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Majority of CA's Top-Performing Public Schools Serving Children in Poverty Are Charter Schools

Posted on: Wednesday, 12 November 2008, 12:00 CST

Twelve of California's 15 highest-performing public schools serving children in poverty are charter schools, according to an analysis released today by the California Charter Schools Association. The analysis defined schools serving children in poverty as schools serving at least 70 percent of students who qualify for the federal Free or Reduced Price Lunch program.

"These results show that charter schools are opening doors of opportunity for California's most underserved students, and effectively advancing them on the path to academic success," said Peter Thorp, interim CEO of the California Charter Schools Association. "These exemplary charter schools should be studied and their best practices replicated in the broader public school system so that more under-served children can benefit."

The analysis, which looked at 2008 Academic Performance Index (API) results, also found that California's highest-performing public elementary, middle and high schools serving children in poverty are all charter schools. They include: Global Education Academy in Los Angeles, which is the state's highest-performing elementary school; American Indian Public Charter School in Oakland, which is the state's highest-performing middle school; and American Indian Public High School in Oakland, which is the state's highest-performing high school.

High-performing charter schools serving children in poverty were disproportionately represented at the middle and high school grade levels. The analysis found that seven of the eight highest-performing public middle and high schools serving children in poverty are charter schools.

The three American Indian Public Charter Schools in Oakland, which are all in the top five highest-performing public schools in the state serving children in poverty, continue to surpass expectations in an area where student achievement scores traditionally lag state averages.

"Our model of success at American Indian is simple," said Ben Chavis, who started the American Indian Public Charter Schools and attributes the schools' success to their emphasis on fundamental reading and math instruction. "Our kids do a minimum of an hour and a half of math and language arts every day along with two hours of homework. We have high expectations for our students and provide them the structure and accountability they need to succeed."

Of these 12 highest-performing charter schools, five are located in the city of Oakland, three are in Los Angeles County, two are in Santa Clara County and one each is in San Bernardino and San Diego County.

The 12 highest-performing charter schools serving children in poverty in California, ranked by their 2008 API growth scores are:

1. American Indian Public Charter, Oakland 967 2. American Indian Public High, Oakland 958 3. Global Education Academy, Los Angeles 954 4. Oakland Charter High, Oakland 939 5. American Indian Public Charter School II, Oakland 917 6. Crescendo Charter Conservatory, Los Angeles 907 7. KIPP Heartwood Academy, San Jose 903 8. Oakland Charter Academy, Oakland 902 9. Synergy Charter Academy, Los Angeles 899 10. Sixth Street Prep, Victorville 890 11. Rocketship Mateo Sheedy Elementary, San Jose 886 12. Preuss School UCSD, La Jolla 881

To download a fact sheet on this analysis with school-specific information, including grade levels served and API growth scores, visit: www.myschool.org/pressroom.

About the California Charter Schools Association

The California Charter Schools Association is the membership and professional organization serving the more than 700 charter public schools that serve over a quarter million charter school students in the state of California. The Association's mission is to improve student achievement by supporting and expanding California's quality charter public school movement. www.myschool.org.

Source: Business Wire

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