While I am somewhat disappointed by the MAP results for charter schools, I am also not surprised. If we did our jobs in the Missouri Legislature this past session and passed real charter school reform (HB 473), we could be on a path for closing the lowest-performing charter schools by the end of the next school year. Every year that a child sits in an underperforming public school is another year that child doesn’t reach his or her full potential.
However, MAP scores are only a snapshot in time of a student’s achievement. Many charter schools are exhibiting growth from year to year as students either catch up to or surpass their grade levels in math and communication arts.
In order to move forward, we have to be serious about closing underperforming district and public schools, giving quality teachers the tools they need to teach effectively while objectively measuring their results, giving parents quality options for choosing a learning environment that’s best for their children, and making sure we all are putting children first in whatever policy or administrative decisions we make.
By state Rep. Tishaura O. Jones
St. Louis