Clay Burell on 2008-12-17
Key.
This link has been bookmarked by 1 people . It was first bookmarked on 17 Dec 2008, by Clay Burell.
Damning report on effects of MN's charter schools.
research schoolchoice charters education change racism duncan
When charter schools started in Minnesota in the early 1990s, they were touted as a higher-quality alternative for parents, particularly poor and minority families, looking to escape underperforming district schools.
But a study released today by the University of Minnesota's Institute on Race and Poverty finds that most charter schools have fallen short of that promise and perform worse than comparable district schools on state tests. In the process, it said, charters also intensify racial and economic segregation and compound the problem by encouraging districts to compete by creating ethnic niche programs.
The report also points to open enrollment programs, such as the Choice is Yours, as offering students of color and low-income students access to "better-performing, less segregated schools."
The study analyzed state reading test scores from the 2007-08 school year and found that only 24 percent of elementary charter schools in the Twin Cities performed better than expected, given their poverty rate. By comparison, 79 percent of the Choice is Yours schools and 54 percent of traditional schools performed better than expected, given their poverty rates. Choice is Yours allows Minneapolis students to transfer to suburban schools. Results for math exams were similar.
Clay Burell on 2008-12-17
Key.
Public Stiky Notes
Would you like to comment?
Join Diigo for a free account, or sign in if you are already a member.