Comparing Charters to Neighboring Traditional Public
Schools (TPS) in Chicago
Traditional Reasons for Preferring Charter Schools
Reasons Counter arguments*Innovation Parents often choose
schools with more traditional methods
Competition Frequently, achievement does not affect parents’ school choices
Equity Not evident outside of Chicago. What about here?
--*Lubienski & Weitzel, The Charter School Experiment, 2010
• Over 120 Charter School Campuses plus Contract Schools in Chicago
• 99 managed by 17 educational management organizations
• Recent CREDO report*: --In Reading 80% of charter students showed growth no different or worse than tps -- In math, 63% showed growth no different or worse than tps --Possible benefits for Latinos and low income
-Charter School Performance in Illinois CREDO, 2013
Chicago Charters with at least 50% students meeting or exceeding standards
Concept: Chi M&S
Intrinsic
*
*
*
Charter Neighboring Traditional Public School (TPS)
Polaris Ward, L.
Asian Hum.Ser.Pass/American Quality Peirce, H.
Kenwood Oakdale/U of C Ariel
A.Locke Faraday, M.
Legacy Hughes, C.
Namaste Greene, N.
Providence-Englewood Earle, C.W.
Irving Park/Distinctive Schools (CICS) Cleveland, G
Academy for Global Citizenship Hearst, P.A.
K.Nkrumah Schmid, T.
R.Butler/LEARN Lawndale
% Meet or Exceed State Standards for ISAT (new cut scores)
Polaris/
Ward
Asian/P
eirce
N.Knwd/Arie
l
Lock
e/Farad
ay
Lega
cy/H
ughes
Nam/G
reene
PE/Earl
e
Irv.Pk/C
levelan
d
AGC/Hears
t
Nkru/Sc
hmid66
Butler/L
awn
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
CharterNeighbor
% Mobility – More for TPS
Polaris/
Ward
Asian/P
eirce
N.Knwd/Arie
l
Lock
e/Farad
ay
Lega
cy/H
ughes
Nam/G
reene
PE/Earl
e
Irv.Pk/C
levelan
d
AGC/Hears
t
Nkru/Sc
hmid
Butler/L
awn
0
20
40
60
80
CharterNeighbor
- Illinois Interactive Report Card, 2012-2013
% Low Income – More for TPS
Polaris/
Ward
Asian/P
eirce
N.Knwd/Arie
l
Lock
e/Farad
ay
Lega
cy/H
ughes
Nam/G
reene
PE/Earl
e
Irv.Pk/C
levelan
d
AGC/Hears
t
Nkru/Sc
hmid
Butler/L
awn
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
CharterNeighbor
99
89
79
69
- Illinois Interactive Report Card, 2012-2013
At the intersection of Low Income and Mobility
HOMELESSLOW INCOME MOBILITY
HOMELESS LOW INCOME Compared to Housed Low Income:• Less preventative healthcare - immunizations• Severe hunger• Higher percentages of fair/poor health according to parents• Developmental or psychiatric disorders
• American Journal of Public Health, Sept., 2013
% Student Temporary Living Status
Polaris/
Ward
Asian/P
eirce
N.Knwd/Arie
l
Lock
e/Farad
ay
Lega
cy/H
ughes
Nam/G
reene
PE/Earl
e
Irv.Pk/C
levelan
d
AGC/Hears
t
Nkru/Sc
hmid
Butler/L
awn
0
10
20
30
40
CharterNeighbor
- CPS, STLS end of year stats for 2013
Reading Growth – above the line
Polaris/
Ward
Asian/P
eirce
N.Knwd/Arie
l
Lock
e/Farad
ay
Lega
cy/H
ughes
Nam/G
reene
PE/Earl
e
Irv.Pk/C
levelan
d
AGC/Hears
t
Nkru/Sc
hmid
Butler/L
awn
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
CharterNeighbor
-Illinois Interactive Report Card, 2012-2013
Math Growth – above the line
Polaris/
Ward
Asian/P
eirce
N.Knwd/Arie
l
Lock
e/Farad
ay
Lega
cy/H
ughes
Nam/G
reene
PE/Earl
e
Irv.Pk/C
levelan
d
AGC/Hears
t
Nkru/Sc
hmid
Butler/L
awn
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
CharterNeighbor
- Illinois Interactive Report Card, 2012-2013
Conclusions• Charter Schools in Chicago do not appear to be
promoting equity. In fact, there is fighting over limited resources.
• Apparent differences in performance between relatively successful charter schools and their neighboring traditional publics may be explained by– Percentages of low income students– Homelessness– Peer effects
• At a time when the state is seriously underfunding public education, there does not appear to be a convincing reason to give preferential treatment to charters
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