concludes that it is really too early to definitively state that charter schools are not fulfilling Federal requirements regarding equity and diversity. However, she does say that there appears to be a trend in which while charter schools, especially in urban, areas are attracting large numbers of minority students, they may not be attracting the mo
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