26-Years Later: Charters Continue to Perform Below the Average Texas Public School

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26-Years Later: Charters Continue to Perform Below the Average Texas Public School

148,785 172,655

196,467 225,549

243,695 269,361

289,525 310,300

328,911 356,838

385,000

100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000

2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22

Charter Enrollment Historical Charter Enrollment in Texas

Due to State-approved expansions, charter

enrollment has increased by 159% over

the last decade.

Introduction – The Charter Revolution:

The Texas legislature approved privately managed charters as an experiment to improve public education in 1995. In exchange for taxpayer funding and the flexibility to operate independently of taxpayers and locally governed school districts, charters promised to improve student outcomes. A quarter of a century later, the Texas legislature and the Texas Education Agency ("TEA") do not know if the charter experiment improves student outcomes. Over $30 billion of taxpayer funding later, the Texas legislature and TEA continue to perpetuate the charter movement while 41% of charters have academic ratings of “C”, “D”, or “F” and 86% of school districts have academic ratings of “A” or “B”.

By: William J. Gumbert

$1.17

$1.32

$1.56

$1.80

$2.03

$2.26

$2.54

$2.84

$3.28

$3.64

$3.90

$1.0 $2.0 $3.0 $4.0

2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22

Taxpayer Funding (Billions) Historical Taxpayer Funding of Texas Charters

Without the approval of local stakeholders, the

State has provided charters with $25.2 billion

of taxpayer funding over the last decade.

Charter Expansion and Taxpayer Funding:

With the financial backing of private interests, charter enrollment in Texas has increased by 159% over the last decade to an estimated 385,000 students in the upcoming school year. In other words, without the input or approval of local communities, charters currently enroll more students than the combined enrollment of Houston ISD and Dallas ISD. As a result of TEA's non-evidence-based support of charter expansion, charters will receive $3.9 billion of taxpayer funding in 2021/22. Furthermore, the State has provided privately managed charters with $25.2 billion of taxpayer funding over the last decade without requiring charters to outperform school districts.

Why? Because the charter school movement has evolved from an experiment to improve public education to a privately funded, political policy campaign to transfer local school systems to private corporations. Charter advocates have even recently referred to the movement as a

“Revolution.” The “Revolution" is the product of the Walton Family Foundation, George W. Brackenridge Foundation, Sid Richardson Foundation, KLE Foundation, and other private organizations. Collectively, these private organizations have devoted over $500 million to expand charters in Texas. With $8.3 million of financial support from the Walton Family Foundation, the Texas Public Charter School Association leads the statewide charter campaign by advocating for charter expansion and lobbying the Texas legislature. Simultaneously, organizations like the Fort Worth Education Partnership, Choose to Succeed in San Antonio, and the Council on Regional Economic Expansion and Educational Development in El Paso support the expansion of charters in local communities.

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Are Charters Delivering Better Academic Results than School Districts?

Public education exists to provide the highest quality education to all students and adequately prepare each unique student for success in life. As such, public education policy boils down to one guiding principle, "what is best for students.” In comparison to charters, we know school districts offer more opportunities for students to develop outside the classroom through co-curricular and extracurricular activities. We also know school districts provide a wider range of course offerings to meet the unique interests of each student. However, are privately managed charters delivering better academic results than school districts?

To answer this question, the following compares the academic performance of the 56 standard accountability charters with over 1,000 students (“charters”) to the average Texas public school. In 2019/20, enrollment at the 56 standard accountability charters approached 270,000 students. With student success as the universal goal, the measuring stick for academic performance is the percentage of students meeting grade-level standards (All Grades/All Subjects).

Academic Achievement Varies Among Student Populations:

To compare the performance of charters and school districts, recognizing the factors impacting academic performance among different student populations is essential. Many factors, such as socioeconomic status, parent engagement, and learning disabilities, impact student achievement. However, At-Risk students, with a higher probability of failing or dropping out, have the most significant achievement gap.

Charter

2020/21 Enrollment

At-Risk Student Population

IDEA Public Schools 49,480 50%

Harmony Public Schools 34,865 51%

KIPP Texas 28,668 47%

Uplift Education 20,067 54%

International Leadership of Texas 19,359 59% ResponsiveEd – TCPA Charter 13,078 39%

YES Prep 12,074 52%

School of Science and Tech. and D 5,590 25%

Great Hearts - Texas 4,850 17%

Total/Average 188,031 49%

Table 1: Charters- At-Risk Population

Description

Non-

At-Risk At-Risk All Texas Public Schools 49% 51%

Charters 51% 49%

Comparison of Student Populations

School District

2020/21 Charter Enrollment

At-Risk Student Population

Houston ISD 43,624 71%

Dallas ISD 35,660 65%

Austin ISD 15,798 50%

Fort Worth ISD 12,438 65%

San Antonio ISD 10,681 72%

Alief ISD 8,656 83%

Brownsville ISD 8,598 68%

Arlington ISD 7,355 67%

Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD 5,825 75%

Total/Average 148,635 67%

Table 2: School Districts - At-Risk Population At-Risk students comprise 51% of the population in Texas public schools. Due to their unique challenges, 44% fewer At-Risk students are meeting grade-level standards than Non-At Risk students.

