Searching for the Tipping Point: Scaling up Public School Choice Spurs Citywide Gains.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Searching for the Tipping Point: Scaling up Public School Choice Spurs Citywide Gains.
Authors: Garcia, David R.1
Source: Education Review (10945296). 2025, Vol. 32, p1-11. 11p.
Subject Terms: *Charter schools, *Statistical correlation, *Achievement gap, *Urban education, *Public schools, *Education policy, *Academic achievement, Policy analysis
Abstract: A recent report from the Progressive Policy Institute examines the impact of charter schools on the achievement of students who remain enrolled in traditional district schools. It is centered around a graph that depicts a strong positive relationship between the percentage of students enrolled in charter schools and decreases in the achievement gap (as measured in test scores) for all low-income students in selected cities. But when the reviewer ran a correlation analysis using the exact data provided in the report, he discovered that the relationship depicted in the report is, in fact, weak (r = 0.4). Moreover, while the report recognizes that correlations do not indicate causation, it still asserts that the presence of charter schools in a city, alone, has a "spillover effect" related to improvements in the academic achievement of students who are not enrolled in those charter schools. The report is fundamentally flawed for two reasons. The depictions of a strong relationship between the presence of charter schools and decreases in the achievement gap are deceiving; only a weak relationship is found in the report's data. Also, the policy recommendations are based on an enormous, unsubstantiated leap, and the report makes no effort to close this vast gap in logic in support of its recommendations. The report should be discredited as a valid contribution to policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Education Review (10945296) is the property of Educational Policy Analysis Archives & Education Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: ehh
DbLabel: Education Research Complete
An: 192075885
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Searching for the Tipping Point: Scaling up Public School Choice Spurs Citywide Gains.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Garcia%2C+David+R%2E%22">Garcia, David R.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Education+Review+%2810945296%29%22">Education Review (10945296)</searchLink>. 2025, Vol. 32, p1-11. 11p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Charter+schools%22">Charter schools</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistical+correlation%22">Statistical correlation</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Achievement+gap%22">Achievement gap</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Urban+education%22">Urban education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+schools%22">Public schools</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Education+policy%22">Education policy</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+achievement%22">Academic achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Policy+analysis%22">Policy analysis</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: A recent report from the Progressive Policy Institute examines the impact of charter schools on the achievement of students who remain enrolled in traditional district schools. It is centered around a graph that depicts a strong positive relationship between the percentage of students enrolled in charter schools and decreases in the achievement gap (as measured in test scores) for all low-income students in selected cities. But when the reviewer ran a correlation analysis using the exact data provided in the report, he discovered that the relationship depicted in the report is, in fact, weak (r = 0.4). Moreover, while the report recognizes that correlations do not indicate causation, it still asserts that the presence of charter schools in a city, alone, has a "spillover effect" related to improvements in the academic achievement of students who are not enrolled in those charter schools. The report is fundamentally flawed for two reasons. The depictions of a strong relationship between the presence of charter schools and decreases in the achievement gap are deceiving; only a weak relationship is found in the report's data. Also, the policy recommendations are based on an enormous, unsubstantiated leap, and the report makes no effort to close this vast gap in logic in support of its recommendations. The report should be discredited as a valid contribution to policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Education Review (10945296) is the property of Educational Policy Analysis Archives & Education Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=192075885
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 11
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Charter schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistical correlation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Achievement gap
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Urban education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Public schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Education policy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Academic achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Policy analysis
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Searching for the Tipping Point: Scaling up Public School Choice Spurs Citywide Gains.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Garcia, David R.
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Text: 2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 10945296
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 32
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Education Review (10945296)
              Type: main
ResultId 1