Transcript Charter Schools 101: 10 Facts You Should Know about

Charter Schools 101:
10 Facts You Should Know about
Charter Schools
Presented by Lorraine Forte
Editor in Chief, Catalyst Chicago
#1 Charter schools are public schools.
• The State Board of Education defines charter schools as
“a public school governed by an independent board
of directors” that “contracts with an authorized public
chartering agency to operate.”
• Charter admission is through application, not test.
• Charters are given more autonomy over their
curriculum and operations in exchange for higher
accountability.
# 2 Charters are expanding.
• Statewide, the number of charters has grown
from one in 1997 to 51 in 2011.
• 50,000 students now attend charter schools in
Illinois.
Charters and Charter Campuses in Illinois
Chicago
Outside of Chicago
Charters
37
14
Campuses
108
Charter Cap
75
45
Source: Illinois State Board of Education charter report, 2011 (latest available) and
Catalyst Chicago analysis of CPS data
#3 Multi-campus charters are a major
segment of Chicago’s charter
landscape.
Multi-Campus Charters in Chicago
Charter
Number of Campuses
Number of Students
Chicago International
15
8,905
Noble Street
10
6,500
UNO
11
5,372
Youth Connections
Alternative Schools
20
4,030
Source: Catalyst Chicago analysis of 2012 data from CPS.
#4 Most charter students are lowincome students of color.
Demographic Information: CPS Charters and CPS Traditional Schools
CPS Charter School Enrollment
CPS Traditional School Enrollment
African-American
60%
42%
Latino
35%
44%
Special Education
10%
13%
Low-Income
90%
87%
Source: Catalyst Chicago analysis of 2012 data from CPS.
#5 Charter funding is on the rise…
Charter School Per Pupil Funding, 2009 vs. 2012
Elementary Schools
High Schools
Facility Operations
2009
$5,880
$7,350
$425
2012
$6,070
$7,587
$712
Increase
+ $190
+ $237
+ $287
Source: Illinois Network of Charter Schools, Catalyst Chicago
…but charters still rely heavily on
private money.
•Half of charters had deficits in recent years
•Two-thirds of charters could not cover core
expenses without private money
•One-third of charters relied on corporations,
foundations and wealthy individuals to fill more
than 20 percent of their budgets
Source: Catalyst Chicago
#6 Some charters have attendance
boundaries.
• Charters are open to students citywide.
• State law permits a limited number of
attendance boundaries in Chicago, assuring
some preference for neighborhood children in
admissions.
• 10 charter campuses in Chicago have
boundaries
#7 Some charters have formed their
own unions.
• Charter teachers cannot join the Chicago
Teachers Union.
• 14 charter schools have formed their own union,
Chicago Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff
(ACTS)
• Chicago ACTS represents more than 300
educators at 14 charter schools.
Source: Chicago ACTS
#8 Teacher turnover is higher at
charters.
Teacher Turnover: Traditional Schools and Charter Schools
Turnover Rate
Charter Schools
57%
Traditional High Schools
54%
Traditional Elementary Schools
51%
•Chicago turnover rate follows the national trend:
•A 2010 Vanderbilt study found a turnover rate of
25% in charter schools compared to 14% in
traditional public schools.
Source: Catalyst Chicago analysis charter employee lists, 2008 and 2010;
Consortium on Chicago School 2009 report on teacher turnover.
#9 Student
achievement at
charter schools is
mixed.
ISAT Scores
Exceeds Standards
Charter
15%
Traditional
16%
Magnet
29%
Selective
58%
2012 Graduation Rates
ACT Scores
Average (out of 36 points)
Charter
70%
Traditional
57%
Charter
17.2
Magnet
80%
Traditional
16.2
Selective
90%
Magnet
18.6
Selective
24.3
Source: Catalyst Chicago analysis of CPS data
#10 Charters face more public
scrutiny and accountability.
• Earlier this year, Chicago Public Schools
adopted policies that will put charters under
more scrutiny by:
– Shortening the length of contracts.
– Putting performance targets into contracts.