The Center for Education Reform released its 2026 National Charter School Law Rankings and Scorecard, evaluating charter school legislation across the country. Florida held onto the top position for the third consecutive year, with Arizona and Indiana taking second and third place.
Rankings Highlights
Iowa and Ohio made notable upward moves, while Rhode Island declined following a state moratorium on new charter approvals. The report grades state charter laws across four core criteria: authorization options, growth flexibility, operational autonomy, and funding equity.
Out of 48 states with charter school laws, 19 earned a grade of B- or better. Only three jurisdictions received an A or A- mark. The 10 highest-ranked states for 2026 are Florida, Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, the District of Columbia, Minnesota, North Carolina, Iowa, Ohio, and Utah.
Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.
