A new project called the Education Equality Index grades schools on how well they close the educational gap between rich and poor students. Charter schools make up 7 percent of all public schools nationwide, but 30 percent of the schools identified as closing the gap in the index.

“While we celebrate the schools that are significantly improving student achievement, this report is a reminder of the need for even more high-quality charter schools,” said Nina Rees, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “Charter schools have shown impressive results in serving students from all backgrounds, and parental demand for more charter schools is at an all-time high, with a million student names on wait lists.” Rees also pointed out that 80 percent of schools that close the gap in Hialeah, Fla., are charter schools. Hialeah has the smallest achievement gap between rich and poor students in the country.