The Edison students on average posted double-digit gains in English Language Arts and Math across all grades, beating both local and state average gains. These gains represent significant progress from one year to the next in a stable school population with a low turnover rate. 85 percent of Edison Charters students are low income, inner city children from predominantly African-American or Hispanic families.

The school improved the percentage of students posting Advanced or Proficient on the California Standards Test (CST) by an average of 12 percent in English Language Arts and 11 percent in Mathematics from Spring 2 002 to Spring 2003. In contrast, the state of CA posted average gains of 3 percent and 8 percent in English Language Arts and Mathematics, respectively, while the San Francisco Unified School District posted average gains of 4 percent and 10 percent in E nglish Language Arts and Mathematics, respectively.

More remarkably, across grades 2-5, an average of 27 percent of students at Edison Charter Academy tested Proficient or Advanced in English Language Arts; in Math, an average of 34 percent of students were Proficient or Advanced. The State AYP Annual Measurable Objectives for Spring 2003 were 13.6 percent in English Language Arts and 16 percent in Mathematics.

This years test results only continue to confirm that the choice we made for this school in the beginning, and our fight to save this school, were the right choices, stated Charter Board President and parent Laura Baker. The Edison Design does work, and our children are the clear benefactors.

One of only seven schools state-wide, and the only school in San Francisco - to be granted a charter by the state of California, Edison Charter Academy had been, until recently, embroiled in controversy. After three failed attempts by the San Francisco Unified School District to reconstitute the school, in 1998 then-Superintendent Bill Rojas turned over management of the school to the coincidentally named Edison Schools, a private education management company. Despite noticeable improvements in the school and in student achievement, and against vehement parent protest, the S.F. School Board moved to revoke the schools charter in 2001. Led by parent advocates, the school subsequently applied for and was granted a charter by the State so that it could continue to be managed by Edison Schools.

P arents attribute the success in student performance to core components of the Edison School Design. The Edison program offers rigorous, standards-based curriculum in reading, math, science, and social studies, as well as classes in core values, art, musi c, and P.E. Additionally, monthly benchmark assessments allow both students and teachers to receive immediate feedback on critical student performance data. These assessments help teachers to evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching, make appropriat e adjustments, and target students who require additional resources, such as tutoring, to stay on track. Teachers also work in teams daily to review and discuss student progress and share teaching strategies.

The difference between our methods and tha t of other schools is that we teach kids how to succeed, rather than assume that they already have those skills, said Vincent Matthews, Regional Director of Edisons West Coast Operations, and Edisons former principal. We also provide a structured envi ronment that reinforces every day what we expect of our students, and what each child can expect of him or herself. This is a place that doesnt put boundaries on learning.

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