GAO Uncovers Significant Nonreporting by Charter Schools on English Language Learners
WASHINGTON – While charter schools have increased in number and have become an important part of our education system, a recent report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that many charter schools are not reporting data on the enrollment of English Language Learners (ELLs) in their schools. Equally troubling, the GAO found that the issues uncovered in its report are not limited to ELL enrollment. The GAO and the Department of Education (ED) have uncovered significant gaps in some charter school reporting on student performance data, including reading and math proficiency rates and graduation rates for all students, including English Language Learners.
In an effort to ensure ELL students and families are afforded quality education options provided by public charter schools, Reps. George Miller (D-Calif.) and Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) asked the GAO to examine how enrollment levels of ELLs in charter schools compare to traditional public schools. The GAO was unable to conduct the study due to data quality issues. The GAO found that several factors – from lack of reporting to definitional issues – may account for the gaps in data collection related to charter schools and student performance. The failure of public charter schools to submit school-level data, as found by GAO, can also affect the validity of both state and local educational agency-level enrollment figures as required by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Additionally, the state of California, which supports a large ELL student population and a large charter school network, was not included in the data set available for analysis by GAO.
In a letter sent to the Department of Education this week, Reps. Miller and Grijalva wrote: “It is imperative that the Department have reliable and accurate data for all public schools, local education agencies, and states in fulfilling our mission to equitably serve all children and families. All public schools must be treated equally, with respect to federal funding received and student populations served, not based on school type or reform priority.”
In many states, high performing charter schools provide students with a rigorous education and inject innovative practices into school districts. However, while high performing charter schools have helped increase student achievement, special populations of students, including English Language Learners, are often under represented.
Additionally, GAO found that:
- 37 percent of charter schools nationwide reported blanks in the field capturing ELL enrollment for the 2010-2011 school year; and
· 14 states had at least 60 percent of charter schools reporting blanks for ELL enrollment, with five states where between 80 and 100 percent of charter schools reported blank ELL enrollment for the 2010-2011 school year.
In addition to the letter to ED, Miller and Grijalva also wrote letters to the National Association of Charter School Authorizers and the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools urging these organizations to work in partnership with ED and other education stakeholders to improve charter school reporting on ELL enrollment and school performance.
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