M.I.T. research finds special needs students benefit from charter school education

WWLP.com – May 27, 2017 – Special education students and English language learners enrolled at charter schools are more likely to earn higher scores on the state’s standardized tests and reach certain other achievement markers than their peers in district schools, according to a study of Boston students presented Monday.

The study, conducted by Massachusetts Institute of Technology researcher Elizabeth Setren and discussed at an education conference held by MIT and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, found that special education students and English language learners in Boston charter schools experienced larger test score gains than members of the same groups in the city’s traditional public schools.

“Charters generate substantial gains for special needs students in math and English standardized exam scores, English proficiency, and college preparation outcomes,” the study concluded. “Even the most disadvantaged special needs students perform better in charter schools compared to traditional public schools.”

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