“A new study indicates that Boston charter schools significantly outperform the city’s traditional schools, but raises new questions about the city’s experimental pilot schools, which in many cases posted “ambiguous” or “disconcerting” results. The study, being released today at a Boston Foundation forum, examined state standardized test scores for students of similar backgrounds at the three kinds of schools over a four-year period. In the most stark example, charters – independent public schools dedicated to innovative teaching – excelled significantly in middle school math. However, pilots, which have similar goals but are run by the School Department, performed at slightly lower rates than traditional schools, according to the study. The findings could present a setback for Governor Deval Patrick’s education overhaul, which seeks to emulate pilot schools around the state while resisting calls for more charter schools. The divergent performance among charter and pilot school students surprised state and local education leaders because the schools share a similar history and philosophy.”
By James Vaznis