A City Council committee has come out swinging against a slew of city charter schools set to open in 2015 and beyond, saying they are poorly regulated and their expansion should be halted.
Ten City Council members who make up the Education Committee signed a letter urging the State University of New York to stop the planned schools.
“We oppose any further expansion of charter schools,” reads the letter that will be sent Thursday to SUNY. “Hold off on authorizing new charter schools until you address the lack of oversight and accountability.”
Unlike traditional public schools, charter schools are not managed by the city, but instead must seek permission to open from SUNY or the state Board of Regents.
Education Committee Chairman Daniel Dromm (D-Queens) said the city has no control over charter schools, even though the city must pay them more than $13,000 for each student they enroll.
“The city has to pay for privately run, unaccountable charter schools,” said Dromm.
Dromm and the others who signed the letter ask SUNY officials to investigate harsh discipline, teacher and student attrition, rigged admissions and other allegations.
Seventeen new city charter schools are set for approval by SUNY in October, including 14 from former City Councilwoman Eva Moskowitz, whose Success Academy network has 32 charter schools. Moskowitz said any action to halt her plans would hurt city students. “This would deprive the 50,000 children on charter school waiting lists of the opportunities they want,” she said.
Dacia Toll, president of the charter network Achievement First, said current oversight of charters is sufficient. “Charter schools only expand if families believe in their programs and policies — they vote with their feet,” said Toll.
The director of charter school information for SUNY, Catherine Kramer, said officials would weigh the council members’ letter.
Some advocates said they hope SUNY doesn’t give any more charters a green light.
“We are being oversaturated with charter schools,” said Tesa Wilson, president Community Education Council in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. “It’s tax dollars being poured into a black hole with no accountibility.”
