Ed Committee Data Packet Minus Turnaround Office Docs

!
TO: Connecticut General Assembly Education Committee

FROM: Jennifer Alexander, ConnCAN
SUBJECT: Information and Data on Connecticuts Public Charter Schools
DATE: 3/19/15
The following packet contains information about Connecticuts public charter schools, including
student performance, enrollment, graduation as well as policy information and data. Please
contact me at jennifer.alexander@conncan.org if you have any questions. As always, we welcome
the opportunity to work with you to ensure that all children in our state get the great public
education they need and deserve.
PACKET CONTENTS
State-Reported School Performance Index (SPI) and District Performance Index (DPI) Data
(2012-2013): All Public Charter Schools and Host Districts
Four-Year Cohort Graduation Rates (2013): All Public Charter High Schools and Host
Districts
College Enrollment, Persistence, Completion and Remediation (2014): All Public Charter
School High Schools and Select Host District High Schools (including SAT/AP data)
2013-2014 Charter Schools Enrollment in Connecticut
ConnCAN Quick Facts: Public Charter Schools in Connecticut
ConnCAN Summary and Analysis of Public Accountability for Charter Schools: Standards
and Policy Recommendations for Effective Oversight, Annenberg Institute for School
Reform, Brown University
ConnCAN Analysis: How Does SB 943, An Act Concerning Charter School Modernization
and Reform Stack up Against the NACSA Report On the Road to Better Accountability:
An Analysis of State Charter School Policies?
www.conncan.org (203) 772-4017 85 Willow St. New Haven CT 06511
State-Reported School Performance Index (SPI) and District Performance Index (DPI) Data (2012-2013)
All Public Charter Schools and Host Districts
Elementary/Middle Schools (CMT Data)
School Name
African American Latino/ Hispanic

SPI
SPI
Free/ Reduced
Lunch SPI
English
Language
Learner
SPI
Students with
Disabilities
SPI
High Needs SPI
Host District
Overall SPI
Bridgeport*
53.7
51.3
52.4
53.7
32.1
29.0
53.7
The Bridge
Academy
Bridgeport
65.2
64.6
66.1
66.6
65.9
New Beginnings Inc.

Family Academy
Bridgeport
68.5
67.9
69.2
66.4
40.8
66.1
Park City Prep

Charter School
Bridgeport
72.9
67.7
78.3
70
30.7
69.4
Achievement First
Bridgeport Academy
Bridgeport
76.7
75.9
77.2
75.8
67.6
50.2
75.7
Hamden*
75.5
62.3
67.7
63.3
53.6
44
61
Hamden
77.2
76.9
75.8
75.5
Hartford*
58.1
59.7
50.4
54.9
36.7
31.4
54.9
Jumoke
Academy
Hartford
80.1
80.2
66.7
46.4
60.5
Achievement First
Hartford Academy Inc.
Hartford
76.9
77.6
71.7
76.9
71.4
47.3
76.9
Manchester*
72.3
61.7
62.1
64.5
47.1
42.9
63.4
Manchester
79.5
75.2
80.7
74
63.9
73.5
Highville
Charter School
Odyssey
Community School
School Name

SPI
SPI
Free/ Reduced
Lunch SPI
English
Language
Learner SPI
Students with
Disabilities
SPI
High Needs SPI
Host District
Overall SPI
New Haven*
60.1
54.4
57.1
54.9
42.8
37.5
54.5
Amistad
Academy
New Haven
78.6
78.1
78.6
76.9
68.3
51.5
76.3
Elm City College

Preparatory School
New Haven
79
77.8
81.2
76.3
49.7
76.3
New London*
61.4
60.7
58.3
59.5
41.5
28.8
59
New London
70
65.3
62
62
38.6
44.3
63.2
Norwalk*
78
66.6
73.4
69.2
54.4
46.8
67.6
Norwalk
68.1
57.9
70.4
61.4
58.9
Norwich*
61.2
48.1
54.3
56
37
29.2
55.5
Norwich
72.4
48.7
70.5
58.9
36.2
55.2
Stamford*
76.6
62.1
69.2
65.8
52.7
45
65
Trailblazers
Academy
Stamford
44.1
42.7
44.9
43.7
32.1
43.6
ALL CHARTERS*
AVERAGE
72.1
68.3
70.9
68.0
61.5
44.8
66.9
ALL SCHOOLS
IN STATE*
AVERAGE
78.3
62.5
67.4
68.1
48.4
50.3
66.3
Interdistrict School For

Arts And Communication
Side By Side
Charter School
Integrated Day
Charter School
Note: Please see page 3 for performance data for high schools (CAPT Data).
High Schools (CAPT Data)
School Name

SPI
SPI
Free/ Reduced
Lunch SPI
English
Language
Learner SPI
Students with
Disabilities
SPI
High Needs SPI
Host District
Overall SPI
Bridgeport
38.4
35.9
38.1
38.2
20.1
12.5
37.9
The Bridge
Academy
Bridgeport
60.1
57.3
61.1
61.5
Achievement First Bridgeport

Academy
Bridgeport
77.6
77.3
78.3
78.3
New Haven
53.3
46.9
47.8
47.2
25.3
30.7
46.3
Common Ground
High School
New Haven
73.8
65.7
66.1
Amistad
Academy
New Haven
81.1
80
80.4
80.4
Elm City College Preparatory

School
New Haven
73.2
Stamford
68.8
49.6
62.5
57.4
36.5
40.1
56.1
Stamford
34.2
34.2
34.2
Stamford
Academy
Winchester
No data available.
Explorations
Charter School
Winchester
No data available.
ALL CHARTERS*
AVERAGE
66.7
71.5
63.9
64.1
ALL SCHOOLS IN STATE*
AVERAGE
73.4
56.5
60.0
61.2
26.9
46.3
60.5
Notes and Resources:

