EdVANTAGE Blog

The State Senate’s Democratic leadership has introduced a bill to increase New York’s cap on charter schools from 200 to 460.

The bill includes changes to increase the transparency of charter school governance. It also includes provisions intended to require greater efforts by charter schools to increase enrollment of students with disabilities and English language learners, if current enrollment shares for those groups are less than half the shares for the surrounding school district.

It does nothing to address the fiscal impact of charters on school districts, a primary concern for public school officials beyond New York City.

The Council has taken the position that charter schools supported by local district authorities (as in New York City) should not count against the cap.  But we have also urged that there be no change in the cap unless action is taken to avert financial harm to district schools.

Raising the cap to 460 would hit the arbitrary target set by the Obama Administration.  To qualify for maximum points in one element of its $3.4 billion Race to the Top competition, the Administration requires that states authorize a number of charter schools equivalent to 10 percent of the number of public schools in the state.

Capital Tonight’s “State of Politics” blog reports on speculation about the political judgments behind the Senate’s move.

The Buffalo News reports today on a report on charter schools issued by New York State United Teachers.

On Sunday, the New York Times published an extended article which concludes, “…for all their support and cultural cachet, the majority of the 5,000 or so charter schools nationwide appear to be no better, and in many cases worse, than local public schools when measured by achievement on standardized tests, according to experts citing years of research.”

UPDATE (May 4, 2010):  The bill passed last evening by a 45 to 15 vote.   Nineteen Democrats and 26 republicans voted for the bill; 12 Democrats and three Republicans voted against.

Both the current and immediate past Chair of the Senate Education Committee voted against (Senators Suzi Oppenheimer, Democrat of Westchester, and Stephen Saland, Republican of Dutchess and Columbia Counties, respectively).

Some misinformation was used to justify voting for the bill — assertions that it would reduce the need for school district property tax increases and layoffs by boosting the state’s chances to win up to $700 million in federal Race to the Top funding.  But RTTT grants must be used for systemic improvement, not to fill budget gaps.

Here is the New York Times report on the Senate’s action.