New 1,000 School Analysis Shows Student Achievement Gains at Edison Schools Far Exceed Gains at Comparable Schools Thursday, January 16, 2003 Edison announced today that achievement gains at its schools far exceed, by ratios as high as 5 to 1 and by an overall average of more than double, those gains at similar schools in the locales where Edison is working. These results apply to both types of high stakes tests mandated by state and district officialscriterion-referenced tests, which judge student performance against objective state or district standards, and norm-referenced tests, which judge performance against national population norms. These results are true for the academic year 20012002 as well as over the time since Edison began management at each of its schools. Historically, Edison has tracked the gains of its students against state standards and national norms and been able to report substantial improvements by these objective measures. Edison can now report that its gains are not only substantial, but that these gains have been achieved at a substantially more rapid pace than those made by comparable schools. Identifying Comparable Schools Edison compared each one of its schools to every other similar public school within the same district. Similar schools were defined as those serving students with similar levels of economic disadvantage (as determined by free- or reduced-price lunch eligibility) and a similar demographic population (Edisons overall national demographic includes 88 percent minority enrollment) within plus or minus 10 percentage points of the Edison school. For example, if 73 percent of students in an Edison school were eligible for free- or reduced-price lunches (Edison's national average eligibility level), then that Edison school was compared with those schools with free- or reduced-price lunch percentages ranging from 63 percent to 83 percent (and serving the same tested grade levels). This process of identifying comparable schools found more than 1,000 public schools as comparable to some 60 Edison schools. (Some Edison schools had no comparable schools within their areasusually because they served by far the most disadvantaged students within their locale.) Edison Schools Academic Performance Versus Comparable Schools Edison's comparably superior performance is true not only for gains made during the last academic year, but also for cumulative gains made since Edison began its management. For the 20012002 academic year, Edison schools with comparison schools available gained an average of 4.4 percentage points on criterion referenced tests and 4.3 percen-tiles on norm referenced tests; the gains at more than 1,000 comparable schools were 0.7 percentage points and -0.4 percentiles, respectively. Essentially, the comparable schools made no academic gains last year, while the Edison schools gained solidly. Viewed over the period of time since Edison began management at each school, the results are similar. Edison schools with comparison schools available have improved by an average of 3.6 percentage points every year on criterion referenced tests and 5.5 percentiles on norm referenced tests. Comparable schools have gained only 1.4 percentage points and 2.7 percentiles, respectivelyapproximately one half of Edisons improvement rate. Edison's Chief Education Officer John E. Chubb commented: We have always been proud of the steady gains at our schools. Achievement progress requires very hard, diligent, and intelligent work. We applaud our teachers and students for their exemplary efforts and accomplishments -- we know that their success is indeed special. The substantial progress of Edison's schools against difficult odds is very gratifying, not only to us as a reform organization but to our district and charter partners. The student achievement of the schools where we work is the most important predictor of our companys growth, said Chris Whittle, the companys founder and CEO. For years, our customers and prospects have known that Edison schools have been gaining ground rapidly. Now they have a clearer picture of just how superlative that performance is versus the norm. As that word continues to spread, so will the demand for our services. About Edison's Fifth Annual Report on School Performance More details and complete data on the achievement gains of Edison schools and comparable schools; Edison schools success at beginning to close the Achievement Gap; as well as the substantial gains at Edisons No Child Left Behind designated schools will be reported in Edison's Fifth Annual Report on School Performance scheduled for publication later this month.
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