1. Unavailable data: To protect student identities, the state only reports a score for a group of more than 20 students. SPIs are also not available in schools without tested grades
(grades 3-8 and 10). In this document, if no data was reported, it is noted with a dash (-) or the phrase No Data Available.
2. School and District Performance Index (SPI and DPI): The SPI or DPI is a score numbered from 0 to 100 that represents student performance across all tested grades and subjects
within a school or district. It is a number from 0-100 that explains how well students are performing on one of two standardized tests: The Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) or the Connecticut
Academic Performance Test (CAPT). The state calculates that SPI for a given school or DPI for a given district by averaging all of the scores received by students at the school for a given year
in all tested grades and subjects. Students receive 100 points for reaching the Goal or Advanced benchmarks on either of these tests, 67 points for reaching Proficient, 33 points for
reaching Basic, and zero points for reaching Below Basic in each tested subject. The State Department of Education has set the goal for all schools at an SPI of 88 as an ultimate target
to attain by 2024. In most cases, schools have one SPI, based on either CMT or CAPT scores. For schools with students in both lower and upper grades, which must therefore administer
both tests, the state reports separate SPIs for CMT and CAPT. CAPT data is also reported separately for Amistad Academy, Elm City College Preparatory School, and Achievement First
Bridgeport Academy; however, all of these students attend Amistad High School in New Haven. The distinction represents the elementary/middle school of origin. More comprehensive and/or
detailed information is available from Achievement First.
SPIs and DPIs are reported for overall performance as well as some specific student groups based on race/ethnicity and student need: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, English
Language Learners, Free/Reduced Lunch Eligible, Students with Disabilities, and High Needs. High Needs is defined as follows: A student is a member of the High Needs group if that
student is a member of any of the following subgroups: students with disabilities, English Language Learners, or students who are eligible for free or reduced lunch. More information on SPI
and DPI is available through the Conn. State Dept. of Educ. Source: Conn. State Dept. of Educ., School and District Performance Reports. 2012-2013. Hyperlink:
http://www.csde.state.ct.us/public/performancereports/reports.asp
3. Year of Data Used: Data in this document is reported for the 2012-2013 school year because it is the most recent publicly available data available with SPIs and DPIs calculated for all
schools, subjects, and districts. The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) received approval from the U.S. Department of Education (USED) to offer districts the choice, for
2013-14, to administer the Smarter Balanced Field Test (SB-FT) in lieu of the Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) and/or the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT) in English Language
Arts and Mathematics. Pursuant to this field-test flexibility, about 90 percent of Connecticut school districts administered the SB-FT. Only those districts that administered the CMT and/or
CAPT in English Language Arts and Mathematics will receive district school performance reports in 2013-14. Source: Conn. State Dept. of Educ., 2013-2014 School/District Performance
Notes. 2014. Hyperlink: http://www.csde.state.ct.us/public/performancereports/Reports/2014/DPR_SPR_Report_Notes_for_201314.pdf
Four-Year Cohort Graduation Rates (2013)

All Public Charter High Schools and Host Districts
%
Asian
%
Indian or
Alaska
Native
%
Black or
African
American
%
Hawaiian
or Pacific
Islander
61.3%
86.8%
86.5%
70.9%
88.6%
100%
New
Haven
71.4%
62.4%
92.9%
Common
Ground
High School
New Haven
89.5%
82.4%
Amistad
Academy
New Haven
69.6%
Elm City
College
Preparatory
New Haven
Public
Charter
School
The Bridge
Academy
Stamford
Academy
%
White
%
Two or
More
Races
%
English
Language
Learners
%
Eligible
for Free
Lunch
%
Eligible for
Reduced
Lunch
%
Special
Education
64.8%
58.2%
66.6%
76.4%
50%
88.2%
66.7%
100%
50%
66.7%
72.0%
83.1%
52.9%
68.1%
83.4%
53.4%
100.0%
85.7%
80.0%
100.0%
77.8%
61.1%
61.5%
66.7%
60.0%
Stamford
88.9%
81.2%
93.8%
87.6%
95.0%
72.7%
82.2%
86.3%
82.2%
Stamford
27.0%
23.5%
31.6%
29.0%
33.3%
Host
District
%
All
Students
%
Hispanic
Bridgeport
67.3%
Bridgeport
No data available.
Winchester
sks
Explorations
Charter
School
Winchester
65.6%
70.4%
55.6%
37.5%
ALL
CHARTERS
AVERAGE
67.0%
68.6%
72.9%
78.1%
66.7%
64.3%
75.0%
45.8%
STATE
TOTAL
85.5%
70.2%
93.2%
81.8%
75.7%
89.0%
91.4%
82.3%
63.8%
68.6%
84.2%
64.7%

1. Unavailable Data: In order to protect individual student identities, the State Department of Education uses an asterisk (*) to denote a group of less than 5 students. In this
document, if no data was reported by the state for a category, it is noted with a dash (-) or the phrase No Data Available. Because Winchester Public Schools does not
have a public high school within its district, and the town of Winchester is not part of a public regional school district, there is no host district comparison included for
Explorations Charter School in Winchester.
2. Definition of Four-Year Cohort Graduation Rate: The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) introduced the four-year cohort graduation rate with the graduating
class of 2009. This approach was created when Connecticut and 49 other states signed an agreement with the National Governors Association to develop a uniform system for
tracking students. The four-year cohort graduation rate is calculated by tracking an individual cohort, or group of students, from their initial entrance into Grade 9 through to graduation.
The four-year cohort graduation rate represents the percentage of students who earn a standard high school diploma within four years. The calculation uses individual student-level
data from the state's Public School Information System (PSIS) that school districts submitted and superintendents certified. Data in this document includes all subgroups reported by
the CSDE, with the following exceptions: male, female, non-Hispanic, non-ELL, non-Special Education, and not eligible for lunch. Source: Office of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, Gov. Malloy:
Graduation Rate Increases for Fourth Consecutive Year. May 14, 2014. Hyperlink: http://www.governor.ct.gov/malloy/cwp/view.asp?A=4010&Q=545016
3. Amistad Academy: Data is reported separately for Amistad Academy and Elm City College Preparatory School; however, both sets of students attend Amistad High School in New
Haven. The distinction represents the elementary/middle school of origin. More comprehensive and/or detailed graduation rate information is available from Achievement First. All data
reported in this document is from the Conn. State Dept. of Education.
4. Additional Data Source: Files with graduation rates available by state, district, and school for 2013 and prior years are also available at the following website. Source: Conn. State
Dept. of Educ., Four Year Cohort Graduation Rate Data by State, District, and School (2013). May 14, 2014. Hyperlink: http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2758&q=334898
College Enrollment, Persistence, Completion and Remediation (2014)

