New York Races to the Top Third
Today the U.S. Department of Education announced the finalists in the first round of the Race to the Top competition, and New York is among them. This keeps the Empire State in the running for up to $700 million in much-needed funding. That’s huge. And nobody saw it coming. Don’t start adjusting those budgets yet, […]
Landmark IBO Study Finds Fiscal Inequity
There’s one burning question that has hung around NYC’s charter schools debate for years: what amount of public resources do charters have to work with, compared to district schools? Are they doing more with less, or taking more than their share? The question is enormously important for questions about fairness as well as cost-effectiveness. Since […]
Serve all kids? Make me! (UFT Hypocrisy, Part II)
Monday we blogged about the UFT’s selective outrage over enrollment differences: somehow they never get around to protesting in TriBeCa. This morning’s Daily News reports that the union also ignores differences at its own charter school: The teachers union’s campaign to force charter schools to enroll as many high-needs students as traditional public schools may […]
Circle 8, Trench 5
Last week, the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation reported on the astonishing inequality between public schools across the United States. There are 2,817 schools in the United States in which fewer than 5 percent of students live in poverty; in some areas one in four white children attend such schools. The Fordham Foundation rightly labels these […]
Lobby Day in the News
In a Daily News Op-Ed this morning, charter school parent (and Lobby Day emcee) Valerie Babb* has strong words for state lawmakers: ”We’re tired of seeing our kids treated like second-class students when it comes to funding.” More accounts of yesterday’s events: Gotham Schools: “Hundred of parents of charter school students from all over the […]
Lobby Day Highlights
Yesterday’s rally in Albany sent a big, loud, proud message about the importance of public charter schools. Among the highlights: -Thousands of charter school parents, students, teachers, and younger siblings pouring into Convention Hall with caps, shirts, banners, and pre-planned chants. -An overriding tone of pride and respectful concern ñ some well-directed boos notwithstanding. -Gov. […]
Lobby Day: Charter Schools Rally in Albany
Today’s the day! Over 3,000 charter school parents, students, teachers, and supporters are on their way to Albany to send lawmakers a loud and clear message: charter schools are public schools and deserve nothing less than fair treatment! Watch this space for updates.
Defending the Indefensible
In politics, your friends can make you look bad. If they stake out an absurd position that you aren’t in a position to contradict, there’s nothing to do but grin and forge ahead. That’s exactly what just happened to NY Ed Commissioner David Steiner, one of the most forward-thinking education leaders in any state. With […]
At the Movies
Via GothamSchools, news of two new documentaries about American education reform, both featuring NYC charter schools. Coming in May, Madeleine Sackler’s“The Lottery” follows four families from Harlem and the Bronx in the months leading up to the random admissions lottery at Harlem Success Academy. Here’s the preview: Davis Guggenheim’s “Waiting for Superman” takes a national […]
Wake-up call
For charter schools across New York State, today’s news out of Albany was disappointing. It could have been much, much worse. In a fitting finale to months of procrastination and confusion, state lawmakers†failed to pass any charter school legislation to†raise the charter cap†and help win the Race to the Top. (That’s the federal competition that […]
