Promising Results

  • A January 2019 study by Stanford University’s Center for Research on Educational Outcomes (CREDO) summarized the performance of Washington’s charter public schools as “promising but not yet definitive…given the limited years of data available.”
  • A follow-up Stanford study in 2020 showed significantly higher learning gains for English Language Learners attending Washington’s charter public schools, especially Hispanic English Language Learners, as compared to peers in traditional public schools statewide.
  • The 2019 Washington State Report Card also showed gains for charter public school students.
    • Students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch outperformed their state and/or district peers in at least one subject area at seven of the eight charter public schools that administered statewide tests.
    • Every single charter school that has been operating for two or more years has shown typical to high growth for its students as compared to the state average for growth.
    • A study conducted by the Washington State Charter School Commission showed that on average, median rates of growth were higher at Commission-authorized charter public schools, as compared to the schools that students would have been assigned, based on their home address.
SOURCE: CREDO (2020 Washington State Study)