Gov. Cathy Hochul has declined to advocate for an increase in charter schools in her $252 billion budget proposal, but educational choice advocates say the budget will give powerful teachers unions a chance to up for re-election next year. They claim it is a concession.
“Mr. Hochul blinked — it was a big deal, and it was a disservice to a lot of kids and families,” said Eric Nadelstern, a former New York City vice chancellor under former Mayor Mike Bloomberg. .
“Unfortunately, Ms. Hochul seems more interested in getting re-elected than doing the right thing. She is not a strong leader.”
New York City has reached the legal cap on charter schools allocated under state law, and Albany cannot open any more popular alternative publicly funded schools without additional action.
Mr. Hochul fought to remove the cap two years ago, but after a bitter battle with union-friendly state lawmakers, he was only able to obtain 14 additional licenses, all of which have now been exhausted. has been completed.
Educators in the charter school field expressed disappointment but said they would urge the governor and lawmakers to reconsider the issue before a new state budget is adopted on April 1.
“The cap on charter schools should be lifted. Children should be able to receive a great education,” said Scott, a Black man and founder of the Bronx-based Family Life Academy Charter School Network. said Bishop Raymond Rivera, who is also a director of the Latino and Asian Charter Collaborative.
BLACC represents 40 charter schools run by minority educators.
“Politicians should listen to parents who are voting with their feet,” Rivera said, referring to families leaving the city.
BLACC interim executive director Jeremy Grace said parents are “desperate for other educational options.”
“There are a lot of charter schools with waiting lists, and it's important to fight for what's right,” Grace said.
Charter school advocates acknowledge that New York state lawmakers are wary of standing up to teachers unions that oppose charter schools, portraying charter schools as competitors that divert funding from traditional public schools. are.
Research shows that many private charter schools have longer school days and school years than traditional public schools, and that their students outperform their peers on standardized tests in math and English. Masu.
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.
Melinda Parson, president of the New York State United Teachers Union, said no increase in charter schools was contemplated.
Asked about the charter school cap Wednesday at an unrelated event with Hochul, who supports banning cellphone use in schools, Parson posted, “From what I've heard, no one is calling for it.” told the paper.
“I don't think it was necessarily something that people were interested in,” Parson said.
Nadelstern, a former deputy prime minister, said the United Teachers Union's opposition to charter schools in the city was “unconscionable” and a stain on its traditions.
He said leaders fear their schools cannot compete with charters and want the public school system to become a “monopoly.”
“But this is a fight that can be won because parents and communities, especially in poorer areas, support charter schools. There aren't enough good public schools,” Nadelstern said.
“We need more and better schools, and opening more charter schools is a way to do that.”
While defending the governor's education budget, Hochul's representatives dodged questions about why they aren't fighting to remove the cap on charter schools.
“Governor Hochul's 2026 Executive Budget makes a record $37.4 billion in investments in schools, while ensuring distraction-free classrooms and ensuring that students across the state “We are taking an ambitious step to improve educational outcomes in the United States.”
“The Governor remains committed to determining the final budget to ensure that every child in New York State has access to a quality education.”
New York state spends more money on schools than any other state in the nation, but the results are mediocre, according to a Citizens' Budget Commission report released last week. The governor's own spending plan released Tuesday confirmed New York state as the top spender on education.
