Incentives for Charter Schools: Building School Capacity Through Cross-Sectoral Alliances

In this exploratory study, the authors examine the recent emergence of cross-sectoral alliances—organizations voluntarily working together to solve issues of mutual concern—in kindergarten through 12th-grade education. The article utilizes an economic approach to interagency collaboration and focuses on alliances in charter schools. The authors seek to (a) analyze the extent to which charter school legislation encourages or discourages alliances, (b) examine the types of organizations that form alliances with charter schools and the range of contributions they provide, and (c) assess the various incentives that lead charter schools and other organizations to form alliances. Implications of the findings for educational practice and policy as well as future research are discussed.