All Public Charter School High Schools and Select Host District High Schools
Enrollment:
Persistence:
Completion:
Remediation:
% Enrolled in College
First Year after Graduation
(Class of 2012)
% Freshman to Sophomore
Persistence Rate
(Class of 2011)
% Completed Postsecondary
Degree
Within 6 Years
(Class of 2007)
% Enrolled in CT Public
College/Univ. Taking Remedial
Coursework
(Class of 2010)
City
School
Type
Bridgeport
Charter
The Bridge
Academy
67%
77%
37%
33%
Traditional
Central High School
64%
82%
27%
74%
Traditional
Bassick High School
44%
71%
11%
83%
Charter
Amistad Academy
High School
100%
100%
29%
Charter
Common Ground
High School
70%
89%
7%
80%
Traditional
Wilbur Cross High

School
55%
67%
16%
76%
59%
79%
15%
78%
33%
29%
8%
>95%
Traditional Stamford High School
75%
87%
43%
68%
Traditional
Westhill High School
74%
89%
41%
61%
Charter
Explorations
Charter School
39%
44%
13%
CHARTER AVG.
62%
68%
16%
59%
STATE TOTAL
72%
46%
48%
New
Haven
School Name
Traditional Hillhouse High School

Stamford
Winchester
Charter
Stamford
Academy
Advanced Placement (AP) Exam Data (2014)

All Public Charter School High Schools and Select Host District High Schools
Number of
Exams Taken
Number of Exams
Scoring 3-5
% Exams
Scoring 3-5
The Bridge
Academy
Traditional
Central High School
235
115
48.9%
Traditional
Bassick High School
91
7.7%
Charter
Achievement First Hartford High School
38
11
28.9%
Traditional
Classical Magnet School
26
26.9%
Traditional
Bulkeley High School
37
11
29.7%
Charter
Amistad Academy
High School
133
58
43.6%
Charter
Common Ground
46
13
28.3%
Traditional
Wilbur Cross High School
250
95
38.0%
Traditional
Hillhouse High School
138
22
15.9%
Charter
Stamford Academy
Traditional
Stamford High School
651
397
61.0%
Traditional
Westhill High School
948
648
68.4%
Charter
Explorations
Charter School
CHARTER AVG.
36
21
56.7%
STATE TOTAL
45,908
32,686
71.2%
City
School Type
School Name
Bridgeport
Charter
Hartford
New Haven
Stamford
Winchester
SAT Data (2013)

All Public Charter High Schools and Host Districts
Host District
Average
Composite Score
% Scoring Above
600 on Any Test
Participation
Rate
Bridgeport
1195.3
6%
62%
Bridgeport
1158.1
6%
97%
New Haven
1186.2
7%
97%
Amistad Academy
High School
New Haven
1472.3
23%
100%
Common Ground
High School
New Haven
1320
16%
100%
Stamford
1472.5
29%
68%
Stamford
812.5
School Name
The Bridge
Academy
Stamford
Academy
No data available.
Winchester
Explorations
Charter School
Winchester
CHARTER AVG.
1190.7
15%
99%
STATE TOTAL
1507.0
33%
73%

