MIT researchers published a report today on how well Boston charter high schools are preparing their students for college, compared to their Boston Public Schools peers.

Using enrollment lottery “losers” as a natural control group, the MIT team was able to isolate the impact of charter school attendance on student outcomes. What they found confirmed that Boston charters are not only outperforming their district-school counterparts on the state assessment (see CREDO study) but are also adding significant value as measured by AP and SAT scores and 4-year college enrollment. 

Assessing impact on multiple measures, with an emphasis on indicators of college readiness, is a breakthrough in the evaluation of charter school effectiveness. This latest analysis confirms what a growing number of narrower studies have already shown: Boston charter schools may be the best urban public schools in America.