Rainier Prep Charter School in south Seattle, which opened September 1st, is reporting strong gains in student learning. The parent-supported public school is designed to help underserved children in one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods. The student body is 90% minority, and 82% of students are from low-income families.
School principal Maggie O’Sullivan announced yesterday that first quarter tests show fifth and sixth grade students have gained an average of one-half year of growth in reading. This means that, in only one year, students are on track to receive two years’ of reading growth at Rainier Prep.
The assessments show children who in the past were required to attend low-performing public schools are now catching up to, and often surpassing, grade-level learning, similar to their peers attending public schools in more wealthy areas of north Seattle.
Principal O’Sullivan says the school’s teachers, students, and involved parents are the reason for the positive early results. She describes the Rainier Prep community as remaining steadfast and committed to delivering a high-quality college prep education to minority and low-income students.
Despite staunch union opposition and a surprise state supreme court ruling that threatened to close the school three days after it opened, Rainier Prep’s teachers chose to remain fully focused on daily instruction and learning. Student enrollment has remained full, with waiting lists at both grades. Parents strongly support the popular school; daily average student attendance is 97%.
Rainier Prep students study topics like brain science, computer coding, engineering and good old-fashioned reading, writing and math. As Principal O’Sullivan puts it, “Students are designing, building, analyzing and improving at every turn.”
The learning gains by students at Rainier Prep Charter School demonstrate the strength of the charter school approach. This model allows teachers and principals to create programs tailored to student learning needs, free from many onerous state limitations, bureaucratic rules and union restrictions.
Families at Rainier Prep and other Washington charter school families face continued legal and political threats. A bill will likely be introduced next week in the legislature that would protect students from charter school closures and defunding. The bill is expected to draw bipartisan support in the House and the Senate. Governor Inslee says he supports closing charter schools, but he has not indicated whether he would veto a charter school bill sent to him by the legislature.
This report is part of WPC's Charter School Follow-Up Project