1. Unavailable data: In this document, if no data was reported, it is noted with a dash (-) or the phrase No Data Available. An asterisk (*) means that there were too few
students to report data. Because Winchester Public Schools does not have a public high school within its district, and the town of Winchester is not part of a public regional
school district, there is no host district comparison included for Explorations Charter School in Winchester.
2. College enrollment, persistence, and completion: These figures were collected from the Connecticut State Department of Education in reports generated by the National Student
Clearinghouse. Data is available on the individual high school and statewide level. According to the state, These reports provide the most complete data about college going, persistence,
and graduation that currently exist for Connecticuts public high schoolsThey provide information about students who graduated from Connecticut Public High Schools in 2006-07
through 2011-12 and subsequently enrolled in postsecondary institutions nationally at any point between June 2007 and November 14, 2014. Freshman to Sophomore Persistence is
defined as the percentage of students enrolled in postsecondary education the first year after high school who remained enrolled at any postsecondary education the following year. Sixyear completion rates include associates, bachelors, and advanced degree completion at two and four-year institutions but does not include certificates. If no data was reported, it is
noted with a dash (-). Source: Conn. State Dept. of Educ. and National Student Clearinghouse, High School Reports on College Enrollment, Persistence, and Graduation. July 21, 2014.
Hyperlink: http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2758&Q=33528
See also Conn. State Dept. of Educ., College Enrollment, Persistence, and Graduation: Statewide Results. 2014. Hyperlink:
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/evalresearch/college_enrollment_persistence_graduation_statewide_results.pdf
3. College remediation: Remediation rates are based on the percentage of students who attended public high school in Connecticut, enrolled in a Connecticut State University or
Community College, and enrolled in at least one remediation course. This data is the most recent, publicly available and is from the high school graduating class of 2010. Source: Conn.
State Dept. of Educ., College Entrance, Remediation, and Credit Earning: Results from P20WIN for the Graduation Cohort of 2010. 2014. Hyperlink:
http://www.ct.edu/files/pdfs/p20win/RemediationReport-Classof2010-P20WIN.pdf
4. Postsecondary data comparisons: Data on college enrollment, persistence, and completion is currently only available on a statewide and individual school level. In order to provide
comparison between charter high school and host district high schools, two high schools were selected from each host district. The two schools were selected were the largest two high
schools in the host district based on 2013-2014 total school enrollment. Data was included on a school level for remediation although it is available on a district level in the primary source
to maintain consistency in this document. Source: Conn. State Dept. of Educ., Public District Enrollment by Race and Gender. 2013-2013. Hyperlink:
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2758&q=334898
5. AP Exam Data (2014): According to the College Board, a score of 3 on the AP exam is the Qualified level, at which a candidate is capable of doing introductory-level coursework in
college. AP data for 2014 is the most recent publicly available and is currently only available on a statewide and individual school level. AP state total data includes only public school
candidates. In order to provide comparison between charter high school and host district high schools, two high schools were selected from each host district. The two schools were
selected were the largest two high schools in the host district based on 2013-2014 total school enrollment. ConnCAN calculated the percentage of exams scoring 3 or higher based on the
numbers for total exams taken and exams scoring a 3 or higher. Sources: Conn. State Dept. of Educ., Score Summary by High School Class of 2014. 2014. Hyperlink:
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/evalresearch/cthsdata201314.pdf.
See also College Board, Connecticut Summary. 2014. Hyperlink: http://research.collegeboard.org/programs/ap/data/participation/ap-2014
See also College Board, About AP Scores. 2014. Hyperlink: https://apscore.collegeboard.org/scores/about-ap-scores
6. SAT Test Data (2013): SAT data for 2013 is the most recent publicly available that includes information regarding participation rates and college readiness benchmark data by state,
district, and school. According to the College Board, the college-readiness benchmark for the SAT is 1550. However, the number of students at this level is not available by high school.
Instead, the percentage of students scoring above 600 on any SAT section is included here as a proxy for this benchmark. Participation rate refers to the participation rate refers to the
percentage of seniors taking the SAT. All 2013 SAT data is available in a series of data tables from the source cited for the 2012-2013 school year. Sources: Conn. State Dept. of Educ.,
Connecticut Education Data and Research (CEDaR). 2012-2013. Hyperlink: http://sdeportal.ct.gov/Cedar/WEB/ct_report/CedarHome.aspx Table names: SAT Composite Scores; SAT Over
600; Percent of Seniors by District and School.
Public Charter School Enrollment (2013-2014)

All Public Charter School Schools and Host Districts
Host District
Total
Enrollment
%
Free or
Reduced
Priced
Lunch
Bridgeport
20,710
99.9%
12.6%
13.0%
0.4%
2.8%
37.5%
10.1%
48.7%
0.1%
0.4%
The Bridge
Academy
Bridgeport
277
77.6%
13.0%
55.2%
36.8%
4.0%
New Beginnings
Inc. Family
Academy
Bridgeport
402
83.1%
7.7%
0.0%
0.0%
70.6%
2.0%
25.1%
2.0%
Park City Prep

Charter School
Bridgeport
260
55.4%
8.1%
0.0%
53.8%
5.0%
39.6%
0.0%
Achievement First
Bridgeport
Academy
Bridgeport
835
78.9%
6.9%
12.1%
0.8%
56.3%
1.3%
40.7%
0.0%
0.7%
Hamden
5,745
40.6%
12.6%
4.1%
0.1%
8.1%
29.3%
41.6%
16.8%
4.0%
Hamden
361
72.0%
4.2%
0.0%
0.0%
94.2%
3.3%
0.0%
Hartford
21,250
84.7%
13.4%
16.7%
0.3%
3.2%
31.2%
12.4%
49.5%
0.2%
3.3%
Jumoke
Academy
Hartford
704
63.8%
5.3%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
97.0%
0.0%
2.7%
0.0%
Achievement First
Hartford Academy
Hartford
871
99.8%
8.8%
3.4%
83.0%
15.4%
1.1%
Manchester
6,210
54.9%
12.8%
5.7%
0.4%
8.2%
22.0%
40.3%
24.8%
4.4%
School Name
Highville
Charter School
%
Special
Education
%
English
Language
Learners
%
American
Indian
%
Asian
American
% Black or
African
American
%
White
%
Hispanic
or Latino
%
Pacific
Islander
%
Two or
More
Races
School Name
Host District
Total
Enrollment
%
Free or
Reduced
Priced
Lunch
Odyssey
Community
School
Manchester
325
33.5%
8.6%
0.0%
10.2%
22.2%
47.7%
16.6%
0.0%
3.1%
New Haven
21,304
65.9%
11.3%
12.7%
0.2%
2.1%
42.9%
15.1%
39.3%
0.0%
0.4%
Amistad
Academy
New Haven
937
84.5%
5.4%
10.9%
0.0%
59.9%
1.7%
36.3%
0.0%
1.8%
Common Ground
High School
New Haven
180
57.2%
16.7%
0.0%
32.2%
21.7%
41.7%
0.0%
3.9%
Elm City College

