Charters' 10th-grade scores still below par

Charters' 10th-grade scores still below par
Districts remain ahead on AIMS

by Anne Ryman, Pat Kossan and Matt Dempsey / The Arizona Republic
Jul. 13, 2006 12:00 AM
It's the mystery of the charter-school phenomenon.

In almost every grade through middle school, Arizona charter students perform about as well as district-school ones on the AIMS test.

But starting in 10th grade, something happens. The percentage of charter students who pass AIMS math, reading and writing plunges, clouding the reputation of the 11-year-old charter industry.

It happened again this year.

Although charter-school sophomores improved their scores over the past year, only 40 percent passed the AIMS math section, compared with 72 percent at district schools. Charter sophomores also lagged their district counterparts significantly in reading and writing.

One exception was some college-prep charters, which attract top students and have a record of high passing rates.

The high school drop, alarming because students now must pass AIMS to graduate, could spill into view when the state begins this fall to crack down on poorly performing charter schools. This is the first year charter schools could wind up on the state's failing-schools list, based largely on Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards results. Up to 14 schools, including nine that teach high school students, could make the list and face possible closure.

No one knows exactly why charter-school sophomores score lower on AIMS. But experts point to several factors that could create the problem.

Charter high schools take in greater shares of struggling students: Although a district high school serves all kinds of kids, Arizona's charter high schools tend to specialize in either college prep or as a catch-up for students who have fallen behind.

"We see a lot of both ends of the spectrum," said Kristen Jordison, executive director of the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools.

A report presented to the board this week concluded that Arizona students transferring from districts to charters have lower levels of academic achievement than other students, which means they are harder to educate. The study, by Arizona State University Assistant Professor David Garcia and the charter board's staff, looked at 390,000 students in Grades 2 through 8.

For example, most of the 78 students who attend the year-old Esperanza Community Collegial Academy in Phoenix transferred from district schools, co-founder Pamela Cullen said. They are struggling with low grades, and some are considering dropping out.

None of the sophomores passed math or reading, and 94 percent still need to pass writing. Cullen isn't giving up. Most students were close to passing, and the school will provide free tutoring before the next round of tests in the fall.

"I think it will be a better picture next year," she said.

Charters lack district-school resources: Many charter schools operate as stand-alone schools, while districts have full research units that give teachers up-to-the minute data on how each child is performing. This becomes critical in high school where it often is harder to turn a student's performance around.

Charters have long been allowed more freedom in what was taught and how it was taught. Now, federal and state laws are requiring all schools, including charters, to meet minimum standards for every grade.

Many charter schools find themselves running to catch up and rework their curriculum, said Bruce Fuller, professor of education and policy at the University of California-Berkeley.

"Charter educators' feet are being held to the fire now," Fuller said.

Charters have fewer licensed teachers: For years, charter teachers didn't even need a bachelor's degree. Now, the federal No Child Left Behind Act requires that teachers have a degree and expertise in the subject they teach.

But unlike district schools, charter teachers still don't need to be licensed by the state. The Arizona Education Association has long pushed for this to change, arguing that licensed, or certified, teachers have special training in helping kids learn.

Fuller said charter schools nationally have more teachers who are not licensed and, on average, have seven fewer years of experience than those in district schools. In high school, teaching quality is critical, especially for complex science and math.

Jay Heiler, board president of Great Hearts Academy Preparatory Academies, doesn't worry about hiring licensed teachers but looks for teachers who are "steeped in liberal-arts knowledge" and passionate about "lighting the fire of learning in teenagers."

Great Hearts' three schools have a large percentage of students passing AIMS.

"Some of our finest teachers come from other walks of life," he said.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0713aimscharters0713.html