Charter School Leaders Concerned Over State Education Policies

Leaders of charter schools in New York are expressing significant concerns about state education officials whom they believe are hindering the growth of publicly funded alternative schools. Instead of celebrating educational achievements, they feel targeted.

A group of fourteen charter leaders addressed a pointed letter to Education Commissioner Betty Rosa, accusing the state department and board of regents of undermining schools under the State University of New York system.

They claimed that SUNY’s success has made it, unfortunately, a target. The letter specifically highlighted the challenges posed by teachers’ unions and groups opposed to charter schools, asserting that these entities can’t confidently counter the positive outcomes achieved by SUNY-chartered schools, particularly for students in underserved areas.

Both SUNY and the Board of Regents have the power to approve charter schools, but due to complex legal structures, there’s often friction. The board tends to review and reject many applications that the SUNY Board of Governors finds favorable.

According to Eva Moskowitz, CEO of Success Academy Charter Schools, and Emily Kim, CEO of Zeta Charter Schools, a notable performance gap exists. This gap has been measured at 17 percentage points in English language arts and 21 in math between schools accredited by SUNY and those accredited by the Regents.

The letter insists that New York education officials should be promoting success rather than fighting it, arguing that students should have more access to what works effectively.

Charter leaders expressed being “deeply troubled” by the inconsistent decision-making from SUNY and noted concerns over a lawsuit against charter schools that collectively educate over 117,000 students in New York.

They accused officials of increasingly attacking the organization rather than addressing underlying issues.

A spokesperson for the State Education Department dismissed the letter, claiming that the authorities were adhering to legal standards. They pointed out that while the signatories may show strong academic performance, this success is not uniform across the board.

Joseph Bellack, chair of the SUNY Charter Schools Commission, remarked that the SED and regents seem to be adopting a more aggressive stance towards charter schools. He noted that they resist even minor proposals related to charter schools while asserting that SUNY respects charter caps.

While several legislative proposals have emerged in Albany aiming to revoke SUNY’s authority to authorize charter schools, none have progressed. Complicating matters, a source indicated that some charter school leaders who signed the letter have faced challenges similar to those cited by the SED.

For instance, Al Cockfield from Ramado Academy had his license application denied by the SED due to a past federal felony conviction, even though SUNY approved it.

Additionally, the American Federation of Teachers and the New York State United Teachers Association recently filed a lawsuit against SUNY for allegedly bypassing legislative charter caps and allowing Success Academy to transfer its schools under a new organization established by Moskowitz’s husband.