Mature Charter Schools Overall Outperforming Other CA Public Schools
Posted on: Wednesday, 4 October 2006, 12:00 CDT
California's mature charter public schools, those that have been open since at least 2000, are outperforming non-charter public schools on student achievement, according to an analysis of the state's accountability system released today by the California Charter Schools Association. The analysis also showed that student achievement in charter schools statewide is improving at a faster rate at all levels, including in elementary, middle and high schools.
Mature charter schools averaged 748 on the state's 2006 Academic Performance Index (API), compared to 744 for non-charter public schools and 709 for younger charters.
Charter schools on average also improved 14 points on the API from 2005 through 2006, compared to 10 points for the broader public school system. These student achievement gains were most pronounced in middle and high schools, where the average statewide gains were at least double those of non-charters.
Charter schools in Los Angeles Unified, Oakland Unified and San Diego Unified, which accounted for nearly one-quarter of all charters in the analysis, led the performance. According to the analysis, charter schools in all three districts are significantly outperforming non-charters in middle and in high schools. Charters are also overall outperforming in Los Angeles Unified and in Oakland Unified.
"Charter schools tend to take in more under-served kids and catch them up quickly, putting them on the path to academic success," said Caprice Young, president and CEO of the California Charter Schools Association. "California's charter schools are really working for the students that attend them. More and more, we're also seeing non-charter public schools adopt successes developed in charter schools so that more of California's students benefit."
As with recent trends, charter schools on an aggregate basis scored slightly lower than their non-charter counterparts (726 to 744), but they continue to narrow the gap. In fact, 15 percent of all charter schools had high rates of growth (50 points or more) compared to four percent of non-charter schools.
You can download a PDF copy of the analysis by visiting: http://www.charterassociation.org/e-store/media/API06GrowthAnalysis-web.pdf
About the California Charter Schools Association
The California Charter Schools Association is the membership and professional organization serving over 600 charter public schools that serve more than 200,000 charter school students in the state of California. The Association's mission is to improve student achievement by supporting and expanding California's quality charter public school movement.
Contact: Gary Larson Vice President of Communications California Charter Schools Association (415) 722-0127 Sonia Torres Media Relations Manager California Charter Schools Association (213) 618-3801
SOURCE: California Charter Schools Association
Source: MARKET WIRE
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