In its new report, Free Schools: the Next 10 Years, The New Schools Network (NSN) says the controversial programme - introduced under the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government - has lost momentum because criteria for the most recent waves of free school applications were too stringent.
It also calls for dozens of failing academies awaiting a new sponsor to be handed to community organisations to run.
However, teachers' unions have criticised the proposal.
NSN called on the government to recommit to opening 100 new free schools a year, with greater emphasis placed on creating capacity in areas where education standards are deemed to be poor - currently, free school applications prioritise areas with insufficient places.
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