Making the Case: Compelling Data
This growing library features data points describing the impacts and outcomes of student-centered and competency-based teaching and learning. The data are sourced from research studies, evaluation reports and journal articles, as well as evidence collected directly by classroom, school, district and state leaders.
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Underserved Students in Student-centered CO Network Graduate at Higher Rates
Eighty-five percent of students at New Legacy Charter, a Big Picture Network school in Colorado serving primarily pregnant and parenting teens, graduate; compared with 50% nationally. Students also have taken a college course, internship or certification.
One-Third Graduate with Associate Degree at Personalized, Tech-Focused HS
At CodeRVA, a computer science-focused regional Virginia high school offering personalized, blended learning, nearly 100% of students graduate on time (97% in 2023 and 100% in 2022, 2021 and 2020) and one-third have also earned an associate degree.
100% of 4th Graders Score Proficient in ELA and Math at NY Charter
At the student-centered New York charter LEAD (formerly Concourse Village Elementary), 100% of 4th graders scored proficient on both math and ELA state assessments. In contrast, only 29% of students across the district scored proficient on ELA and 29% on math.
Students with Disabilities Thrive with Personalization in Atlanta
Tapestry Public Charter School, catering mainly to students with IEPs and/or 504 plans, achieved a 100% graduation rate for students with disabilities in 2020-2021, despite pandemic challenges. In 2018-2019, 90% of such students graduated, compared to 46.4% in the district, and in 2019-20, it was 80% compared to 54.6%.
Personalization Leads to High Attendance Despite Pandemic
The 2019-2020 attendance at Tapestry Public Charter School, which serves a majority of students receiving interventions and specialized supports in a personalized environment, was higher than district and state levels despite remote schooling. In 2020-21 middle school attendance rose to 97.46% (up 5%) and in high school it rose to 96% (up 7%).
St. Louis Students Gain Two Years Growth
In one year, the founding class at the Kairos Academies, a small network of St. Louis public charter schools supporting personalized learning and student agency, showed approximately 200% growth on the NWEA Map tests in reading, language and math.
Differentiated Learning at California Microschool Boosts Growth
Students at UP Academy, a K-8 private microschool in California offering differentiated learning, interdisciplinary project-based learning and collaboration in multi-age classrooms with full inclusion, showed more than double the growth in reading and math scores over a four-month period, compared to national averages on the NWEA 2021 tests.
Learning Culture Results in High Growth in Rural North Carolina Elementary
In 2021-2022, students at Lucama Elementary, a rural school in North Carolina leveraging master teachers to build a culture of learning, outperformed peers on all state tests. Notably 81.6% scored proficient in math, compared to 46.9% at the district-level and 49.8% at the state-level. The school’s performance grade on their state report card ros
Whole-Child Approach Builds Social-Emotional Learning Skills
In NYC, DREAM Charter Schools' whole-child approach of balancing social emotional development, athletics/wellness, and rigorous academics results in two-thirds of K-12 students increasing social-emotional competencies over the course of one school year.
Summer Sports and Academics Lead to Big Gains
DREAM Charter Schools, a small network of schools in NYC balancing social emotional development, athletics/wellness and rigorous academics during a year-long program, has seen reading proficiency increase an average of 20 percentage points and math 10 percentage points during their summer program.
Personalized Charters Get Results in St. Louis
In only its 4th year of operation, Kairos, a small network of St. Louis public charter schools supporting personalized learning and student agency, was the fourth highest performing local education agency in St. Louis. Of other top performers, it was the only one serving more that 50% students receiving free and reduced lunch.
Innovative Schools Hold Steady on Traditional Outcome Measures
A report analyzing 251 innovative schools’ approach to documentation of impact found that in states where comparison was possible, no negative effect on traditional measures such as state test performance. It also documented the high value these schools place on outcomes that are difficult to measure like deeper learning and sense of belonging.
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