For years, the charter school sector enjoyed bipartisan support, counting among its advocates Presidents Clinton and Obama, as well as Presidents Bush and Trump.

Yet, in 2020, nearly all democratic presidential candidates advertised their opposition to charters and many called for a moratorium on their expansion. Republicans, by some folks’ estimations, also appear to be less enthusiastic about charters then they once were: Back in February, for instance, the Trump administration called for the elimination of the federal Charter School Program. How did this drop-off in support come to pass? Are charters facing tough years ahead without allies on either side of the aisle?

On this episode, Nat Malkus talks with DC Public Charter School Board executive director Scott Pearson and Century Foundation fellow Conor Williams about the shifting politics of charter schooling. Pearson and Williams discuss the factors that made charter schools a bipartisan reform in the first place, why support appears to be wavering, and what lies ahead for the charter sector.

We hope you enjoyed this episode of The Report Card, part of the AEI Podcast Network. For more episodes of “The Report Card,” find us on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts. This episode was first released on May 28, 2020.