Data shows student proficiency levels not much higher at charter schools | Florida Independent: News. Politics. Media

Data shows student proficiency levels not much higher at charter schools | Florida Independent: News. Politics. Media

Data shows student proficiency levels not much higher at charter schools

By Marcos Restrepo | 12.14.10 | 6:00 am

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Florida legislators gathered last week to watch Waiting for Superman, a documentary that advances two solutions for the problems with America’s education system: school choice and accountability for teachers. It also emphasizes the role charter schools can play in the educational debate.

But new Florida data shows that students at charter schools are not significantly more proficient at reading, math and science than those at traditional public schools.

Florida School Choice, an office of the Florida Department of Education, offers scholarship programs, private school information and public school choices. That last priority includes public charter schools.

According to a School Choice fact sheet, “since 1996, Florida charter schools have