Study+questions+state's+charter+school+system

=By Tegan Hanlon= =//Published in THE MORNING CALL//= =//6/12/11//=

= = = = =A new study by Stanford University casts doubt on whether Pennsylvania charter schools are a better choice for students.= =The [|study] by Stanford's Center for Research on Education Outcomes concludes that "students in Pennsylvania charter schools on average make smaller learning gains" when compared with their traditional counterparts.= =It notes that strong examples of quality charters do exist in the state, but policymakers need to "drive quality throughout the sector."= =Researchers reported that students at 25 percent of the state's charter schools made significantly more learning gains in reading and math.= =But they found that students at nearly half of the charter schools made significantly lower learning gains in both subjects than their traditional public school counterparts.= =Researchers also reported what they described as "alarming" results among all cyber charter schools, which are online-only schools. The report said cyber students in Pennsylvania perform substantially lower than students at traditional public school in both subjects.= =The study noted that one group, English-language learners, reaped benefits from charter schools, showing better results in math than their traditional counterparts and similar gains in reading.= =The report comes as school choice advocates push charter schools as a way to give parents public school options in finding a school that best suits their children.= =But school districts argue charter schools are costly and don't always deliver a better education.= =Stanford's Center for Research on Education Outcomes has conducted about 20 assessments of charter school performance, including a national study in 2009.= =To compare charter with public schools in Pennsylvania, Stanford researchers matched each charter school student with a "virtual twin" at a traditional school based on a list of criteria. The center tracked students' academic growth on state academic achievement tests from 2007 to 2010.= =When compared with national charter schools, Pennsylvania's pendulum appears to swing higher in both directions. Past Stanford research has shown that nationally 17 percent of charters perform above traditional public schools and 37 percent below.= =Bob Fayfich, executive director of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools, said the study shows the need for consistency in a state home to 135 charter schools and 12 cyber charter schools since the passage of Act 22 in 1997.= ="What we need to do is look at what the good charter schools are doing well and share that information with the schools that are underperforming," he said. The coalition is getting the data on specific school performance from Stanford.= =Tim Eller, state Department of Education spokesman, said the study supports Gov. Tom Corbett's initiative to change the charter school law.= ="Based on the report, the department does question the quality of charter schools," he said. "That's why the governor has proposed revamping the charter school law to make for more accountability."= == =The study was released in April, after Senate Bill 904 was brought before the state Senate Education Committee on March 25. If passed, it would set up a state commission that would authorize charter schools and open up higher education institutes to regulate charters as well.= =An analysis of Lehigh Valley's charter school state math and reading scores by The Morning Call shows some charter schools perform worse, some the same and some better than traditional public schools. Like public schools, the performance falls as grade levels rise. The Morning Call analysis did not mirror the Stanford approach of comparing virtual twins at public and charter schools.= =Students at Bethlehem's Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter School, for example, consistently perform better than local public schools in math and reading in third through 11th grade.= =Among third-graders, 96 percent of Lehigh Valley Academy's students scored proficient or above in math versus an average 88 percent of area public schools.= =Lehigh Valley Academy CEO Aldo Cavalli credits his charter school success to its approach= ="We take the average to above-average students and push them to achieve," he said.= =Lehigh Valley Academy started with 225 students in 2002 and now instructs 965 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. It draws from 15 school districts, with 60 percent from Bethlehem Area School District. It offers the International Baccalaureate program, which promotes learning through international perspectives.= =At least two charter school advocates questioned the study's findings that all cyber charter schools underachieve.= ="I find that hard to believe," said Jessica Duval, director of marketing and recruitment at 21st Century Cyber Charter School, headquartered in Exton, Chester County.= =21st Century serves about 700 students from Chester, Montgomery, Berks and Bucks counties. It school failed to achieve Adequate Yearly Progress in 2010 because of math scores.= =Duval said to remedy this, all teachers have been certified in middle school math and are encouraged to incorporate math concepts in all subjects.= =Fayfich also said he doesn't think the findings are "correct." He said people need to consider the challenges cyber schools face, such as widespread demographics and students who often enroll because they are failing in traditional school.= =Duvall backed that up. "We're a public school, so if you want to come we'll take you," she said.=

= = =News= =home=