Not every graduate student who passes through Boston leaves a lasting influence on the city. But [SEII’s] Chris Walters, a Virginia native who this month received his PhD in economics from MIT, may just be one of them.
His thesis is reshaping the debate over charter schools and the role they can play in boosting academic achievement in poor urban communities, where traditional public schools have often failed. His paper, the culmination of 2½ years of work, is making the rounds in City Hall and on Beacon Hill, causing a stir as lawmakers once again consider whether to increase the number of charter schools in the state and city.