CREDO Report Validates Charter School Philosophy
Report shows charter schools often perform better than traditional public schools.
A recent report from the Center for Research on Education Outcomes paints a positive picture of New Jersey’s charter schools, indicating that its students learn more, on average, than their public school counterparts.
Of course it’s good news, Red Bank Charter School Principal Meredith Pennotti said, but it’s not entirely unexpected either.
“We have come up with a combination of practice, school culture, and community involvement that leads to high student achievement,” Pennotti said when asked about Stanford University’s CREDO report. “I think we are meeting the mission. We set out to validate the idea that all children can learn and we’re doing that every day.”
According to the CREDO report, the findings of the study show that a typical New Jersey charter school student gains more learning in a year than his or her public school counterpart. The study found that charter school students showed about two months of additional gains in reading and three months in math over their public school peers.
Pennotti said charter schools have lead the way with education innovations that are now being adopted by public schools. Longer school days, formal teacher certification and student codes of conduct and anti-bullying programs that are now being implemented in public schools have been successfully developed in charter schools for years.
“I think it’s substantial to see that some of these best practices are now being used in traditional schools,” she said.
Though many charter schools, like Red Bank’s, have succeeded at providing a high-quality education, the study revealed that not all charter schools have provided the results promised. According to the report, 30 percent of charter school students have significantly more positive learning gains than their public school counterparts, but 11 percent of charter schools have significantly lower learning gains.
State Education Commissioner Chris Cerf said the positive gains made by New Jersey’s charter schools are in part the result of the Department of Education’s stringent accountability standards and willingness to close underperforming charter schools should the need arise.
“This study also makes clear that the charter accountability and authorizing process matters – it is not simply about the quantity of the schools, it’s about the quality of schools we approve and the standards to which we hold them while they are operating,” Cerf said in a statement, noting that this year’s CREDO report is more positive than 2009’s.
“It is time we end the outdated argument about whether a school is a district school or a charter school and instead focus on whether it is a great school providing high-quality options to New Jersey students.”
To see the complete CREDO report, click here (PDF).
Caroline Rodgers
7:57 am on Wednesday, December 5, 2012
While charter schools are great places to establish teaching best practices and experiment with innovations, one has to consider that charter schools offer something regular public schools don't: Mastery. Most schools teach to tests to evaluate the schools and teachers, so the expressed goal is a number, not the subject matter material. Focusing on grades will always encourage academic dishonesty because some students will take either the easiest or surest means to the end. Charter schools, especially those dedicated to a particular discipline, are dedicated to helping their students master specific skills. And as any master will tell you, there are no shortcuts to reaching this level of achievement.
Sal
9:33 am on Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Charter Schools hand pick which students they allow to enroll. When you cherry pick only the best and brightest students for enrollment___of course the results look good. Parents that care more send their children to charter pr private schools and parents that do not care ____ also do not help their own children enough at home
Marc
10:34 am on Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Wow Sal, great non-sequitor. How exactly does parental involvement in education equal charter school 'cherry picking'? Nice implication, but do you understand the process at all? And so I'm straight here with the logic, if I send my kids to public I don't care and fail to help my kids at home?
I see 'flag as inappropriate', but I'm looking for 'flag as ignorant'.
Jill Burden
12:24 pm on Wednesday, December 5, 2012
I am a parent of two children in the Red Bank Primary School. I am also an educator with over 15 years of teaching experience. I am very offended by this article as well as some of these comments. My children are my life. My husband and I looked at several schools[yes, private] and decided that the Primary School was the best fit for our children. I have met some of the most caring, educated and loving parents at this school. So, yes ...you can say I do care .. and yes, I do help my children at home.. and yes, I chose to send my children to the public school.
My son left kindergarten reading at a second to third grade level... my daughter left kindergarten also reading above grade level.. The second and third grade had so many children this year reading above grade level that they had to start two gifted and talented classes. So, no, I do not believe that Red Bank Charter School children learn "more" than the public school... The Primary School is considered "high poverty" with more than 70% of it's students speaking Spanish as their first language...so, to compare the Primary School to the Red Bank Charter School is like comparing apples to oranges. Enough said, bottom line, this article was highly offensive to both students and families that "chose" to send their children to the Red Public Schools. Enough already!
Joanne52
4:01 pm on Friday, December 7, 2012
REPORT SAYS NO SUCH THING
Did the author of this article even look at the study?
Check out: http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/12/12/06/opinion-credo-s-study-of-charter-schools-in-nj-leaves-many-unanswered-questions/
Jerry
8:11 pm on Friday, December 7, 2012
Does Pennotti actually believe this is a fair analysis as well? Who is she fooling?