The US Department of Education has identified a number of highly successful charter schools, and documents the various innovations and improvements these schools have achieved.   Among the schools identified as superior in this report are Roxbury Prep in Massachusetts, KIPP Academy Houston, and the BASIS school in Arizona. 

"Remarks of Secretary Spellings at the 2007 National Charter Schools Conference" US Department of Education, April 27, 2007

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings addressed the 2007 National Charter Schools Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In her talk, she highlighted the success New York charter schools, including Brighter Choice Charter Schools (Albany) and Harlem Village Academies, as well as praised Gov. Eliot Spitzer for successfully fighting to double the number of charter schools in the state and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for providing school principals more autonomy to manager their schools in exchange for greater accountability.

 

“Successful Charter Schools” US Department of Education, June 2004.

In July 2005 the Charter School Leadership Council’s Bryan Hassel released a new report summarizing studies of charter school achievement.  The report examines over 40 analyses of charter school and traditional school performance that have been conducted in the last five years.  The report concludes that while results are mixed, and the quality and rigor of the various analyses vary greatly, the signs seem to be encouraging that over time charter school students are benefiting. 

 

Bryan C. Hassel, “Charter School Achievement: What We Know,” Charter School Leadership Council, Public Impact, July 2005.

The Center for Education Reform has also summarized charter school research, synthesizing a great deal of relevant data into one document.  The literature review covers research conducted from the mid 1990s through 2000. 

 

“What the Research Reveals About Charter Schools: Summary and Analysis of the Studies,” The Center for Education Reform, September 2003.

Harvard University Professor of economics Caroline Hoxby, along with Jonah Rockoff, compared the performance of public charter school students nation-wide in reading and math to students in neighboring traditional schools.  The study examined 99 percent of charter school students, only eliminating students in schools so small no public reporting was undertaken.

The analysis found that charter school students are 4 percent more likely in reading and 2 percent more likely in math to earn a proficient score on state exams than their traditional public school neighbors.   When charter school students were compared to their neighbors with a similar racial composition these numbers increased, with charter school students 5 percent more likely in reading and 3 percent more likely in math to be proficient.

Hoxby, Caroline, “A straightforward comparison of charter school and regular school students in the United States,” September 29, 2004.

In 2003 The Center for Education Reform documented charter school successes in 24 charter school states with reliable data.  In the 24 states charters made noteworthy gains, including improvements among minority students and students with special needs, as well as low-income populations.  The results also include evidence of parental support and satisfaction with charter schools.

 

Allen, Jeanne; Cotter, Meghan E.; Varghese Marcucio, Anna, “Charter Schools Today: Changing the Face of American Education A Record of Success,” The Center for Education Reform, 2003.

New York Research

An analysis of New York City test scores in 2004, publicized by the New York Times, reveals that charter middle school students are achieving grade level success at higher rates than their traditional school counterparts.

The study, conducted for the paper by Queens College demographer Andrew A. Beveridge, found that 8^th graders in charter schools were more likely to be at grade level in reading and writing skills than their peers in traditional city schools.  Fourth grade students also made significant gains in reading and writing, according to the analysis, improving by over 13 percentage points from the previous year.

Malcolm A. Smith, “The Charter Difference,” NY Post, August 23, 2007.

New York State Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith writes about new research released by Caroline Hoxby that proves charter schools outperform district schools in New York City.

Finder, Alan, “Charter school 8th graders outdo city public school pupils, data shows,” New York Times, May 27, 2005.

 The fourth study in a series by the Progressive Policy Institute that examines charter schools provides an in-depth analysis of charter schools in New York.  The report argues for such changes as providing equitable funding for charter schools, especially for facilities financing, and the revision of the New York Charter Schools Act to allow authorizers to charter enough schools to serve all students in need.

 

Notable and encouraging early achievements were found in both New York City and New York State charter schools.  The title phrase, “Seeds of Change,” refers to the positive influence of charter schools system-wide in New York City.    

 

Lake, Robin J., “Seeds of Change in the Big Apple: Chartering Schools in New York City,” Progressive Policy Institute, September 2004.

The five year review of charter schools in New York conducted by the New York Board of Regents found increases in student performance in charter schools and minimal financial impacts to traditional schools districts where charters are located. 

 

The report also provides a comprehensive profile of the demographics of New York’s charter schools, and finds that the clear majority of students are from minority racial groups, are economically disadvantaged, and are from urban areas.  

 

“Educational Effectiveness of the Charter School Approach in New York State” by the New York State Board of Regents, December 2003.

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/psc/5yearreport/fiveyearreport.htm