(Originally posted to the National Journal’s Education Experts blog)

‘Race to the Top’ meaningful? Serious education reform? To the contrary, the choice of Delaware and Tennessee to be the first demonstration of the Obama Administration’s commitment to breaking the status quo is not a choice at all, but an echo of the establishment’s stranglehold on our leadership in Washington today. That establishment goes far beyond the unions. It includes the chiefs, the principals groups, the administrators associations, school boards, the before school groups, the after schools, the publishers, et al — all groups who have praised the recent policy prescriptions led by Arne Duncan. Why? Why would the Blob back real reform? Maybe because it’s not real reform…

Read the entire post HERE.

Charters are not only closing the achievement gap for those stuck in failing schools but educating diverse student populations that represent wide variation in income and race.

But what about their effect on students’ futures?

A study looked at the achievement and movement of charter students in Florida and Chicago and has found a direct (positive) impact on graduation rate and college matriculation.

Two key findings:

Students who attend a charter high school are 7 to 15 percentage points more likely to earn a standard diploma than students who attend a traditional public high school. Similarly, those attending a charter high school are 8 to 10 percentage points more likely to attend college.

The “what” is clear. Charter schools are providing the necessary environment for students to break the 70 percent graduation rate and not only earn their high school diploma but move on to college in many cases.

The “why” may take a little more time to nail down, but whatever it is, it’s working.