Examining the success of structural reforms in the US aimed at improving choice and support for disadvantaged pupils, this report will make for interesting background reading for policy workers looking at similar issues in the UK’s education systems.
Urban charter school study report on 41 regions
Synopsis
In the US, charter schools are publicly funded independent schools established by teachers, parents, or community groups under the terms of a charter with a local or national authority. This research examined charter school performance in urban areas, driven by an ongoing effort to identify successful models for educating American pupils, particularly pupils of colour and those living in poverty.
The report sought to determine whether urban charter schools performed differently to other schools in their communities. It found that compared to the national profile of charter school performance, urban charters produces more positive results, with more than twice as many urban regions housing charter schools that outpaced their district school counterparts.
Among the other key findings were that positive results for charter school pupils increased on average over the period of the study. Urban charter schools in the aggregate provided significantly higher levels of annual growth in both maths and reading compared to their non-charter peers. Learning gains for charter school pupils were larger, by significant amounts, for Black, Hispanic, low-income, and special education pupils in both maths and reading.