In Arizona, a laboratory for charter schools yields mixed results

Study finds that gains fall short of success in regular schools

Arizona's flourishing charter school movement underscores the popular appeal of unfettered school choice and the creativity of some educational entrepreneurs. But the state also offers a cautionary lesson as President Obama pushes to dismantle barriers to charter schools elsewhere: It is difficult to promote quantity and quality at the same time.

Under a 1994 law that strongly favors charter schools, 500 of them operate in this state, teaching more than 100,000 students. Those totals account for a quarter of Arizona's public schools and a tenth of its public school enrollment, giving charters a larger market share here than in any other state.

But a Stanford University research institute reported in June that Arizona charter students did not show as much academic progress as their peers in traditional public schools. Charter backers dispute the study's methods and findings but agree that schools vary widely in quality.

"There are some excellent, excellent charter schools in Arizona," said Margaret Raymond, director of the Center for Research on Education Outcomes at Stanford. "There's a good, strong cluster of really high-performing schools. There are a whole bunch that are mucking around , and a big cluster that are not doing well."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/15/AR2009111502585.html?hpid=moreheadlines

"There's a good, strong cluster of really high-performing schools. There are a whole bunch that are mucking around , and a big cluster that are not doing well."

This doesn't sound like a recipe for excellence in education. When they have a large group not doing well, they aren't really pulling up the students who need the most help.

That's where you walk the walk. It is tough to break patterns and move students up. It takes a lot of work.
In addition, how many students who are performing are getting once again lost in the maze of education. Not every parent will be able to move their child into a different charter school.

...this article is way too positive about how good these schools are.

"Through test scores, Arizona rates about 24 percent of charter schools as "excelling" or "highly performing." About 37 percent of regular public schools win those marks." Now, I'm a product of rural Ozark public schools, so maybe I'm misreading this (:eyes: ), but I think it's saying public schools are doing better in tests...

I know standardized tests aren't a perfect metric, but I'm inclined to agree that charter schools in this case look like they're all sizzle no steak.

Do they teach curriculum or tests? Do they have better teacher:student ratios? More money for materials and books?

state rules. There is no uniform standard for ratios or money spent. It is a mishmash all over the US.

I don't know what the federal role is now. After Duncan gets through, I have no idea what any of the rules will be.