WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools today released the following statement on the Massachusetts ballot initiative to lift caps on charter school growth:
“For more than 20 years, Massachusetts charter schools have been delivering incredible results equivalent to hundreds of extra days of learning in both math and reading. Lifting the cap was about giving more families a choice in public school options. Unfortunately, the vote to deny a lift of the charter school cap will have the most profound impact on the students in the nine urban districts that needed them most but already reached their arbitrary limit. While we are disappointed with tonights results in Massachusetts, we know that elections offer temporary victories and defeats, but movements endure.”
About Charter Public Schools
Charter public schools are independent, public, and tuition-free schools that are given the freedom to be more innovative while being held accountable for advancing student achievement. Since 2010, many research studies have found that students in charter schools do better in school than their traditional school peers. For example, one study by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes at Stanford University found that charter schools do a better job teaching low income students, minority students, and students who are still learning English than traditional schools. Separate studies by the Center on Reinventing Public Education and Mathematica Policy Research have found that charter school students are more likely to graduate from high school, go on to college, stay in college and have higher earnings in early adulthood.
About the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the public charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter movement. For more information, please visit www.publiccharters.org.
