How well (or poorly) are Milwaukee's charter schools doing?

By Jarett Fields, DFER-WI State Director

“Improvement is necessary in many of Milwaukee’s independent charter schools,” announces a recent Education Week article on the release of state report card data. The article makes an argument—echoed elsewhere—that the school report cards show that the independent charter schools, also known as 2r charters, are failing to live up to expectations.

Wisconsin’s report cards offer parents a snapshot of school performance through student achievement on the two Wisconsin standardized assessments, the WKCE and the WAA. On the surface, the claim in Education Week is right: as measured by the state accountability system, several 2r charters do not meet expectations. But this hasty argument neglects some important information about the context surrounding Milwaukee’s independent charter sector.

In contrast to the average school in Wisconsin, the average 2r charter school in Milwaukee serves considerably more black and low-income students. In making its claim, Education Week is comparing apples and oranges by measuring 2r charters against state norms. If we look more closely at the data, a very different story emerges.

Yes, compared to the average performance across Wisconsin, Milwaukee’s independent charter schools do struggle—but compared to their peer schools, they exceed the average and often by considerable margins. In fact, the number of 2r charters meeting expectations, according to the DPI report card, is 50% higher than Milwaukee’s traditional public schools.

The success of many 2r charters in Milwaukee is encouraging but it is much too soon to celebrate. Though gains in proficiency have outpaced district schools, they can still continue to improve a great deal. Few 2r charters have been able to get more than 80 percent of their students proficient in math and reading which is critical to future college success. Moreover, Milwaukee’s independent charter schools serve lower percentages of English language learners and students with disabilities.It’s not clear whether this occurs because of better instruction (students are removed from the English language learner list if they become proficient) or because of selection and expulsion pressures.

All the same, many of these charters are exceeding the unfortunate level of performance that Milwaukee’s parents have come to expect of the city’s schools. It is a critical component of education reform to ensure that quality options for families – schools that meet or exceed expectations – remain open and expand to serve more kids.

Painting schools with a broad brush, as many articles are doing about the outcomes of Milwaukee’s independent charters right now, only serves to distort the charter image. There are many excellent 2r charters in Wisconsin, and there are others that fall below expectations. When compared to the surrounding schools in Milwaukee, these schools are posting above average gains. They meet and exceed the expectations of their students and families. For schools that fail to meet expectations, it is imperative that authorizers close those schools. This way, 2r charters can lead the way in innovation and accountability.

Jarett Fields is an education specialist with a passion for community engagement. For the past ten years, Jarett has worked to increase the number of college graduates by building sustainable programs at the higher education level. Professionally, he has worked to build pathways of success for students at UCLA, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.