Charter school students more likely to graduate, attend college

[noamnety]

Source: Michigan State University

Ron Zimmer, MSU associate professor of education, and colleagues are the first to conduct a long-term investigation of graduation and college-attendance rates at charter high schools. They found that charter students are 7 percent to 15 percent more likely to graduate from high school and attend college than students at traditional public schools.

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Other findings from the study, which looked at eight U.S. locations:

* There is little evidence that charter schools are producing, on average, test score gains that differ substantially from those of traditional public schools. Zimmer said much of the previous research has shown similar results.
* Charter schools do not generally draw the top students away from traditional public schools. In fact, Zimmer said students transferring to charter schools generally have below-average test scores.
* Charter schools do not appear to substantially help or harm student achievement in nearby traditional public schools.

"This study provides evidence that charter schools might be moving in the right direction in terms of high school graduation and college attendance, but test scores and other outcomes might not be as promising," Zimmer said. "So policymakers need to think more broadly about outcomes when evaluating how to proceed with charter schools."

Read more: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-03/msu-css031809.php