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New Ohio charter research
Ohio State University professor and Fordham Ohio’s Senior Research Fellow, Dr. Stéphane Lavertu, published new research this week looking at the academic performance of brick-and-mortar charter school students in comparison to their traditional district peers. This is the follow up to a previous pre-pandemic study which found a significant academic boost for charter students. The new analysis examines student-growth data from 2021–22 and 2022–23 and concludes that brick-and-mortar charters continue to outperform nearby districts. While the charter advantage is slightly smaller than pre-pandemic, Lavertu estimates that charter students gained the equivalent of roughly 13 and 9 additional days of learning in English language arts and math, respectively, when compared to their district peers.
Charters on the grow around the state
Heir Force Community School in Lima is expanding, planning to add room for more than 100 additional students in its new facility by fall 2025. Their efforts include a new classroom building and more greenspace to provide greater recreational opportunities for students. In Canton, both Summit Academy charter schools and Wright Preparatory Academy have recently purchased decommissioned Catholic school buildings in different parts of town. Wright Prep is already operating in the former St. Paul School, while Summit has no immediate expansion plans for St. Mary’s of the Immaculate Conception but expects to need more space in the near future.
Cautionary tale
Any charter operators looking to buy decades-old school buildings would do well to pay attention to this cautionary tale: ACCEL Schools Ohio LLC was issued a notice by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week for asbestos and lead paint concerns at three of its schools in northeast Ohio. There is a list of necessary remediation efforts that must be completed before students and staff can again access the buildings and EPA oversight will likely continue until all requirements are met. Additional note: Schools are required by EPA to have up-to-date asbestos management plans.
Research on virtual tutoring
A recent study out of Texas analyzes the benefits of virtual tutoring specifically for early elementary students. Data come from twelve Texas charter schools who were utilizing the OnYourMark Education remote tutoring platform to help boost achievement for their youngest readers. While the intervention didn’t help boost all students, the benefits were widespread and efficient given the lower cost and simple logistics of the online effort.
Making a national splash
Fordham Foundation-sponsored charter school Columbus Collegiate Academy – Main featured heavily in a RealClearInvestigations piece looking at the origins of, concerns about, and evolution of the No Excuses model of school operation. The big question here is whether the model is ripe for a comeback, but the in-depth look at CCA indicates that never really went away in schools with a dedicated and compassionate group of teachers and staff members who want to do what’s right for their students. This includes loosening the rigid rules a little when that promises to help move kids forward more than strict adherence will. A detailed discussion well worth your time.
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