Today Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) released an analysis of student academic performance in all Newark public schools, charter, magnet, and traditional. This report is part of the CREDO’s City Studies Project, a series of studies examining school performance across multiple U.S. cities. The project’s goal is to provide the public with periodic reports of academic performance for public K-12 schools.
Here is a drill-down on Newark results, using data from 2014-15 to 2017-18 and comparing academic growth among public charters, magnet, and traditional district schools .
- Overall, students in Newark posted stronger learning gains compared to the New Jersey state average in reading throughout the 2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18 school years. In math, Newark students showed greater growth than the state average in 2016-17 and did not differ significantly from the state average student in the other two years.
- Newark public charter schools exhibited stronger growth than traditional district schools in reading in all three growth periods. In math, charter schools made greater progress than district schools in 2015-16 and 2017-18, while no significant difference in growth was found in 2016-17. Newark magnet schools posted greater growth than Newark district schools in reading in 2016-17 and 2017-18. There was no significant difference in math learning gains between Newark magnet schools and district schools over the three growth periods. Newark charter school students showed larger growth in math in 2017-18 relative to the Newark magnet school students. Learning gains of charter school students in Newark did not differ from that of magnet school students in reading.
- Newark Hispanic students: These students made stronger growth in reading and did not perform differently in math compared to the state average Hispanic student. Newark charter school Hispanic students showed greater learning gains in both reading and math than the state average of Hispanic students. Newark magnet school Hispanic students outperformed the average Hispanic student statewide in reading and did not grow differently in math. Within Newark, charter school Hispanic students outgrew district school Hispanic students in both reading and math; magnet school Hispanic students made greater progress than district school Hispanic students in reading.
- Newark Black students: These students made stronger learning gains in reading and similar progress in math compared to NJ’s average Black student. Black students attending Newark magnet schools outperformed the average Black student in the state in reading while growing similarly in math. Newark district school Black students’ learning gains were on par with the state average of Black students in both subjects. Newark charter school Black students exhibited stronger growth than district school Black students in both reading and math, while magnet school Black students outperformed district school black students in reading.
- English Language Learners (ELLs): Newark ELL’s show growth similar to the state average of ELLs in both reading and math. Breakout analyses by sector suggest no significant difference in learning gains among Newark’s charter, magnet, and district school ELL students.
- Students with Disabilities: Students with special education designations performed better in Newark charter and magnet school students than the average special education student in NJ. Special education students attending Newark district schools were on par with the state average in both subjects.
- Charter School Type: Newark charter schools affiliated with a Charter Management Organization (CMO) made greater progress in reading and math than the state average. Similarly, although to a lesser extent, students attending Newark independent charter schools posted stronger learning gains in both reading and math. There is no significant difference in learning gains between CMOs and independent charter schools within the Newark charter sector in reading.