CHARTER CHALLENGES: A new report prepared by MIT’s School Effectiveness and Inequality Initiative for the Boston Foundation and NewSchools Venture Fund finds that Boston’s top charter schools are “remarkably persistent” when it comes to increased test gains. Students who were offered a seat via lottery at six charter schools were more likely than students not offered a seat to sit for and AP exam and pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) which increases the “likelihood of qualifying for a state-sponsored college scholarship.” Clearly, the folks in Boston have mathematics education down pat -- the study finds a strong effect for SAT math and AP Calculus performance. Head over the Slate for detailed commentary on the report.