DAYTON, Ohio — The growth of charter schools in Dayton could provide state lawmakers with a model to study what effect the widespread growth of alternative schools has on public education, a newspaper reported Sunday.

        Charter school advocates rank Dayton as the fastest-growing market in the state. About 2,800 students have enrolled in the city's 12 charters in the last three years — more than any other Ohio city.

        All but two school districts in Montgomery County lost students and money to charter schools this year. And students in Greene, Miami and Warren counties have signed up for a distance-learning school, the Dayton Daily News said.

        “Competition is tough and hopefully it will improve the Dayton Public Schools,” Gov. Bob Taft said. “I don't think charter schools are a magic bullet. But if we can learn from charter schools, that's a good thing. It's an experiment worth undertaking.”

        Supporters of charter schools say they provide a relief to public schools' financial problems, bureaucracy and restrictive union rules. Charter schools are publicly funded, privately operated schools free from some state regulations.

        “I could not accomplish the same goals in Dayton Public Schools that I believe I can accomplish here because of the constraints,” said Pat Love, principal of Dayton View Academy.

        Ms. Love was principal of Wogaman Elementary School for six years and was a 24-year city school district employee. But she said the freedom of charter schools lured her away.

        “What we're doing here may not be any better than what a school in the district is offering, but we're all on the same page here,” she said.

        Critics find fault with the system because charter schools drain money and resources from already strapped public schools. And critics said a lack of state oversight has driven down proficiency test scores — lower last year in Dayton charter schools than city public schools.

        Charter schools in Dayton cost the city schools about $7.5 million last year. This year, officials expect to lose $16.3 million.

        Clint Satow, director of the Ohio Community School Center — a statewide charter school advocacy group — believes many concerns will subside as charter schools become more established.

        “You can't look at one year's test scores and say this is how a school is doing,” he said. “The developers said in their contracts they would perform to a certain level and they have to be held to that level. We have to give them a chance.”

        Rep. Ray Miller, D-Columbus, worries that some children won't get an adequate education if charter schools and public schools end up competing for students. He said charter schools are only meant to be an alternative to public schools.

        “The children are nothing more than guinea pigs,” Mr. Miller said.

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