Comparison of Student Populations:

To garner the support of elected officials, charters claim to serve a disproportionate number of the most vulnerable students in Texas public schools. However, the adjacent table reveals that standard accountability charters enroll a higher percentage of Non-At Risk students and a lower percentage of At-Risk students than the average Texas public school.

Furthermore, comparing the student population of charters to the student populations of school districts targeted by charters amplifies the low At-Risk population at charters. As summarized in Table 1, the nine prominent charters have recruited 188,031 students from school districts and enroll an At-Risk population of 49%. In comparison, charters have recruited148,635 students from the school districts in Table 2 that enroll an At-Risk population of 67%. With an 18% difference in At-Risk populations, charters enroll fewer students with unique learning challenges than the school districts they operate within. In this respect, the lower At-Risk population helps to camouflage charters' academic performance relative to locally governed school districts.

At-Risk students represent 51% of all students in Texas public schools and generally include students experiencing grade retentions, failing grades in core subjects, low performance on state assessments, learning disabilities, disciplinary problems, homelessness or foster care, and English Language Learners. As a result of these circumstances, 44% fewer At-Risk students are meeting grade-level standards compared to Non-At Risk students.

With students of all races, socioeconomic status, and disabilities comprising both At-Risk and Non-At Risk students, this material focuses on the academic performance of At-Risk and Non-At Risk students attending charters and school districts.

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Comparison of Academic Performance - Statewide:

Due to charters and school districts enrolling different student populations, the table below compares the percentage of students within different student populations that meet grade- level standards (All Subjects/All Grades) at charters and all Texas public schools. In comparison to all Texas public schools:

▪ 10% FEWER Non-At Risk students at charters meet grade-level standards,

▪ 4% FEWER At-Risk students (Non-ELL) at charters meet grade-level standards,

▪ 2% FEWER Special Education students at charters meet grade-level standards, and

▪ 2% FEWER charter students meet grade-level standards.

To summarize, charters perform below the average Texas public school in four of the five populations. It is concerning that 10% fewer Non-At Risk students meet grade-level standards at charters, especially since Non-At Risk students comprise 51% of charter enrollment.

Description

Non- At-Risk

At-Risk: Non-ELL

At-Risk: ELL

Special Education

All Students

All Texas Public Schools 73% 23% 38% 24% 50%

Charters 63% 19% 41% 22% 48%

State Average Less Charters 10% 4% (3%) 2% 2%

Comparison: Percentage of Students Meeting Grade-Level Standards (All Grades/All Subjects)

Description

2019/20 Enrollment

Non- At Risk: Meets

At-Risk: Meets Grade-Level Grade-Level

All Texas Public Schools -- 73% 29%

Uplift Education 20,067 63% 27%

International Leadership of Texas 19,359 59% 26%

ResponsiveEd – TCPA Charter 13,078 66% 26%

Jubilee Academies 6,542 56% 17%

Life School 5,602 40% 15%

Brooks Academies of Texas 3,306 45% 16%

Newman International Academy 3,133 58% 24%

Texas Leadership 2,962 59% 21%

Southwest School 2,042 62% 27%

Wayside Schools 2,009 46% 23%

Cumberland Academy 1,985 47% 25%

Promise Community School 1,919 66% 25%

Austin Achieve Public Schools 1,869 56% 23% A.W. Brown Leadership Academy 1,725 38% 14%

Meridian World School, LLC 1,668 72% 28%

The Varnett School 1,576 30% 26%

Legacy Preparatory 1,572 45% 24%

A+ Academy 1,399 62% 20%

Advantage Academy 1,396 58% 16%

Inspired Vision Academy 1,318 38% 21%

Compass Academy Charter 1,234 68% 24%

Odyssey Academy 1,200 58% 15%

Horizon Montessori 1,159 66% 29%

Cityscape Schools 1,152 50% 29%

La Academia De Estrellas 1,105 64% 25%

NYOS Charter School 1,061 72% 27%

Promesa Academy 1,010 52% 22%

Total – 27 Charters 102,448 58% 24%

Charters: Fewer Non-At Risk and At-Risk Students Meet Grade-Level Standards than the State Average

Charters Performing Below the Average Texas Public School:

Charter advocacy organizations and charter recruiting brochures consistently publicize charters are outperforming school districts. However, an alarming number of charters are performing below the average Texas public school. In comparison to the state average, 27 of the 56 standard

accountability charters have fewer At- Risk students and Non-At Risk students meeting grade-level standards. With over 100,000 students enrolled at such charters, 5% fewer At-Risk students and 15% fewer Non-At Risk students are meeting grade-level standards compared to the average Texas public school. Focusing solely on the performance of Non-At Risk students, 45 of 56 charters have a lower percentage of Non-At Risk students meeting grade-level standards than the average Texas public school. The 45 charters performing below the State average include the following charters with Non-At Risk student populations ranging between 50%-82%.

