Greetings, CharterFolk!
This week, Andy and I are talking with Macke Raymond, the director of the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) regarding CREDO’s As a Matter of Fact: National Charter School Study III, which is the third installment of a multi-decade study examining the academic progress of students enrolled in charter schools compared with those enrolled in traditional public schools.
Here is a link to our conversation where you can listen to the podcast. And for those of you who would prefer a video recording, we provide a link to YouTube as well.
This week some of the topics we discuss include the following:
- The heart of the matter, the meta message, the most important takeaway from the study: How are charters excelling? (00.02.13)
- The study methodology: How you can actually compare students’ performance in different schools? (00.05.13)
- Maintaining balance: Macke’s thoughts about how to frame the progress charter schools have made while also acknowledging areas needing improvement. (00.11.16)
- Macke’s thoughts regarding performance expectations, student learning, society in general, and CREDO’s future. (00.16.25)
- Focusing on other themes in the study: The performance of Native American students and students in the suburbs, as well as how virtual charter schools are performing. (00.18.51)
- Interest levels in the three studies from the media and policy makers and what this may portend for future policy making. (00.26.31)
- Macke’s “aha” and the people who get credit. (00.35.00)
Notes:
- “As a Matter of Fact: The National Charter School Study III,” is the latest CREDO study.
- The Methods and Data Overview describes how CREDO approached the study.
I would like to offer a last special thanks to Macke, both for having completed such an important study as well as for having shared insights with us here at WonkyFolk.
If you haven’t yet heard or seen previous volumes of WonkyFolk, you can access them here.
Meanwhile, I thank you once again for being part of the CharterFolk community and for the efforts you are making to improve educational opportunity in our country.
WonkyFolk is a discussion series between Andy Rotherham and Jed Wallace intended to provide an informative and engaging forum where education reformers can grapple with tough issues related to our shared quest to improve public education in our country.
If you have ideas for WonkyFolk discussion topics, please email me!