Preparatory
School
New Haven
624
77.7%
6.9%
7.2%
75.6%
1.1%
21.8%
0.0%
New London
3,068
70.6%
17.1%
19.2%
0.6%
1.2%
23.7%
17.9%
49.5%
0.2%
6.9%
New London
246
62.2%
15.9%
15.4%
15.9%
29.3%
47.6%
0.0%
4.1%
Norwalk
11,091
49.2%
10.8%
11.5%
0.1%
4.8%
19.3%
35.0%
39.2%
0.1%
1.5%
Norwalk
235
49.4%
5.5%
6.8%
0.0%
7.7%
26.4%
18.3%
40.9%
6.0%
Norwich
3,740
73.4%
14.7%
12.4%
0.8%
7.1%
18.1%
35.6%
28.0%
0.3%
10.1%
Norwich
330
35.5%
9.7%
8.5%
9.4%
8.5%
60.6%
12.7%
0.0%
8.5%
Stamford
15,811
46.3%
9.9%
11.8%
0.1%
8.5%
19.2%
33.8%
37.3%
1.1%
Interdistrict
School For Arts
And
Communication
Side By Side
Charter School
Integrated Day
Charter School
%
Special
Education
%
English
Language
Learners
%
American
Indian
%
Asian
American
% Black or
African
American
%
White
%
Hispanic
or Latino
%
Pacific
Islander
%
Two or
More
Races
School Name
Host District
Total
Enrollment
%
Free or
Reduced
Priced
Lunch
Stamford
Academy
Stamford
149
96.6%
16.8%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
61.1%
35.6%
0.0%
Trailblazers
Academy
Stamford
162
88.3%
24.7%
0.0%
0.0%
54.9%
3.7%
38.9%
0.0%
Waterbury
18,611
82.4%
16.6%
11.4%
0.4%
1.5%
23.9%
21.3%
49.4%
0.1%
3.3%
Waterbury
115
63.5%
5.2%
0.0%
0.0%
30.4%
17.4%
40.9%
0.0%
10.4%
Winchester
626
55.6%
17.4%
3.7%
2.2%
91.9%
4.2 %
Explorations
Charter School
Winchester
83
32.5%
32.5%
0.0%
91.6%
0.0%
ALL CHARTERS
TOTAL
7,096
73.2%
8.6%
5.1%
1.3%
60.6%
9.4%
25.8%
1.9%
STATE
TOTAL
545,614
37.1%
12.1%
5.7%
0.3%
4.7%
12.9%
58.5%
21.2%
0.1%
2.4%
Brass City
Charter School
%
Special
Education
%
English
Language
Learners
%
%
American Asian Am
Indian
erican
% Black or
African
American
%
White
%
Hispanic
or Latino
%
Pacific
Islander
%
Two or
More
Races

1. Unavailable data: In order to protect individual student identities, the Conn. State Dept. of Educ. uses an asterisk (*) to denote a group of less than 5 students.
2. Total enrollment and demographic data: The data is reported for the 2013-2014 school year because it is the most recent publicly available enrollment data. Data for all racial/ethnic
groups reported by the Conn. State Dept. of Educ. is included in this document. Since this dataset did not include percentages for student group enrollment, ConnCAN calculated
percentages using the numbers reported in the primary source for student group enrollment and total enrollment for the schools and districts included in this document. Percentages for
individual school, all charters, and total state enrollment are as accurate as possible without factoring in additional student enrollment denoted as asterisks by the Conn. State Dept. of
Educ. This document also includes all student subgroups reported in the primary source with the exception of male and female.
Sources: Conn. State Dept. of Educ., Public District Enrollment by Race and Gender. 2013-2014. Hyperlink: http://www.csde.state.ct.us/public/performancereports/reports.asp
For percentages of total student group enrollment for all charter schools and all public school students in the state of Connecticut, see also Conn. State Dept. of Educ.
presentation to Conn. State Board of Educ., Turnaround Office Update. December 11, 2014. Hyperlink: http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2683&Q=335558
3. Enrollment by student need indicator: The data is reported for the 2013-2014 school year because it is the most recent publicly available enrollment data by district. This dataset
contains counts and percentages counts and percentages of special education students, English Language Learners (ELL), and students eligible for free or reduced price meals by district
for the 2013-14 school year. In order to protect individual student identities, the Conn. State Dept. of Educ. uses an asterisk (*) to denote a group of less than 5 students. Source: Conn.
Open Data, Indicators of Educational Need by District. 2013-14. Hyperlink: https://data.ct.gov/Education/Indicators-of-Educational-Need-by-District-2013-14/ufj7-82t7
4. New charter schools not included: Since the data reported in this document is from the 2013-2014 school year, it does not include enrollment for the four charter schools that opened
in the 2014-2015 school year: Path Academy (state charter, Windham), Elm City Montessori (local charter, New Haven), Booker T. Washington Academy (state charter, New Haven), or
Great Oaks Bridgeport (state charter, Bridgeport).
Sources: Conn. State Dept. of Educ., State Board of Education Approves 4 New Charter Schools. April 4, 2014. Hyperlink:
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/pressroom/state_board_of_education_approves_4_new_charter_schools.pdf
See also Conn. State Dept. of Educ., State Board of Education Takes Action: Approves Two Commissioner's Network Plans and One Local Charter Application; Authorizes
Flexibility Requests Concerning State Standardized Tests for 2013-14. July 16, 2013. Hyperlink:
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/pressroom/state_board_of_education_takes_action_071613.pdf
Quick Facts: Public Charter Schools in Connecticut

