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Charters Tackle ELL Instruction

Monday, June 8, 2015

It’s hard to believe that we’re approaching the end of the school year! As I reflect on the progress made this past year since I joined the Charter Center team, I already find myself looking forward to next school year. After conducting numerous, stimulating and informative school visits and English Language Learner (ELL) events this year, I would like to share with everyone some of the trends I’ve noticed throughout NYC’s ELL community:

Updated IBO Study: Special-Needs Students Staying in Charters

Thursday, January 29, 2015

The IBO has just confirmed what we have long known – charter school students stay in charter schools at higher rates than students in nearby traditional public schools (TPS). Even more counter to charter detractors’ claims– fewer charter school special needs students leave their schools than nearby special needs district students.

2013-14 School Quality Reports

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

The NYC DOE released its first School Quality Report from the 2013-14 school year. The report no longer includes an overall grade for each school, but instead presents multiple ratings on different aspects within 5 categories for charter schools: Student Progress, Student Performance, School Environment, Closing the Achievement Gap, and College and Career Readiness.

Why the ELL Gap?

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

In Why the Gap? English Language Learners and New York City Charter Schools, a new report from the Manhattan Institute, Dr. Marcus Winters uses NYC DOE data from school years 2008-09 to 2011-12 to follow charter and district school ELLs over time. (Winters previously studied special education in NYC charter schools.)

2013-14 Test Scores Show Gains

Friday, August 15, 2014

New York State entered the 2013-14 school year—the second year of the Common Core era—with a pointed awareness of the challenges revealed by the 2012-13 test scores. The good news is that test scores released yesterday show progress across the board toward the goal of college and career readiness for all students in both Math and ELA.

Skip to Interactive Charts

IBO Admits Flawed Finding on Charter School SpEd Attrition

Friday, February 21, 2014

The New York City Independent Budget Office now has egg on its face after its shocking finding – 80% attrition among charter school kindergarteners in special education! – turned out to be inaccurate.

Chalkbeat New York has the details:

A Rare Moment of Unanimity

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Back in 2008, when Senator Obama was running against Senator McCain, something unusual happened in the final minutes of their third and very contentious, partisan debate. They agreed on something: charter schools were a good thing. They agreed on this one issue because charter schools when done right (as in NYC) are a good thing.

New IBO Study: Charter Students Stick Around

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

A new report from the NYC Independent Budget Office found that student attrition rates in charter schools are lower across nearly every student subgroup -- with the one exception, which contradicts previous research, being calculated from a tiny sample.

The ABCs of NYC Charters

Thursday, November 14, 2013

The NYC Department of Education (NYC DOE) released its 2012-13 Progress Reports for all public and charter schools*. Charter schools continue to earn a higher distribution of A and B grades than district schools; 69% of charter schools scored an A or B grade over 63% for the district.

School Choice Structure is Key to Success

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

James Merriman

How can we improve school choice in New York City? The Education Funders Research Initiative asked a range of experts, and Charter Center CEO James Merriman shared his thoughts. They're reproduced below with permission.

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