GothamSchools — daily independent reporting on NYC public schools

Way to go CREDO to have the integrity to publish a report critical of charter schools – the public should know that CREDO is tied to charter supporters. The charter movement is supposed to be about what works for students, with no excuses, so by being unafraid to criticize the charter movement this report represents the best of what it has to offer.

Here, then, is an unbiased presentation of data on charter schools…which this observer also hopes Mr. skoolboy will examine (and seek more information on) for authenticity.

The report only looks at 16 states, but these represent (I think it says) 70% of charter school students.

The report also states that charters do a better job than district schools of educating ELLs, special education students and students living in poverty. And it’s highly critical of authorizers who are unwilling or unable to close down low-performing charters – which is, after all, part of the deal.

I look forward to more reports from CREDO, because I’m confident that in other states (like NY and MA) and over time (when the charter movement starts to shed the ‘first year charter dip’ that the report discusses, and hopefully, more authorizers have the gonads to close low performing schools) the data will bear out the fruits of the charter promise.