State Charter Schools Academically Outperform in the 2021-2022 School Year

ATLANTA, GA – Over three-quarters of state charter schools performed better than the schools that students would otherwise attend in the 2021-22 school year, according to new data released by the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) last month. Specifically, 76 percent (28 of 37 schools) outperformed their comparison schools, the schools that students are zoned to attend, on College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) Content Mastery scores. Ninety-one percent (91%) of state charter school students were enrolled in one of the 28 schools that outperformed, totaling 29,683 students. 

The CCRPI is Georgia’s tool for annually measuring how well its schools, districts and the state are helping students achieve their goals. CCRPI Content Mastery scores measure student proficiency in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics for grades three through eight, science for grades five and eight, social studies in grade eight, and American literature, algebra, biology and U.S. history at the high school level. The 2021-2022 school year is the first year GaDOE calculated CCRPI Content Mastery scores since the 2018-2019 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“State charter schools are closing the achievement gap from pre-pandemic levels and demonstrating the value that school choice options provide to the students in their communities,” said State Charter Schools Commission Executive Director Lauren Holcomb. “Additionally, we are thrilled that the public has access to school performance data again for the first time since 2019. This information is essential for policymakers and educators to truly understand the impact of the pandemic, and more importantly, for families to make informed educational choices for their students.” 

The CCRPI Content Mastery score is one of three measures that the State Charter Schools Commission (SCSC), the oversight body for state charter schools, uses to assess school academic performance. State charter schools can also satisfy academic expectations on measures that account for student growth. State charter schools are considered meeting standards if they outperform the schools their students would otherwise attend on any of the relevant academic performance measures in a given year. More information about state charter school performance is available on the SCSC website.

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The State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia (SCSC) is Georgia’s state-level, independent charter school authorizing body. The mission of the SCSC is to improve public education by authorizing high-quality charter schools that provide students with better educational opportunities than they would otherwise receive in traditional district schools. The SCSC has the power to approve or deny petitions for state charter schools and renew, non-renew, or terminate state charter school petitions in accordance with Georgia law.