Renewing the Promise: How Charter Middle and High Schools Are Putting Oakland Students on the Path to College
Oakland, CA (PRWEB) February 26, 2014 -- The California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) has released a new report on Oakland middle and high schools which shows that Oakland charter schools are renewing the promise of a high-quality public education and changing what is possible for students of all demographic backgrounds to achieve in their lives.
Today, it is no longer enough for schools to focus on helping their students to graduate 12th grade. To fulfill the promise of a brighter future, public schools must expand their focus from preparing students for graduation to preparing them for success through college and career. Additionally, the report highlights that with historically disadvantaged student populations, charter schools should be embraced as a solution in Oakland's efforts to raise student achievement.
"This new report demonstrates that the charter school movement has provided children in Oakland with an unparalleled choice to receive the high quality education they deserve," said CCSA President and CEO Jed Wallace. "Unequivocally, charter public schools provide families the opportunity to not only choose from a range of exceptional educational options but also, combined with the efforts of teachers and community leaders to prepare them to attend college and pursue their professional goals."
Key Findings
- In Oakland, the average percentage of high school graduates who completed all college preparatory coursework at charter public schools is 2 times as high as it is for traditional district schools. This holds true for all students and for historically disadvantaged student groups.
- The average high school graduation rate at traditional district high schools has not budged from just about 50% for the last three years. The average graduation rate at charter schools has increased over time and is now at 68%. Further, the dropout rate at charter schools is half that of the traditional schools.
- Charter high schools achieve the same results for socioeconomically disadvantaged students as for other students. They continue to deliver a higher percentage of college-ready graduates than their traditional school counterparts, regardless of family income.
- Academic achievement at charter middle and high schools is higher than traditional district schools in several areas key to putting students on the path to college.
Last month, CCSA released another major report on Los Angeles public high schools which shows that charter schools surpass traditional district schools in graduating college-ready students of all backgrounds, among other findings.
About the California Charter Schools Association
The California Charter Schools Association is the membership and professional organization serving 1,130 charter public schools and more than 519,000 students in the state of California. The Vision of the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) is to empower parents and educators to unleash a new era of innovation within public education so that highly autonomous and accountable schools of choice provide quality learning opportunities for all California students. The Mission of CCSA is to enable our members to increase the number of students attending quality charter schools in California as quickly as possible by securing policy wins supportive of charter schools and providing the supports necessary to open and expand quality charter schools.
Emily Galbreth, California Charter School Association, http://www.calcharters.org/, +1 412-559-8571, [email protected]
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