Monday, January 21, 2013

Do Indiana charter schools measure up, outperform? - southbendtribune.com

Do Indiana charter schools measure up, outperform? - southbendtribune.com:


Do Indiana charter schools measure up, outperform?

Stanford study: It partially depends on when the school opened.

Nadine Grall
Nadine Grall asks social worker Tara Miller a question after the morning assembly at Xavier School of Excellence on Friday morning. From an enrollment standpoint, Xavier is the largest charter school in South Bend. (South Bend Tribune/SANTIAGO FLORES / January 21, 2013)

Elijah Magruder attended three schools before he found one where he finally feels at home.

The seventh-grader loves South Bend Career Academy, the area's newest charter school. It opened in the Blackthorn area last school year.

"It's the first time he's enjoyed school ... where they've paid attention to his strengths and weaknesses," his dad, Jack Magruder, said.

"They make sure you have enrichment and remediation, with a lot of freedom to race ahead without the panic to not get behind," he said.

A new study by Stanford University's Center for Research on Education Outcomes found that from 2004 to 2008, reading and math gains for charter school students in Indiana were significantly better than their peers who attended traditional public schools.

However, the second part of the study, which took place between 2008 and 2009, yielded different