CHARTER SCHOOLS DOMINATE TOP 10 LIST
NEW ORLEANS — For the first time ever, the majority of the top 10 U.S. high schools are charter schools, according to the 2017 U.S. News & World Report Top High Schools survey released Tuesday. It is a breakthrough moment that speaks to the current state of public charter schools and points to the future of charters in Louisiana and nationwide.
The Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools salutes the state’s charter schools recognized among the 16 Louisiana schools making the prestigious Top High Schools edition.
“This report speaks volumes for those who believe that providing parents with choices while holding schools accountable can change outcomes for students,” said Caroline Roemer, Executive Director for the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools. “These rankings show public charter schools are getting the job done; even at times, outperforming magnet and other selective enrollment schools. We applaud the success of our charter schools and hope other operators on the list will consider Louisiana as a place they would be welcome.”
Some of the most highly-rated schools on the list are charter school operators that already have a secure footing in Louisiana such as KIPP, while others have recently been approved to serve Louisiana students. BASIS schools, which took 4 of the top 5 spots on the list, filed a charter application with East Baton Rouge (EBR) to open a school in the fall of 2018. IDEA was recently approved by the EBR Parish School Board to open an elementary school in fall 2018.
“How exciting is it that Louisiana families will soon benefit from some of the best charter operators in the country? Kudos to the EBR School Board and Supt. Warren Drake for not shutting the door to these charters and providing Baton Rouge families with more public school options,” stated Roemer. “And to those districts who continue to keep that door locked, we hope this report opens your eyes to what is possible when you move beyond the status quo and are willing to think outside the box on how to improve public education.”
The survey also highlights the success of education reforms in New Orleans, which is now nearly all charter and where many schools have adapted to meet their students’ needs through a focus on special missions. The list included the following New Orleans charter schools:
In addition, New Orleans Military and Maritime Academy and Edna Karr received mention as Bronze Schools.
The 2017 Top High Schools report included about 28,000 high schools and is the latest research to find charter schools outpacing traditional public schools. “By allowing parents to make a choice and educators the autonomy to run their schools free of red tape, charters are silencing their foes by proving they are better prepared to meet students’ needs,” said Roemer.
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Contact: Roby Chavez rchavez@lacharterschools.org
About Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools
The Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools (LAPCS) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to support, promote, and advocate for the Louisiana charter school movement, increasing student access to high quality public schools statewide. Learn more about LAPCS at https://lacharterschools.org.