Opinion
Education Letter to the Editor

On Charter Studies’ Use of Family Background

October 08, 2004 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

The article “New Data Fuel Current Charter School Debate” (Sept. 8, 2004) describes a study by Caroline M. Hoxby suggesting that 4th graders in charter schools across the country perform better on state tests than their counterparts in regular public schools.

The next issue of Education Week (Sept. 15, 2004; print edition) carried a paid advertisement to which Ms. Hoxby was one of 29 signatories. It attacked a report on charter schools by the American Federation of Teachers that found that charter school students often do worse than comparable students in regular public schools (“AFT Charter School Study Sparks Heated National Debate,” Sept. 1, 2004). The ad charged that the AFT study “fails to meet professional standards,” primarily because it uses achievement data for only one point in time and makes use of only limited information on the family background of the students.

In fact, Ms. Hoxby’s study can be faulted on the very same grounds that she and her colleagues quite appropriately critique the AFT report. Like the aft comparisons, hers are based on student performance at only one point in time. But in contrast to the AFT report, which is based on data for individual students, she uses school averages. That means she uses no family-background data on students. Instead, she must take it as a matter of faith that students in charter schools have similar background characteristics as those in the “nearest” public school. Yet she accuses the AFT study of being “unsophisticated.”

It appears that Ms. Hoxby’s concept of “professional standards” rose dramatically between Sept. 8, 2004, and Sept. 15, 2004. Or perhaps her standards vary depending on the conclusions of the study in question.

Edward B. Fiske

Durham, N.C.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Rethinking STEM Assessment: Strategies for Administrators
School and district leaders will explore strategies to enhance STEM assessment practices across their district, within schools and classrooms.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
Federal Webinar Keeping Up with the Trump Administration's Latest K-12 Moves: Subscriber-Exclusive Quick Hit
EdWeek subscribers, join this 30-minute webinar to find out what the latest federal policy changes mean for K-12 education.
Artificial Intelligence Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: Math & Technology: Finding the Recipe for Student Success
How should we balance AI & math instruction? Join our discussion on preparing future-ready students.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: June 11, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
5 min read
Education Quiz What Is the #1 Factor Boosting Students' STEM Motivation? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Briefly Stated: June 4, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Quiz Why Did A Court Dismiss the Lawsuit Against Lucy Calkins? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read