Schools

L.A. Charter School Students Learn More than District School Peers, Study Says

The 2014 Los Angeles Report found that citywide, compared to traditional school alternatives, 48 percent of charter schools have significantly larger learning gains in reading, while 44 percent do so in math.

A report released by Stanford University's Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) found that the typical student in a Los Angeles charter school gains more learning in a year than his or her district school peer, amounting to about 50 more days of learning in reading and an additional 79 days of learning in math.

"Results for Hispanic charter students in Los Angeles, especially Hispanic students in poverty, were noteworthy," according to Dev Davis, Research Manager and co-author of the Los Angeles CREDO report. "The gains for Hispanic students in poverty at charters amount to 58 additional days of learning in reading and 115 more days in math compared to their district school counterparts," Davis said.

The 2014 Los Angeles Report found that citywide, compared to traditional school alternatives, 48 percent of charter schools have significantly larger learning gains in reading, while 44 percent do so in math. Thirteen percent of charter schools have results that are significantly worse than their district school peers in reading, and 22 percent perform worse in math. Nationally 25 percent of charter schools have significantly larger learning gains in reading, while 29 percent do so in math. Nineteen percent of charter schools have results that are significantly worse than their district school peers in reading, and 31 percent do so in math.

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"We are very pleased with the results of the study released by CREDO at Stanford University," said John Deasy, Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District. "Today's study is another indicator of the amazing results our students, educators and parents are accomplishing in Los Angeles. The students in both District and charter schools in Los Angeles are achieving at the highest levels in the history of the city," he said.

On the National Assessment of Educational Progress, according to Deasy, LAUSD fourth graders since 2011 had the second-highest overall gain in reading of all 21 urban districts. African-American and white students in fourth grade had the highest gains in reading compared to any other urban districts nationally, and LAUSD had the highest gains in reading scores for eighth graders compared to other districts over the past 10 years, according to Deasy.

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"We are excited and further motivated by what the CREDO study highlights as a result of the tremendous work of our students, our charter school partners, our Board of Education and entire District team," Jose Cole- Gutierrez, Director of LAUSD's Charter School Division, said. "LAUSD remains committed to serving with excellence as an authorizer and working in collaboration with our partners so that we learn from one another, ensure quality, and help all students maximize their potential."

—City News Service




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