The head of the board that issues state charter school licenses said Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Legislature should remove caps on the number of urban charter schools next year to help Big Apple students succeed.
Charter licenses approved by lawmakers last year have already been issued, meaning no more schools can be approved in the Big Apple because of the cap.
“The focus should be more on the kids and less on politics,” said Joseph Bellack, chairman of the State University Commission of New York, which reviews and approves charter schools.
“By removing the cap, we can provide more slots to kids who need them,” said Belluc, whose organization works with the state Department of Education to distribute licenses.
There are currently 282 charter schools in the city serving approximately 150,000 students. The charters account for about 15% of the Big Apple's publicly funded schools.
Publicly funded alternative private schools are popular with parents because of their rigor, but teachers unions and traditional public school educators say charters bring unwanted competition and drive away students. The government strongly opposes this, saying that it is doing so.
Most charter schools have longer school days and school years than traditional public schools, and research shows that their students outperform their peers on standardized tests in math and English.
The vast majority of charter schools are also non-union, a point of contention for Big Labor New York.
Eva Moskowitz, founder and CEO of Success Academy, the nation's largest charter network with 56 charter schools, said, “Not only will the cap be removed, but opportunity will be capped. It should not be done.''
“Every parent has the right to choose where their child goes to college,” Moskowitz said.
“New York City needs great schools so more students can receive a great education,” said Lester Long, founder and CEO of Classic Charter School Network. ” he said.
“Removing caps on charter schools is one way we can improve education in our city,” Long said.
New York state school choice and education reform groups also said it's time for Albany to do what it believes is best for parents and children.
“The days of fair treatment for charter students are long gone. They deserve fair funding and building rental assistance,” said Crystal McQueen, executive director of StudentFirstNY.・Taylor said.
“The artificial cap on great schools has passed. Parents and advocates will continue to fight for what their children deserve,” charter proponents said.
There is a 460 cap on the number of charter schools statewide. However, New York City has a subcap within that cap that restricts the opening of more charters.
Under the law, there remain 84 charters issued outside the city where demand is low. Supporters say New York City would be able to take advantage of these 84 charters if Albany were to remove the regional cap.
In 2023, Hochul proposed removing the five autonomous region limit, but it was rejected by resistant lawmakers. The compromise was to allow the reissuance of 14 so-called “zombie” licenses from closed schools.
Lawmakers argued Sunday that there is no public appetite to lift the cap on charter schools in the city.
“Charter caps were codified to strike a balance between providing school choice and meeting the obligation to keep public schools open, and that balance is needed now more than ever. ,” said state Sen. John Lew (D-Queens). Chairman of the New York City Commission on Schools;
“It is nonsense to lift legal limits simply because they have been reached,” he said.
“This is an important step forward for the state,” said Michael Benedetto (D-Bronx), chairman of the state Assembly Education Committee. It doesn't seem like any changes are happening so far. ”
Hochul's office said the governor plans to clarify the education agenda when he submits his executive budget proposal early next year.
“Governor Hochul has made record investments in education, increasing school funding by $6.5 billion since taking office, and continues to work with the Legislature to provide quality educational opportunities for New York State students. “We look forward to working together. The Governor is expected to release a FY26 budget during the 2025 legislative session this winter,” a spokesperson for the governor said.
