A private school at Buffalo Presbyterian Church– Buffalo Academy— uses the Hillsdale Classical Curriculum. The school is in very close proximity to Cone Elementary, which is a “traditional” public school.
Buffalo’s 3rd grade students’ composite score is 4.3 for end-of-grade testing. The expected level for this group is 3.8 or above. The 4th graders score at 6.4, whereas 4.8 would be expected. The students are doing very well.
Buffalo Academy’s third graders are greater than 90 percent proficient, and fourth graders 100% proficient. By contrast, the Cone Elementary students’ proficiency levels are in the low 40’s.
Here is the data for Irving Park Elementary and Rankin Elementary— i.e., other nearby public schools.
While it is possible to attribute some of this difference to selection bias– i.e., that the Buffalo families might be more motivated, and the kids might have less educational problems– the numbers still reveal a stark difference.
It should be noted that the student body is a mix of white, Hispanic and black. Most of the students are from lower middle class families.
Unfortunately, the educational methods used in the public schools– and the manner in which they are run– are not conducive to the best outcomes. It also should be noted that Buffalo Academy is a relatively new school, and yet has excellent results.
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