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CER Letter to the Editor
The evidence on charter schools is plentiful. So we were stunned reading Patrice Griffith's letter (TNT, 2-24).
Of the more than 50 national, regional and state studies done exploring the effects of charter schools, more than 80 percent prove that charter schools have a positive impact. Charter schools are improving opportunities for a wonderfully diverse lot of children. Charters are causing districts to behave differently and become more responsive to the public and more focused on results.
Ms. Griffith was selective with her evidence. In California, a state that has begun to rank every school, it is not charters that are at the bottom of the heap. Michigan charter students outperformed their counterparts when compared to schools of similar demographics. In Colorado, recent test scores revealed that charter school scores on the state standards test exceed the statewide average by 16 percentage points.
Thousands of charter schools have proven successful. Isn't it time for courageous, innovative action?
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Jeanne Allen is president of The Center for Education Reform, a national, independent, nonprofit advocacy organization. Founded in 1993, the Center provides support and guidance to individuals, community and civic groups, policy-makers and others who are working to bring fundamental reforms to their schools.
For more information on charter school activity and charter school achievement, see Charter Schools Today, and our web library About Charter Schools.
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