Students in public elementary schools score higher in tests of both reading and math when a charter school opens nearby, according to research summarized in the journal Education Next. The study of New York City schools concludes that the closer the district school is located to a charter alternative, the greater the positive impact on testing, attendance, and even school funding.

Authored by Temple University academic Sarah Cordes, the study offers a new perspective on the question of how the swiftly growing number of charter schools (now enrolling more than 100,000 students in New York City alone) affects their traditional district counterparts.

Students in district schools with three or more charter schools within a one-mile radius perform significantly better in math than students with just one charter in the neighborhood. They are also significantly less likely to be retained.

Using city data gathered between 1996 and 2010 for more than 875,000 students, she measured standardized test scores, attendance, and grade retention in 584 district elementary schools around the city after a charter opened anywhere within a mile radius. Results improved as the proximity between charter and district school increased, with the greatest benefits found in schools that operated under the same roof.

Read the full article on the impact of charter schools on traditional public schools by Kevin Mahnken at The 74