According to the latest education data released by the state of New York and New York City, students in Charter Schools in New York City continue to outperform significantly in standardized tests compared to traditional public schools, showing notable advantages in both core subjects of English and Mathematics.
The data reveals that in the New York State English Language Arts exam held last spring, over 67% of Charter School students achieved proficiency or above, significantly higher than the pass rate of approximately 56% in public school districts.
In terms of state mathematics exams, Charter Schools also displayed outstanding performance, with over 68% of students reaching proficiency levels, while the proportion in school district schools was less than 57%.
Further analysis shows that in the English exam, over 70% of Charter Schools (out of 167), had a higher proportion of proficient English students than the overall average of public schools. Similarly, in the mathematics test, over 64% of Charter Schools (out of 152) performed better than the average level of public schools in the city.
James Merriman, the CEO of the NYC Charter School Center, stated that the latest data is sufficient to dispel long-standing doubts about the effectiveness of Charter Schools in education.
He pointed out that when the Charter School movement started decades ago, some believed that as the scale expanded, the academic performance gap between Charter Schools and public schools would gradually narrow. However, the actual situation is the opposite; “The latest data proves that this view is incorrect, as Charter School students continue to excel.”
While Charter Schools are supported by public funds, they operate with a high degree of autonomy. Their superior performance is influencing parents’ choices, with currently over 15% of students in New York City public schools opting to attend Charter Schools, indicating a rising attractiveness of Charter Schools among parents and the community.