This Could be of Some Interest

There are a large number of people who have the sense, only a sense, that charter schools typically outperform their neighborhood public schools.  Ben Joravasky, in a Chicago Reader article, tackled this issue.  What he found was the existence of at least a partial myth.

Chicago has 541 elementary schools, 49 of them charters.  Given the hype surrounding the alleged high performance of charters, one would assume that when it comes to ISAT testing they would be near the top of the heap.  That's not really the case.

The top charter ranks as #41 on the list and most of the other 48 charters are in the middle of the pack with their neighborhood non-charter counterparts.

There may be a push for more charters but just because this rush to be one doesn't necessarily mean that it will be a top performer.  Mayors, governors and others may think charters are the next best thing to come along in education but there are plenty of government officials who don't understand the many issue and concerns taking place in education in the 21st century.

Thanks,
Dick