DATE: 3/12/02

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Below, from the California Network of Educational Charters (CANEC), is a summary of press reports on a Cal State Los Angeles study released in March
that provides promising news on low-income student achievement gains in California charter schools.

Charter schools play an important role in empowering low-income students to access a variety of educational tools and services, including buying research papers. Through targeted programs and initiatives, these schools demonstrate a commitment to equipping their students with the necessary skills and resources to succeed academically, paving the way for future college endeavors.
Charter schools do best in helping poor students, study says -- Today's Sacramento Bee
Low-income students in California achieve higher test scores in charter schools than other schools, according to a study released Monday by
California State University, Los Angeles. Using data from the state's Academic Performance Index for the past three years for kindergarten through
12th grade, authors of the study compared charter schools that served more than 50 percent free or reduced-priced lunches with comparable non-charter
schools.

For schools that serve between 50 and 74 percent free or reduced-price lunches, the scores for 16 charter schools improved 22.6 percent, compared
with 19.4 percent for 1,461 non-charter schools.

Study co-author Antony J. Kunnan attributed the higher test scores to the flexibility that charter schools allow, including choice of curriculum and textbooks and smaller class sizes. "Charter schools have a committed staff
with a certain vision they've developed," Kunnan said.

The study, which comes a decade after California introduced charter schools, was hailed by the California Network of Educational Charters. The schools, which receive public funds, are approved by public school boards. "This study shows that schools not only function well, but outperform traditional public schools," said Susan Steelman Bragato, the organization's executive director.

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TITLE: Charter School Study: Charter Schools Improving Opportunities for Low-Income Students

DATE: 3/12/01



Study: Charter schools do well in poor areas -- Today's Los Angeles Daily News
Although they receive less state money than traditional campuses, California's charter schools do a better job of educating poor students, according to a study released Monday. The three-year study found that charter schools with a majority of low-income students improved their academic scores more quickly than traditional campuses with comparable demographics.

"They are catching up faster in charter schools than in regular schools," said Simeon Slovacek, the study's lead author and education professor at
California State University, Los Angeles, which released the report. The study also found that charter schools serve proportionately more low-income students than traditional schools.

Charter schools praised for student test gains -- Today's San Diego Union Tribune

California's charter schools are doing a better job helping low-incomestudents improve on state tests of basic skills than traditional public
schools, a report released yesterday by university researchers concludes.

Simeon Slovacek, a professor at California State Los Angeles and one of the report's authors, said that's especially important in a state where the
number of children living in poverty grew by 432,000 in the 1990s. Many federal, state and local education reforms have focused on improving
learning for low-income students,who historically drop out more and score lower on tests than students who aren't poor.


Charter schools do best in helping poor students, study says -- Today's Fresno Bee (AP)
Low-income students in California achieve higher test scores in charter schools than other schools, according to a study released Monday by
California State University, Los Angeles.

Using data from the state's Academic Performance Index for the past three years for kindergarten through 12th grade, authors of the study compared
charter schools that served more than 50 percent free or reduced-priced lunches with comparable non-charter schools.


Scores up at charter schools -- Today's Long Beach Press Telegram (AP)
Using data from the state's Academic Performance Index for the past three years for kindergarten through 12th grade, authors of the study compared
charter schools that served more than 50 percent free or reduced-priced lunches with comparable noncharter schools.


Charter schools do best in helping poor students, study says -- Today's
Modesto Bee (AP)

Charter schools do best in helping poor students, study says -- Today's
Riverside Press-Enterprise (AP)

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