STATEMENT FROM NYC CHARTER SCHOOL CENTER CEO JAMES MERRIMAN ON 2016 NEW YORK STATE BUDGET
(New York, NY) Please credit the following statement to James Merriman, CEO of the New York City Charter School Center:
“This is a good budget for charter schools, the students they serve and the State of New York,” said James Merriman, CEO of the New York City Charter School Center. “The legislature’s and governor’s budget, if enacted as expected, puts policy over politics when it comes to New York City’s charter schools. Thanks to Governor Cuomo’s and Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan’s unflagging support and leadership, charter schools in New York City and across the state will take a step closer to funding parity with their traditional district school counterparts. These achievements are particularly notable given that the teachers union continues to fight tooth and nail against public charter schools and the parents who choose them for their children.
“Once this budget is enacted, New York City’s public charter school sector will be better positioned to grow to meet the tremendous demand that exists, particularly in communities with students at risk of academic failure. Of course, we recognize that there remains a disturbing gap in how charter schools and district schools are funded and that many charter schools in New York City and across the state still do not have access to facility funding; we will not stop working until that gap is closed and children in New York are not financially penalized for choosing a public school that works for them."
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