“Charter” a New Course? Not So Fast!
The new report is out on the Mayor-Sponsored Charter Schools in Indianapolis. Here are the findings…
- 94 percent of the 2007-2008 Mayor-sponsored Charter high schools are now enrolled in either two or 4-year colleges.
- Students who usually come to a Mayor-sponsored charter school are academically behind their traditional public school counterparts.
- Mayor-sponsored charter schools are 7 percent of the schools in the city, but 30 percent of the most improved schools in the city.
- In terms of increased ISTEP pass rates, a Mayor-sponsored charter school has been the most improved in the city for the past three years.
- The average improvement in Mayor-sponsored ISTEP+ test scores was 5.8 points, compared to 0.6 statewide and 0.2 points in Indianapolis.
- 87 percent of Charter school parents say they are satisfied overall with their child’s education.
- A majority of teachers in Mayor-sponsored charter schools say they felt supported and worked well with their colleagues.
- Enrollment in Mayor-sponsored charter schools increased 17 percent from the 2007-2008 school year to the 2008-2009 school year.
- More than 700 students were waiting to get into a Mayor-sponsored charter schools for the 2008-2009 school year.
- As a whole, Mayor-sponsored charter schools either exceed or matched their state or national peers in academic performance.
- Seventy-six percent of the population of Mayor-sponsored charter schools is minorities and 72-percent qualify for free and reduced lunch.
And there should be a moratorium on charter schools? Whatever!
