Study: Charter schools may boost graduation, college rates

A new study finds students who attend Chicago's multi-grade charter high schools appear more likely to graduate and enroll in college than their counterparts in traditional public schools.

The Rand Corporation study also finds those charter school students perform slightly better on ACT college entrance exams.

The charter school students were 7 percent more likely to graduate from high school and 11 percent more likely to enroll in college.

The study didn't draw conclusions about why the charter schools did better. Nor did it make policy suggestions.

But supporters of the charter-schools movement were quick to herald the findings.

U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel says they show charter schools "are providing students with a top notch education."