Uncovering Surprising Results on Massachusetts Charter Schools
In 2013, a significant study shed light on the impact of attending charter schools in Massachusetts, specifically urban and nonurban ones. The study revealed that attending an urban charter school in Massachusetts could boost standardized test scores, while attending a nonurban charter school could have the opposite effect, despite both types of schools being popular choices for families. This groundbreaking finding opened up a new avenue of research into the effects of charter schools beyond just test scores.
Now, years later, researchers have revisited the same sample of Massachusetts charter schools to delve deeper into the influence these schools have on college enrollment and graduation rates. By following applicants to 15 urban and nine nonurban charter schools from the time of application through to enrollment and up to six years after their expected high school graduation, researchers were able to generate causal estimates of the impact of charter schools on students’ academic outcomes.
During the time of the study, many urban charter schools in Massachusetts implemented “No Excuses” practices, such as longer school days and years, high expectations, frequent teacher observations and feedback, data-driven instruction, tutoring, and strict disciplinary practices. On the other hand, nonurban charter schools in the state operated with a more diverse range of educational models, including themed schools and project-based learning approaches.
The findings of the study reaffirmed previous research, showing that urban charter schools in Massachusetts significantly improved state standardized test scores, SAT scores, and Advanced Placement (AP) test-taking and scores. However, these schools also prolonged the time it took students to graduate high school. Additionally, urban charter schools increased four-year college enrollment and decreased enrollment in two-year institutions. When it came to college completion, urban charter students performed as expected given their increased enrollment, with a 5 percentage point increase in the likelihood of receiving any college degree, primarily driven by a 4 percentage point increase in BA attainment.
On the other hand, the results for nonurban charter schools were unexpected. While attending a nonurban charter school still led students to perform worse on state standardized tests compared to their counterparts in traditional public schools, they performed similarly in other academic markers. Nonurban charter students took fewer AP exams, mainly due to the smaller size of these schools, which made them less likely to offer AP courses compared to nearby traditional schools. However, the most surprising finding was that attending a nonurban charter school increased the likelihood of students enrolling in a four-year college by 9 percentage points and graduating with a BA within six years by 10 percentage points, a significant difference compared to traditional public schools.
This new research challenges the traditional notion that urban charter schools are the sole providers of improved academic outcomes. It highlights the potential of nonurban charter schools to positively impact students’ post-secondary education, even if their performance on standardized tests may not reflect this initially. The success of nonurban charter schools in increasing college enrollment and graduation rates opens up a new dialogue on the various pathways to academic success beyond the traditional urban charter school model.
Furthermore, these findings emphasize the importance of considering a broader range of outcomes when evaluating the effectiveness of charter schools. While standardized test scores are often used as a primary metric for assessing school performance, they may not capture the full extent of a school’s impact on students’ long-term success. By examining college enrollment and graduation rates, researchers can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the role charter schools play in shaping students’ academic trajectories.
In conclusion, the study on Massachusetts charter schools has revealed a complex and nuanced picture of the impact these schools have on students. While urban charter schools continue to show improvements in test scores and college outcomes, nonurban charter schools have emerged as unexpected champions in promoting college enrollment and graduation. This research underscores the need for a more holistic approach to evaluating school effectiveness and highlights the diverse pathways to academic success that charter schools can provide for students across different settings.