▪ Harmony Public Schools

▪ IDEA Public Schools

▪ KIPP Texas Public Schools

▪ Meridian World School, LLC

▪ Newman International Academy

▪ NYOS Charter School

▪ ResponsiveEd – TCPA Charter

▪ School of Science and Technology/D Regarding the academic performance of At-Risk students, 27 of 56 charters have a lower percentage of At-Risk students meeting grade-level standards than the average Texas public school.

Represents the percentage of students meeting

grade-level standards.

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M

Description

Dallas ISD Students

Non-

At-Risk At-Risk

Dallas ISD -- 68% 34% 27%

Uplift Education 9,965 63% 27% 22%

KIPP Texas Public Schools 2,851 56% 35% 19%

Trinity Basin Preparatory 2,170 51% 40% 24%

Life School 1,864 40% 15% 15%

A+ Academy 1,370 62% 20% 19%

Harmony Science Academy - Waco 1,252 62% 33% 18%

Inspired Vision Academy 1,216 38% 21% 7%

Cityscape Schools 1,033 50% 29% 14%

Harmony Science Academy - Waco 1,252 62% 33% 18%

La Academia De Estrellas 942 64% 25% 16%

A.W. Brown Leadership Academy 957 38% 14% 20%

Legacy Preparatory 929 45% 24% 11%

ResponsiveEd – TCPA Charter 791 66% 26% 22%

International Leadership of Texas 681 59% 26% 15% Total – 14 Charters in Dallas ISD 27,633 -- -- --

Comparison of Academic Performance: School Districts with High Low-Income Populations:

To illustrate the academic performance of charters in school districts serving a high percentage of Low-Income students, the following compares the academic performance of charters operating in Dallas ISD (“DISD”) and Alief ISD (“AISD”). Dallas ISD: With a low-income student population of 86%, Dallas ISD has been a popular target for charter expansion. In this respect, the State has allowed the 14 charters in the table below to recruit 27,633 students residing in DISD. However, in comparison to Dallas ISD’s academic performance:

▪ 14 of 14 charters have FEWER Non-At Risk students meeting grade-level standards,

▪ 12 of 14 charters have FEWER At-Risk students meeting grade-level standards, and

▪ 14 of 14 charters have FEWER Special Education students meeting grade-level standards.

In 40 of the 42 comparisons regarding Non-At Risk, At-Risk, and Special Education students, the 14 charters in DISD have FEWER students meeting grade-level standards than Dallas ISD.

Despite recruiting 27,633 students residing in Dallas ISD, charters have FEWER students meeting grade- level standards than DISD in 40 of the 42 comparisons regarding Non-At Risk, At- Risk, and Special Education students.

In comparison to Dallas ISD, 12 of the 14 charters in

DISD have FEWER

students Non-At Risk, At- Risk, and Special Education students meeting grade- level standards.

Comparison: Percentage of Students Meeting Grade-Level Standards

Description

Alief ISD Students

Non-

At_-Risk: At-Risk

Alief ISD -- 77% 35% 27%

KIPP Texas Public Schools 3,367 56% 35% 19%

International Leadership of Texas 996 59% 26% 15% Harmony Science Academy - Houston 921 67% 36% 21% Harmony School of Science - Houston 812 77% 51% 32%

YES Prep 638 74% 34% 15%

School of Science and Technology D 576 55% 34% 21% Total – 6 Charters in Alief ISD 7,310 -- -- --

Comparison: Percentage of Students Meeting Grade-Level Standards

Alief ISD: With an enrollment of 45,281 students in southwest Houston, Alief ISD serves a Low-Income student population of 84%. Due to its student profile, Alief ISD has also been a popular target for charter expansion. Currently, charters enroll 16% of all students residing in AISD. However, like the results in Dallas ISD, charters' academic performance lags behind Alief ISD's academic performance. As highlighted below, in 15 of the 18 comparisons regarding Non-At-Risk, At-Risk, and Special Education students, the charters in Alief ISD fail to outperform AISD.

Compared to Alief ISD, four of the six largest charters enrolling AISD students have a lower percentage of Non-At Risk, At-Risk, and Special Education students meeting grade-level standards.

