10/18/2007
Media Contact:
Margie Smith-Simmons, [317] 327-3690
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Report: Students at Mayor-sponsored charter schools show stronger improvement on ISTEP+ than state average
Peterson releases annual Accountability Report on Mayor-Sponsored Schools
INDIANAPOLIS – Mayor Bart Peterson today released the city's annual Accountability Report on Mayor-Sponsored Charter Schools. The report provides a comprehensive and highly detailed assessment of how Mayor-sponsored charter schools have performed, both individually and as a group.
The report shows that students in Mayor-sponsored charter schools continue to improve on ISTEP+ at a higher rate than the state average. Students at Mayor-sponsored schools improved their ISTEP+ pass rates by 6.7 points from 2005 to 2006 compared to average improvement statewide of 0.6 during the same period.
In addition, five Mayor-sponsored schools ranked in the top 10 among Marion County schools in student improvement on ISTEP+, and among the top 50 statewide. Three of those schools had student free/reduced lunch rates over 80 percent - KIPP Indianapolis College Preparatory, Christel House Academy, and Southeast Neighborhood School of Excellence - and the other two were over 58 percent - Andrew J. Brown Academy and 21st Century Charter School at Fall Creek.
"Students in Mayor-sponsored charter schools are continuing to show strong academic progress," Mayor Peterson said. "I applaud the teachers, parents, and students for all their effort in making those gains possible."
In addition to ISTEP+ results, the report provides detailed information that the Mayor's Office gathers throughout the year as part of Mayor Peterson's accountability system, including evaluations from education experts, addition test data, financial and governance reviews, and results from confidential parent, staff and student surveys. This year, 82 percent of parents reported overall satisfaction with their child's school.
"The report is a key component of our rigorous accountability system," added Peterson. "It shows what the schools have done well, but also highlights where they need to improve. We will continue to hold the schools accountable for helping students reach their full potential."
The strong accountability system was a significant reason Mayor Peterson's charter schools initiative received the prestigious Innovations in American Government Award through Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government in 2006. More recently, Mayor Peterson was one of just eight charter school authorizers from around the country profiled in a report from the United States Department of Education titled "Supporting Charter School Excellence through Quality Authorizing."
The Mayor will continue to issue the accountability report on an annual basis. As the schools approach the end of their seven-year terms, the data gathered in the report will be an important factor in determining whether to renew a school's charter.
The full 2007 Accountability Report on Mayor-Sponsored Charter Schools is available online at www.indygov.org/mayor/charter .
Charter schools are public schools that are free and open to any child in Indiana. They are designed and operated by educators, parents, community leaders and others, and they are freed from some of the regulations that govern traditional schools. Charter schools control their own curriculum, staffing, organization and budget. In exchange for that flexibility, they must meet the highest academic standards.
In 2001, Indiana passed a charter schools law that made Mayor Peterson the only mayor in the nation with the authority to charter schools. There are now 16 Mayor-sponsored charter schools in Indianapolis serving over 4,000 students.
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