Charter schools are non-profit, tuition-free, public schools of choice under Connecticut law. They are
approved by the State Board of Education and are subject to renewal every five years.
Charter Performance
Charter schools provide high-quality options for minority and high-needs students. At least 75% of charter
schools exceed state averages for African American, Hispanic/Latino, and English Language Learner student
performance at the elementary/middle school level.
Connecticuts charter schools are also preparing students for college and career. A number of charter high
schools report college acceptance rates between 90% and 100%, with similarly high college persistence rates.
Student Enrollment
Charter schools cannot restrict student enrollment in any way. If demand is higher than the number of
available seats, enrollment is determined through a random lottery.
Charter schools serve a predominantly low-income and minority population. More than 85% of students in
Connecticut's charter schools are African American or Hispanic, and more than 70% of charter school students
are low-income.
On average, 9% of charter school students qualify for special education and 5% are English Language Learners.
There are currently 22 public charter schools serving more than 8,200 students. This accounts for 1.3% of the
states student population. Two more schools are approved to open in the 2015-2016 school year.
Charter Policy and Funding
21 of the 22 charter schools in Connecticut are funded entirely by the state. There is no required contribution
from cities or towns for state charter schools.
Connecticuts charter law is among the most outdated and lowest rated in the U.S., ranking 35th out of 43
states that have charter school laws.
Connecticuts charter authorizing policies are among the countrys weakest, ranking 21st out of 21 states that
have few authorizers.
Charter schools receive significantly less funding per pupil than similar traditional public schools - often
several thousands of dollars less. Evidence demonstrates an equity gap in funding between district and charter
students of greater than 30%.
Demand for Charters Exceeds Growth
The demand for charter schools in Connecticut is high. In 2013-2014, the number of students on waiting
lists for charter schools was more than 3,600.
Charter growth has not kept pace with parent demand. Between 2010 and 2014, the number of total charter
school seats available has increased by 37%, while the number of students on waiting lists for charter schools
has only decreased by only 13%.
Prior to the approval of seven charter schools between 2013 and 2014, Connecticut had not expanded charter
school growth in five years.
Charters serve our highest-need students. All of the existing and approved charter schools are located
within the states lowest performing districts. Some charter schools have a specialized focus for underserved
student populations, including English Language Learners and over-aged, under-credited youth.
Notes and Resources

1. Charter school law: Conn. Gen. Stat. 10-66aa (2014) http://www.cga.ct.gov/2013/pub/chap_164.htm#sec_10-66aa
See also Conn. Gen. Stat. 10-66bb (2014) http://www.cga.ct.gov/2013/pub/chap_164.htm#sec_10-66bb
See also Conn. Gen. Stat. 10-223f (2014) http://www.cga.ct.gov/2014/sup/chap_170.htm#sec_10-223f
See also Conn. Gen. Stat. 10-66ee(d)(1) (2014) http://www.cga.ct.gov/2014/sup/chap_164.htm#sec_10-66ee
See also Public Act 12-116 32 (f)(2) http://cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm
Notes: 1) Local charter schools require approval from the local Board of Education before State Board of Education approval. 2) Although state charter
schools receive their funding from the state, one exception to this law is where a charter school and its host district enter into a voluntary agreement by
which the charter schools student performance data may be calculated in the host district performance index, in exchange for in-kind contributions or
other arrangements pursuant to this agreement. 3) Connecticut state law requires that two of the first four state charter schools approved between July
2012 and July 2017 must have a dual language or English Language Learner focus.
2. Enrollment and performance data: Conn. State Dept. of Educ., Charter School Accountability & 2015 Renewal. Presentation to the Conn.
State Board of Educ. January 2015. http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2683&q=322228
See also Conn. State Dept. of Educ., Biennial Report on the Operation of Charter Schools. 2014.
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/equity/charter/report_on_the_operation_of_charter_schools.pdf
See also Conn. State Dept. of Educ., School & District Performance Reports 2012-2013.
http://www.csde.state.ct.us/public/performancereports/20122013reports.asp
Notes: All student enrollment, performance, and wait list figures are the most recently available from the CSDE and based on data available for
all charter schools in that year. Student subgroup enrollment figures are based on 2013-2014 data. The definition of low-income in this
document is the percentage of students who qualify for free/reduced price lunch. Total enrollment figures are based on 2014-2015 student data.
Performance figures are based on 2012-2013 School Performance Index (SPI) data for all subgroups with available data within each charter
school; SPIs were reported for 14 charter schools on the CMT (elementary/middle school) and 6 charter schools on the CAPT (high school). Wait
list totals are based on 2013-2014 and 2009-2010 data. In 2009-2010, the number of students on wait lists was 4,186 and the number of
students enrolled in charters was 5,170. In 2013-2014, the number of students on wait lists was 3,633 and the number of students enrolled in
charters was 7,085.
3. National-level research reports: National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS). Measuring Up to the Model: A Ranking of State
Charter School Laws - Connecticut. January 2015. http://www.publiccharters.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/model_law_2015.pdf
See also The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NASCA). On The Road to Better Accountability: An Analysis of State Charter
School Policies. December 2014. http://www.qualitycharters.org/assets/files/Documents/Policy/NACSA_014_SLR_FINAL_1-15-15.pdf
See also University of Arkansas. Charter School Funding: Inequity Expands. April 2014. http://www.uaedreform.org/wp-content/uploads/charterschool-funding-report.pdf
Notes: In the NAPCS report, Connecticut ranks in the lowest tier of states. In the NASCA report, Connecticut earns only four points out of a
possible 30 points in an evaluation that measured authorizer performance and evaluation, management, and school default closure proceedings.
4. Recent approvals and openings: All Conn. State Dept. of Education press releases on charter school approvals listed below link to the
approved applications and may be found at this hyperlink: http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2604&Q=320362
See Conn. State Dept. of Educ., State Board of Education Approves 4 New Charter Schools. April 2, 2014.
See also Conn. State Dept. of Educ., State Board of Education Takes Action: Approves Two Commissioners Network Plans and One Local
Charter Application; Authorizes Flexibility Requests Concerning State Standardized Tests for 2013-14. July 16, 2013.
See also Conn. State Dept. of Educ., New State Charter Schools Approved by State Board of Education. June 6, 2013.
Notes: The first of these new schools opened in Waterbury at the start of the 2013-14 school year. All seven schools are expected to open by the start of
the 2015-16 school year. The applications for Great Oaks Charter School in Bridgeport and the Path Academy in Windham both indicate an ELL
specialization. Path Academy also serves over-aged, under-credited youth. Both schools opened in the fall of 2014.
5. College acceptance and persistence: Conn. State Dept. of Educ., High School Reports on College Enrollment, Persistence, and
Graduation. July 2014. http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2758&Q=335288
See also Common Ground High School. http://commongroundct.org/high-school/college-success/
See also Amistad High School. http://www.achievementfirst.org/schools/connecticut-schools/achievement-first-amistad-high-school/
Notes: College persistence rates indicate the percent of high school graduates who enrolled in college in the year following high school and
were still enrolled through their sophomore year. College acceptance rates are reported individually by high school for 2014.
Summary and Analysis of Public Accountability for Charter Schools: Standards and
Policy Recommendations for Effective Oversight, Annenberg Institute for School
Reform, Brown University1
This report includes seven broad standards to provide guidance for public charter school governance based on
oversight, transparency, and policy recommendations. These standards and recommendations2 address charter
school performance, attrition, discipline, funding, and governance/oversight. The reports goal is to advance
standards that benefit both charter schools and traditional schools and help rebuild public trust in our nations
public education system.
The seven broad standards are promising as they focus on ensuring quality performance,
public transparency, comparable structures, resources, and conditions to traditional public
schools:
1. Traditional districts and charter schools should work together to ensure a coordinated
approach that serves all children.
2. School governance should be representative and transparent.
3. Charter schools should ensure equal access to interested students and prohibit
practices that discourage enrollment or disproportionately push enrolled students out of
the school.
4. Charter school discipline policy should be fair and transparent.
5. Since all students deserve equitable and adequate school facilities, districts and charter
schools should work together to ensure that facility arrangements do not disadvantage
students in either sector.
6. Online charter schools should be better regulated for quality, transparency, and the
protection of student data (note: CT has no online charters).
7. Monitoring and oversight of charter schools is critical to protecting the public interest.
They should be strong and fully funded by the state.
The report offers some promising recommendations that promote strong accountability
and oversight, without compromising quality or flexibility, including:
Requiring full financial disclosure reports from members of charter school governing
boards, identifying potential conflicts of interest with the school, management company, or
other charter schools.
Requiring every charter school to make its school discipline policy publicly available on the
schools website.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1
Source: The Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Public Accountability for Charter Schools:
Standards and Policy Recommendations for Effective Oversight. Sept. 2014. Hyperlink:
http://annenberginstitute.org/sites/default/files/CharterAccountabilityStds.pdf
2
The recommendations were developed when, in 2012-2013, the Annenberg Institute for School Reform (AISR) and
Communities for Public Education Reform (CPER) convened a working group of grassroots organizers and leaders from
cities across the country. The working group identified common areas of concern related to charter school expansion
and studied both current state charter school laws as well as model laws and standards from the National Alliance for
Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) and the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA). The standards
and recommendations in this report is the culmination of the groups work.
Requiring an annual assessment on the impact of charter schools on traditional school

