This High-Performing Public School Delivers Big Gains for Underserved Students

ByJennifer Diaz
On behalf of WACharters.org

Nationwide academic progress remains a concern, with the 2024 Nation’s Report Card—released in January 2025—highlighting continued national declines in reading and math scores, reflecting a pre-pandemic downward trend. Washington’s performance is generally on par with the rest of the nation, showing a widening gap over time between the nation’s highest and lowest performers. However, students at one of Washington’s charter public schools are showing how those who struggled in the past can catch up. Washington’s statewide standardized test scores from the 2023-2024 school year show Catalyst Public Schools is one of the best public schools in the state, especially when it comes to serving students who have been historically underserved. According to the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), Catalyst tops the list of charter public schools that outperformed district-run public schools in their community.  Catalyst, a K-8 charter public school in Bremerton, continues to demonstrate remarkable success.

Though charter public schools represent a small fraction of Washington’s public education system—only 17 schools statewide—their impact is undeniable. The latest SBAC results show that, on average, charter schools are keeping pace with district-run schools across the state in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. This is especially significant, given that many charter schools, including Catalyst, serve a disproportionately high number of low-income students, students of color, and multilingual learners.

While matching state averages is an impressive feat on its own, Catalyst stands out for exceeding expectations and outperforming both the state averages and local district schools in key areas. The SBAC results reveal Catalyst’s ability to deliver meaningful academic growth for a diverse population of students, including 50% from low-income families. In English Language Arts, Catalyst’s low-income students outperformed their district peers by 13 percentage points. Learners with special needs also excelled at Catalyst, scoring 9.2 percentage points higher than similar students in the Bremerton School District. Black students at Catalyst outperformed their district counterparts by 5.3 points, and Latino students scored 28.1 points higher in proficiency.

The school’s success extends to math, where students showed equally impressive results. Catalyst’s low-income students outscored their district peers by 16.6 points. Black students excelled with a 4.5-point lead over students in the same district, while Latinx students at Catalyst outperformed their peers by 25.5 points.

Catalyst is a special kind of public school. Their success is grounded in the belief that every student should be seen, loved and challenged. By giving students a foundation of nurturing and support, they are better equipped to excel academically.  As a charter public school, Catalyst has the freedom to design specialized curricula, adjust instructional time, and create more personalized learning environments to meet the needs of their students. This adaptability enables Catalyst to support students in ways that are responsive to their unique challenges.

As traditional public school enrollment declines across the state, charter schools like Catalyst are seeing growth. Over the past five years, Washington’s charter public schools gained nearly a 59 % increase in enrollment.

Catalyst’s SBAC results highlight the school’s ability to close achievement gaps and offer a high-quality education to students who have historically struggled. The data make it clear that charter public schools, though not a one-size-fits-all solution, are providing meaningful opportunities for students to thrive.

With accountability and transparency as core values, Catalyst and other Washington charter public schools continue to meet the challenge of improving public education. The success of Catalyst underscores the importance of offering public school options that can meet the diverse needs of students and deliver real results. Read more about Catalyst and other charter public schools in Game Changers: How Washington’s Charter Public Schools Produce Exceptional Results for Students.