Agency-Backed Study Links Washington Charter Schools to Stronger Early Adult Outcomes

New updates have been reported about Agency.

Agency, Inc. has released a Harris Poll–conducted study indicating that Washington state charter public school alumni show stronger early adult outcomes than peers from traditional district schools within seven years of graduation. The report, authored by Agency founder and CEO Debbie Veney and based on 400 Washington graduates plus 1,000 parents, suggests charter alumni are more likely to be employed, earn higher incomes, and own homes, though the charter sample is small and results are directional.

According to the Agency report, 83% of Washington charter alumni are employed compared with 62% of district graduates, and employed charter alumni report average annual earnings of $120,109 versus $76,178 for district peers, with homeownership at 47% versus 18%. Outcomes are even more pronounced for Black, Latino, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and Native American charter graduates, who report average pay of $132,611 compared with $69,714 for district peers, while 97% of charter alumni say their schools encouraged them to defy expectations and 93% of parents support having choice in where their children attend school.

Veney positions these findings as early but powerful evidence to support expansion and policy backing for high-performing charter options, arguing that Washington’s relatively young charter sector is already delivering life-outcome advantages typically associated with more mature markets. Parent survey data show strong voter attention to education platforms and broad support for more diverse public school options, signaling a favorable policy environment for Agency’s advocacy agenda and future research as it seeks to influence funding, regulation, and growth of charter schools in the state.

Agency’s methodology notes that results for charter graduates are based on fewer than 100 respondents and should be interpreted as indicative rather than definitive, but the organization is using the data to frame school quality as an economic mobility lever. By publishing this report and making detailed findings available on its research platform, Agency is strengthening its role as a data-driven voice in K–12 policy debates, providing stakeholders with evidence that may shape future public investment, charter authorization decisions, and long-term workforce and housing outcomes tied to educational attainment.