districts conducted by the CSDE, including information pertaining to: flow of funding,
student enrollment, educational outcomes, and best practices to be shared across sectors.
The report, however, includes a number of recommendations that would restrict the
autonomy and flexibility that is key to charters ability to best serve students and could
prevent high-quality options from growing and serving more kids in Connecticut,
including:
Capping the number of charter schools the State Department of Education may grant
unless and until adequate oversight is provided.
With nearly 40,000 students in Connecticut trapped in persistently failing
schools,3 the state cannot afford to slow or halt the growth of high-quality
options.
Setting limitations on charter school board membership (including geographical or
representational limitations).
This further limits and restricts the flexibility and independent governance
central to charter schools to deliver a high quality education to traditionally
underserved students.
Require that charter schools retain legal counsel as well as accounting and financial audit
capacity that is independent of any Charter Management Organization.
Managing charter schools in requirements such as this undermines the authority
and autonomy granted to charter school boards to make operational and
financial decisions that are in the best interests of the students they serve.
Moreover, requiring schools to retain legal counsel and other such services
would impose unnecessary and redundant costs to schools. Charter schools
that belong to a CMO depend on legal and other services that are centralized
within charter management organization, just as traditional public schools rely
on their school district for centralized services.
While we must hold schools accountable for unacceptable practices, we should not punish the public charter
schools that continue to provide a high-quality option to students. In updating our charter law, we must set
policies to push for stronger authorizing and State Board oversight without over-regulation that would stifle
innovation and prevent these schools from fulfilling their mission and delivering a high-quality education
to our states most underserved students. With nearly 4,000 families on charter school waitlists, we must find
ways to ensure that parents who are demanding these options should have an opportunity to send their children
to high-quality public schools.4
The Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now is a research and advocacy organization committed to promoting
student-focused policies to ensure all of Connecticuts students have equal access to quality public schools.
Learn more at conncan.org.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3
ConnCAN. A Crisis We Can Solve: Connecticuts Failing Schools and Their Impact. November 2014.
http://www.conncan.org/media-room/2014-11-connecticut-education-in-crisis-40000-children-trapp
4
Conn. State Dept. of Educ. Charter School Accountability & 2015 Renewal. Presentation to the Connecticut State
Board of Education. January 2015. http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2683&q=322228
How does SB 943, An Act Concerning Charter School Modernization and Reform Stack up Against the NACSA Report On the
Road to Better Accountability: An Analysis of State Charter School Policies?
In its report, On the Road to Better Accountability: An Analysis of State Charter School Policies,1 the National Association of Charter School Authorizers
(NACSA) identifies eight state policies to increase accountability for public charter schools and their authorizers. This report shows that Connecticuts charter
school authorizing policies and nearly 20-year old public charter school law lag far behind other states and must be improved to ensure proper
accountability for public charter schools and charter school authorizers.
This legislative session, through SB 943, An Act Concerning Charter School Modernization and Reform, Connecticut has the opportunity to strengthen our
outdated public charter school law to reflect national best practices in charter school authorizing, governance, and oversight. The NACSA report helps identify
areas of weakness with our current law, and offers recommendations on creating stronger charter accountability policies, such as: approving only high-quality
new schools, monitoring performance of all schools, empowering successful schools to grow, and closing schools that persistently fail.
According to NACSA report, Connecticut ranks lowest in its group of 21 states,2 scoring only 4 out of 30 possible points, and earning points in only
one out of the eight identified policy areas.3 Connecticut is falling behind other states, as four top-ranked states in this category recently underwent major
revisions to their charter law.
According to NACSA :
Connecticut needs to significantly improve its charter law to include charter school accountability policies that institute authorizer accountability
Connecticut should also examine its current law regarding charter school board governance and financial and organizational transparency to ensure
that it provides an authorizer the information needed to enforce charter contracts in a timely manner.
The table below shows that SB 943 would reflect many of the NACSAs policy recommendations to significantly improve Connecticuts authorizing
policies and align the states laws and policies to reflect best practices.
Natl Assn of Charter School Authorizers, On the Road to Better Accountability: An Analysis of State Charter School Policies, Dec. 2014.
http://www.qualitycharters.org/assets/files/Documents/Policy/NACSA_014_SLR_FINAL_1-15-15.pdf.
2
Connecticut falls into Group 3, which is for states with only 1-2 non-district authorizers because the State Board of Education (SBE) is the only authorizer for state charter schools. Local charter
schools must be approved first by the local Board of Education, then by the SBE. Id.
3
Connecticut earns four points for Alternative Authorizer, because the State Board of Education (SBE) is considered an alternative authorizer. See id.
Comparison of NACSAs Recommendations to SB 943
NACSA Recommendation
S.B. No. 943
Establish authorizer standards consistent with national professional

