A new study from the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University found " charter school students are now outpacing their peers in traditional public schools in math and reading achievement."

Specifically, charter school students gain 16 days' worth of reading and six days of math relative to their traditional public school counterparts. Education Week reports that the benefits were even higher for students in poverty — especially for students of color who come from families in poverty. They write: “Black charter students in poverty gained 37 days of learning in reading and 36 days in math over their counterparts in traditional public schools, and Hispanic students in poverty gained 36 days of reading and 30 days of math over their traditional public school peers.”

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While this is great news, the study also finds that charter schools are not nearly as successful with children who have disabilities. Additionally, while the good charter schools do quite well, the bad ones — particularly online charters — do quite poorly.

This is the third large study put out by CREDO comparing educational outcomes in charter schools and traditional public schools since 2009. While the first showed charters lagging, that is no longer the case in 2023.

These findings are consistent with other studies on the subject. In economist Thomas Sowell’s book Charter Schools and Their Enemies , he documents the vast disparities between educational outcomes in traditional public schools versus charter schools in New York City. While only 10% of the traditional public schools included in his study had a majority of students passing at the “proficient” level on the mathematics exam, 68% of charter schools achieved that level. There is a similar story when it comes to the English test: The numbers are 14% and 65%, respectively.

That is quite a difference. And it is particularly striking because, in this case, he was studying predominantly students from low-income families. This indicates the progressive claim that the only way disadvantaged groups can advance is through broad, “structural” change is likely incorrect.

Sowell’s work also exposes the fact there is significant variance among charter schools when it comes to outcomes, though, which points to the fact some are doing quite well while others are, frankly, failing.

Nonetheless, on the whole, the numbers are clear. And if one’s primary concern when it comes to education is outcomes — which should be common sense but is also evidently not true for union leaders such as Randi Weingarten — then this should have a bearing on policy preferences.

Fundamentally, the reason all this matters is simple: Behind almost every successful person is a proper education. And there is a reason for it. Conservative intellectual Russell Kirk wrote that the purpose of education is “to develop the mental and moral faculties of the individual person.” As such, when one receives a sound education, he is prepared to excel at taking on the challenges the world presents — both personally and professionally. Unfortunately, the reverse is true as well. An improper education will leave an individual unequipped to face those challenges.

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If we are serious about setting up the next generation for success, then we must be similarly serious about providing them with the highest quality education possible. This new research, along with that proceeding it, suggests this means moving beyond the traditional public school monopoly and embracing school choice.

Good thing a greater number of people now recognize this than ever before .

Jack Elbaum is a summer 2023 Washington Examiner fellow.