And Then There Were Twelve

The SUNY Board of Trustees voted today to approve six new charter school applications, leaving SUNY only 12 more charters to issue. SUNY is the only charter school authorizer with spots left under the statewide cap, and it has already received 22 applications. (There are still dozens more applications in…

Continue ReadingAnd Then There Were Twelve

What the Charter Bill Does (Pt. 3): Meeting Students’ Special Needs

This is the third post about what’s actually in the much-discussed New York State charter schools bill (S.7678/A.10928). Read about the raising the cap in Pt. 1 and improving transparency in Pt. 2.Do charter schools enroll too few students who require special education (SpEd) services? Over at Gotham Schools today,…

Continue ReadingWhat the Charter Bill Does (Pt. 3): Meeting Students’ Special Needs

One on One with Diane Ravitch

Yesterday, I debated Diane Ravitch on New York 1’s Inside City Hall. Watch it for yourself, but I have to say there is a Moby Dick quality to her obsession with charter schools. While Professor Ravitch has every right to try to engage in a public renunciation of her former…

Continue ReadingOne on One with Diane Ravitch

What the Charter Bill Does (Pt. 1): Raising the Cap and Killing Zombies

After the New York State Senate voted to approve S.7678, a compromise charter school bill that Charter Center supported, it’s worth reviewing what’s actually in the legislation. So here's the first in a series of explanatory posts. For an overview of the bill, read the Charter Center's support memo here.…

Continue ReadingWhat the Charter Bill Does (Pt. 1): Raising the Cap and Killing Zombies

Leadership in Albany

Kudos to the John Sampson and the NY State Senator for approving a solid charter schools bill by a vote of 45-15. It's an important step forward.Charter school advocates are looking forward to working with Speaker Silver and the Assembly in the days and weeks ahead, to help charter schools…

Continue ReadingLeadership in Albany

James Merriman on Perkins Hearing

"As I sat through the hearing waiting to testify, I found myself in an odd position. I've always been a firm believer in oversight, regulation, transparency, and accountability for charter schools. As a charter school authorizer for seven years, I built a regulatory regimen that has been praised nationwide. "So…

Continue ReadingJames Merriman on Perkins Hearing

Duncan: Listen to Parents

"When parents recognize which schools are failing to educate their children, they will demand more effective options for their kids. They won't care whether they are charters, non-charters or some other model. As President Barack Obama has called for, states should eliminate restrictions that limit the growth of excellent charter…

Continue ReadingDuncan: Listen to Parents