According to a new working paper published by the National Bureau for Economic Research, much of the academic progress seen in public charter schools is the result of many schools adopting a “no excuses” attitude toward behavioral issues.
“Schools that adopt an intensive ‘No Excuses’ attitude towards students are correlated with large gains in academic performance, with traditional inputs like class size playing no role in explaining charter school effects,” researchers write. Of course, the normal warning that correlation is not causation applies.
Interestingly, the researchers found that class size, per pupil spending or teacher certification differences do not explain the success of charter schools.
The researchers show that “no excuses” charter schools are concentrated in disadvantaged neighborhoods, meaning they’re often educating students who have nowhere to go but up. It’s unclear if the same approach would work in nonurban schools, or if other educational methods can lead to the same gains in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Despite the evidence that it generally works, “no excuses” is a controversial approach. Roman Griffin, previously the dean of students at a New Orleans charter school, described one hypothetical student’s experience in a “no excuses” school.”
He sees one of his buddies and attempts to say ‘hello’ but is quickly told that there is no talking in the line. He waves instead but is quickly told to keep his hands to his side at all times, because this is what scholars are to do if they are going to go to college. … If they happen to step off the line, even while reading a book, they are asked to step out of line and repeat the circle. ‘It has to be perfect, or we will do it again,’ says one overly-invested teacher. … From the time that the class starts to the time that the class ends, everybody’s movements, including the teachers’ most of time, are scripted for them. There are no excuses.
The study was authored by Julia Chabrier with MIT, Sarah Cohodes with Columbia University and Philip Oreopoulos with the University of Toronto.
Jason Russell is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