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Alternative Education Charters – A Success:

While standard accountability charters are academically underperforming relative to school districts, alternative education charters provide needed options for students with unique challenges. In this regard, alternative education charters provide specialized school options for students with autism and other disabilities, students with behavioral and developmental needs in residential treatment centers, and opportunities for dropouts to earn a high school diploma or career certification. Charters successfully serving students in alternative education settings include the dropout recovery charters of Texans Can Academies and Premier High Schools, the largest producers of charter graduates. While enrolling 3.2% of all charter students, these two dropout recovery charters account for 25% of all charter graduates in the Class of 2019 (3,103 students). Currently, about 20% of charters are providing alternative education options for students.

Performance of “A” Rated Charters:

To promote the success of the charter movement, “A” rated charters are highly touted by charter advocacy organizations. Currently, “A” rated charters account for 16% of the enrollment at standard accountability charters with over 1,000 students. “A” rated charters benefit from enrolling a higher percentage of Non-At Risk students and a lower percentage of Low-Income students than the average Texas public school.

With an “A” rating and predominately enrolling Non-At Risk students, one would likely conclude that such charters a higher percentage of Non-At Risk students meet grade-level standards than the state average. However, that would be the wrong conclusion as:

▪ Only 5 of the 17 “A” rated charters have a higher percentage of Non-At Risk students meeting grade-level than the state average,

▪ At “A” rated charters, the percentage of Non-At Risk students meeting grade-level is 4% below the state average, and

▪ Most “A” rated charters have a lower percentage of Non-At Risk students meeting grade-level than the school districts they operate within (see arrows below).

Description

Academic

Rating Enrollment

Non- At-Risk Population

Non-At Risk: Meets Grade-Level Compass Academy Charter School A (98) 1,234 95% 68%

BASIS Texas A (98) 2,579 77% 84%

Imagine International Academy A (98) 1,398 87% 77%

Vanguard Academy A (97) 4,473 30% 77%

NYOS Charter School A (96) 1,061 62% 72%

Meridian World School, LLC A (95) 1,668 82% 72%

Harmony School of Science - Houston A (95) 3,842 66% 77%

Arlington Classics Academy A (94) 1,561 75% 78%

School of Science and Technology D A (93) 3,351 77% 55% Harmony School of Excellence A (93) 5,554 62% 65% Harmony Science Academy - Houston A (92) 3,420 49% 67%

Universal Academy A (92) 2,281 64% 73%

Harmony Science Academy – El Paso A (92) 3,669 63% 60% Harmony Science Academy – SA A (92) 4,448 47% 59%

Leadership Prep A (92) 1,282 79% 73%

Pineywoods Community School A (90) 1,041 58% 71%

Pioneer Technology and Arts Academy A (90) 1,248 57% 73%

Total – “A” Rated Charters -- 44,110 62% 69%

All Texas Public Schools -- -- 49% 73%

“A” Rated Standard Accountability Charters with Over 1,000 Students: Comparison of Non-At Risk Population and Academic Performance

McKinney ISD = 79% (627 Students at Imagine)

Fort Bend ISD = 77% (1,834 Students at Harmony)

El Paso ISD = 74% (979 Students at Harmony)

Cy-Fair ISD = 82% (2,606 Students at Harmony)

Frisco ISD = 85% (787 Students at Leadership)

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DISCLOSURES: The author is a volunteer advocate for public education. The author has not received any compensation for preparing this material. The author was not requested to prepare this material, and no elected officials or school district employees participated in preparing this material. The material is based upon various publicly available sources, including but not limited to the Texas Education Agency (Texas Academic Performance Reports, Public Education Information Management System, Charter Locator Map, etc.), txschools.gov., Tier – Texas Education Reports, and edglossary.org. While the author believes these sources to be reliable, the author has not independently verified the information. Any opinions herein are solely those of the author. All readers are encouraged to complete a full review of school performance in Texas and form a personal conclusion.

Conclusion:

Students, families, and communities deserve the highest performing public schools. However, the State and privately funded charter promotions are not fully transparent regarding the academic performance of charters. The State has provided charters with over $30 billion of taxpayer funding, the flexibility to operate independently of school districts and taxpayers, and the ability to close the 112 lowest-performing charters to boost reported performance. Nonetheless, after 26- years of experimentation on trusting families, privately managed charters continue to perform BELOW the average Texas public school academically. To paraphrase the legendary coach John Wooden: “Below average means you are closer to the bottom than the top.” It is time for education policies that better serve the students, families, taxpayers, and communities of Texas. In this regard:

▪ Stop expanding standard accountability charters that do not academically perform above the state average,

▪ Stop expanding standard accountability charters in school districts delivering higher academic performance, and

▪ Expand alternative education charters providing school options to meet the unique needs of students with learning disabilities, students with behavioral or developmental needs in residential treatment centers, and dropouts seeking a high school diploma or career certification.

26-Years Later: Charters Continue to Perform Below the Average Texas Public School