THE GLOBE raised questions about the exact number of children on charter school wait lists, but can’t refute the level of demand for charter schools or the need to lift state caps on their growth (“Charter school demand in Mass. disputed,” Page A1, April 8).
Every year, thousands of parents enter their children in charter lotteries hoping for a chance to enroll their children. And every year, by a 10-1 ratio, they are disappointed. Do parents, desperate to increase their chances to win charter lotteries, fill out applications to more than one school? Of course they do.
Charter demand is so high because academic performance is so high. Researchers from Stanford found that Boston charters are doing more to improve the academic performance of minority and poor children than any other public schools in the country.
Advertisement
Whether the actual number on wait lists is 50,000, 40,000, or 30,000 doesn’t diminish the need for more charters. These children will languish on wait lists until the Legislature lifts arbitrary limits on how many charters it allows.