R.I. ranks in top 10 in public charter school movement survey

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island placed 10th in a ranking of the “health” of the public charter school movement, according to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.
The nonprofit National Alliance for Public Charter Schools ranked 25 states, as well as the District of Columbia, focusing on factors it says are essential for a strong charter school movement, such as growth, quality and innovation.
Washington, D.C., and Louisiana topped the list, while Nevada and Oregon were at the bottom of the rankings. Massachusetts ranked No. 6. This was the first time the alliance compiled a list.
Rhode Island scored high in several areas:

  • On average, according to Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes, public charter school students exhibited higher academic growth when compared with traditional public school students between 2007-2008 and 2010-2011 in Rhode Island (86 more days of learning in reading and 105 more days in math).
  • Eight charters opened between 2009-2010 and 2013-2014 in Rhode Island, a 10.1 percent average annual open rate.
  • Fifty-six percent of the state’s charters were located in non-suburban areas in 2011-2012, compared with 47 percent of traditional public schools.
  • The state’s public charter schools served a significantly higher percentage of racial and ethnic minority students (35 percentage points more) when compared with traditional public schools in 2012-2013.
  • The state’s public charter schools served a significantly higher percentage of students in special populations (27 percentage points more) compared with traditional public schools in 2011-2012.

Rhode Island received low scores because only 4 percent of the state’s public school students were charter students in 2013–2014, and no communities in the state had more than 10 percent of public school students in charters in 2012–2013.
“The Health of the Public Charter School Movement: A State-by-State Analysis” is a companion to the national alliance’s annual rankings that evaluate each state’s charter school law.
“This report provides an important framework for us to determine the overall health of the charter school movement in each state,” National Alliance President and CEO Nina Rees said in a statement. “We are pleased to expand our work to address the question of how states are growing and strengthening their public charter schools and expect that this report will become a meaningful benchmark for the charter school movement each year.”
“As evidenced in this report, charter public schools play an important role in the success and achievement of public school students across our state,” Stephen A. Nardelli, executive director of the Rhode Island League of Charter Schools, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the growing demand for quality public school choice options, like charters, far exceeds available options. We look forward to our continued hard work to provide more families with the quality public school choice options they need and deserve.”
The report encourages states to enact policies to increase the impact of the movement, including creating additional authorizing options, ensuring equitable operational funding and equitable access to capital funding and facilities, and increasing operational autonomy.
Public charter schools are independent, public and tuition-free schools that are given the freedom to be more innovative while being held accountable for advancing student achievement.
View the report HERE.

No posts to display