standards and best practices.
Adopts best practices of quality authorizing, including increased accountability

and oversight measures for charter schools, charter management
organizations, and the states authorizer.
Authorizes the State Department of Education to issue regulations requiring
background checks, anti-nepotism policies, and conflict of interest policies
consistent with state law and best practices in nonprofit corporate governance
Require regular annual and public performance reporting by

authorizers on overall and school-specific performance.
Requires annual performance and accountability reporting by governing

boards and the State Department of Education
Grant charter authorizers with the authority and responsibility to use best Requires performance contracts between charter schools and the authorizer
practices in performance management, including performance
that sets forth the roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations of both
contracts and tools that help evaluate growth planning to replicate high- the charter school and the State Board of Education (including academic and
performing schools successfully.
organizational performance goals).
Enable charter authorizers to decide not to renew a school if it fails to
Conditions charter school approval, growth, renewal and closure on meeting
meet the performance standards and expectations established in the
organizational and academic performance expectations
schools charter contract.
Establish an expectation for school closures as a consequence
for persistently failing charter schools through a state-established default
closure provision.
The Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now is a research and advocacy organization committed to promoting student-focused policies to ensure all of
Connecticuts students have equal access to quality public schools. Learn more at conncan.org.

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TO: Connecticut General Assembly Education Committee

2013-2014 Charter Schools Enrollment in Connecticut

ConnCAN Quick Facts: Public Charter Schools in Connecticut

www.conncan.org (203) 772-4017 85 Willow St. New Haven CT 06511

African American Latino/ Hispanic

High Needs SPI

New Beginnings Inc.

Park City Prep

www.conncan.org (203) 772-4017 85 Willow St. New Haven CT 06511

African American Latino/ Hispanic

High Needs SPI

Elm City College

Interdistrict School For

www.conncan.org (203) 772-4017 85 Willow St. New Haven CT 06511

High Schools (CAPT Data)

African American Latino/ Hispanic

High Needs SPI

Achievement First Bridgeport

Elm City College Preparatory

ALL SCHOOLS IN STATE*

www.conncan.org (203) 772-4017 85 Willow St. New Haven CT 06511

Notes and Resources:

www.conncan.org (203) 772-4017 85 Willow St. New Haven CT 06511

Four-Year Cohort Graduation Rates (2013)

www.conncan.org (203) 772-4017 85 Willow St. New Haven CT 06511

Notes and Resources:

www.conncan.org (203) 772-4017 85 Willow St. New Haven CT 06511

College Enrollment, Persistence, Completion and Remediation (2014)

Central High School

Bassick High School

Wilbur Cross High

Traditional Stamford High School

Westhill High School

Traditional Hillhouse High School

www.conncan.org (203) 772-4017 85 Willow St. New Haven CT 06511

Advanced Placement (AP) Exam Data (2014)

Central High School

Bassick High School

Achievement First Hartford High School

Classical Magnet School

Bulkeley High School

Wilbur Cross High School

Hillhouse High School

Stamford High School

Westhill High School

www.conncan.org (203) 772-4017 85 Willow St. New Haven CT 06511

SAT Data (2013)

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Notes and Resources:

www.conncan.org (203) 772-4017 85 Willow St. New Haven CT 06511

Public Charter School Enrollment (2013-2014)

Park City Prep

www.conncan.org (203) 772-4017 85 Willow St. New Haven CT 06511

Elm City College

www.conncan.org (203) 772-4017 85 Willow St. New Haven CT 06511

Notes and Resources:

www.conncan.org (203) 772-4017 85 Willow St. New Haven CT 06511

www.conncan.org (203) 772-4017 85 Willow St. New Haven CT 06511

Quick Facts: Public Charter Schools in Connecticut

Notes and Resources

Requiring an annual assessment on the impact of charter schools on traditional school

www.conncan.org (203) 772-4017 85 Willow St. New Haven CT 06511

Comparison of NACSAs Recommendations to SB 943