School Comparisons

For the first time, the Indiana State Board of Education has released a study comparing the effectiveness of charter schools versus traditional public schools.

Before getting to the real meat of this post, I note that the Indy Star has precisely zero mention of this report on its home page (the main page right now discusses how the Indiana Lottery often ends high-prized scratch-off games before awarding all prizes . . . an issue of importance I'm sure, but I value a quality education for my children (and the rest of the children in this state) over getting something for nothing via the lottery, but that's just me).

I had to go to the Ft. Wayne Journal Gazette for some actual (what do they call that?) reporting. Some highlights:

As of the 2016-17 school year, there were 93 public charter schools serving 44,444 students. That is about 4 percent of total enrollment in the state.

Good to know that baseline number.

On enrollment, it found charter schools enrolled more free-and-reduced-price-lunch students but fewer special education students and English-language learners.

On performance, it found charter students are doing better in improvement on state tests but worse when it comes to passing the test. 

OK. That seems like fair reporting. I've always believed that charter schools cherry pick their students, but perhaps it's a bit more complicated than that. Similarly, the school choice advocates I know maintain that charter schools perform better, but you can see that too is a bit more complicated than a bumper sticker slogan.

In accountability grades, charter schools received more A's and fewer F's than similar traditional public schools.

I question that statistic. It would seem that given the disparities in numbers, traditional public schools would have both more A's and more F's. After all, charters only account for 4% of total enrollment in the state.

All four virtual charters received an F grade in 2016-17.

And, above, we have the award for the most predictable outcome.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick said other states focus a lot of quality and not “choice for the sake of choice” and asked about charter school closures.

Twenty-three charters closed between 2011 and 2017. 

23 huh? There are currently 93 operating, and 23 more have closed in the past 6 years? If we have a total of 116 charter schools opening since 2011 and 23 have closed, that is a closure rate of nearly 20%. That is pretty distressing. What happens to that 20% of charter students? Are they then dumped back into public schools after missing a year or more of instruction in their destined-for-closure charter school?

Over all, I think that charter schools can be a positive force for good; it all depends on how they are implemented. A former teacher myself, I was always concerned that charter schools would take what was the figurative equivalent of working at a GM factory in the 1970s and turn it into the figurative equivalent of working at Wal-Mart. Conversely, a charter school could be the figurative equivalent of a small law firm . . . it does one or two things really well and is owned by the teachers (as law firms are owned by the lawyers).

Food for thought. I'm hungry.