Study: Charter schools still failing to deliver

In a follow-up to a study released in 2008, researchers from the Institute on Race and Poverty at the University of Minnesota claim "charters still lag behind their traditional counterparts academically and remain more highly segregated by race and income." But the director for the Center for School Change tells MinnPost there's more to the story.

Author:: BMTN Staff
Updated:: Mar 8, 2018
Original:: Feb 24, 2012

In a follow-up to a study released in 2008, researchers from the Institute on Race and Poverty at the University of Minnesota claim "charters still lag behind their traditional counterparts academically and remain more highly segregated by race and income." But the director for the Center for School Change tells MinnPost there's more to the story.

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Nearly 4,000 charter school officials are expected to gather in Minneapolis this week to discuss the progress of the national movement -- which began 20 years ago when the nation's first charter school opened in St. Paul. Enrollment at charter schools in Minnesota has surged in the last decade, but the effectiveness is still being debated. MPR reports a new University of Minnesota study found students at Twin Cities area charter schools scored lower on math and reading tests than counterparts at traditional schools.

It was twenty years ago when America's first charter school opened in St. Paul. One of the key state lawmakers in the movement says much of the credit belongs to a group of active citizens. Today there are more than 5,000 charter schools around the country. A national convention will meet in Minneapolis this month.

A new report from the St. Paul-based Center for School Change found enrollment in Minnesota charter schools has grown to just under 40,000 students. Meanwhile, enrollment at traditional public schools fell five percent in the same time period. Minnesota's first charter school opened 20 years ago in St. Paul.

Vice has found that Twin Cities charter schools have a higher rate of segregation than public schools.

Officials began investigating after hearing complaints that the school was graduating students who weren't meeting state standards. BlueSky leaders say they have followed state rules.

Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius told MPR the federal money will help "replicate high-performing charters and share those best practices across all schools." She also says the grant will help the state monitor the strengths and weaknesses of charter schools.

The ACLU says the documents back up its claims that TiZA illegally funneled taxpayer money to its religious landlords and promoted Islam in the curriculum. The group also says it's looking into at least a dozen other charter schools with religious affiliations in Minnesota to see whether they might be blurring the lines between church and state.

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