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Key Findings:
- State test results show Washington’s charter schools are delivering on their promise to help students catch up in school.
- On average charter schools are more effective at teaching math and English to low-income students than traditional public schools.
- Charter schools are popular with parents because they provide access to a better public education.
- Defenders of the status quo fear charter schools because they see them as a threat to traditional public schools.
- Charter schools take no money out of public education, because they are part of the public education system.
- Despite these challenges, Washington’s public charter schools are helping students acquire the skills and knowledge they need to learn.
- Demand is so strong that most charter schools are oversubscribed and must conduct lotteries to decide which children can attend.
Introduction
As Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, the leading champion of allowing family choice in education, advances reform at the federal level, a new report shows how well public charter students perform on Washington state tests. The Washington State Charter School Association recently released results of last spring’s state tests in reading and math. These results show Washington’s charter schools are delivering on their promise to help students catch up in school.
Download the full Policy Note.
