Charter schools as part of a “portfolio” strategy for improving school districts can help close the achievement gap in public schools, a new white paper says.
Published by the University of Washington’s Center on Reinventing Public Education, the paper argues that charter schools cannot be ignored as part of a comprehensive approach to improving achievement for low-income students.
While not all charter schools have proved effective, the report notes, those that have should serve as models in a portfolio strategy that encompasses various types of schools within a single district. Districts currently using that style of management include Boston, Chicago, Denver, the District of Columbia, Los Angeles, and New York City, according to the report.
