Alexandria Walton Radford, a researcher for RTI International{rel=nofollow target="_blank"} in Washington, D.C., studies students’ transitions from high school to college.

In her book “Top Student, Top School? How Social Class Shapes Where Valedictorians Go to College," Radford poses an interesting question: “Why are academically-gifted students from poor families less likely to attend top-ranked colleges and universities than equally smart kids from wealthy families?"

She explains that some of the reasons behind this disparity are lack of opportunities, absence of guidance towards college, and a minimum of access to resources. And, according to Mary L. Landrieu’s CNN article Charter Schools: Let Every Child Have Access, charter schools are needed to fill this educational void.

Landrieu points out that the charter schools “successfully provide an education alternative to children in our nation" by fostering promise and opportunities to underserved families and communities.

While sometimes charter schools can be controversial, they can often provide underserved communities with affordable schooling opportunities where children can excel.

In this series, Noodle highlights some of the most successful charter school across the nation. The following charter schools have proven to be excellent choices due to their emphasis on:

• Teacher feedback
• Data-driven instruction
• Robust academic training
• Increased instructional time
• High expectations for each student

Click below to read about outstanding charter schools in different regions:

• Notable Charter Schools By Region: Big Cities
• Notable Charter Schools By Region: The Southern States
• Notable Charter Schools By Region: The Western States