Brooklyn School District Says No To New NY Charter Schools

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — The public will get a chance to weigh in next month on a school district's proposal to stop new charter schools from opening in New York for the next five years.

The Community Education Council for District 15 — which runs from Cobble Hill down to Sunset Park — approved a resolution last week that asks New York not to increase its current cap on the number of charter schools allowed in the state, or a subcap in place in New York City. It also proposes a five-year moratorium on new charters opening.

The resolution will head to a "public comment" period at the council's Jan. 29 meeting.

Council members contend that charter schools, originally meant for areas where there are a lack of alternatives for students, have become "arguably oversaturated" in the city.

"New York City, with at least 71 percent of the state's Charters, on top of the bounty of public an private options, is demonstrably not a region with a lack of alternatives," members wrote.

The 71 percent figure does not include at least 20 charter schools that were approved for New York City since September, according to the resolution.

The city has raised its original 50-school cap on charters three times since it was first put in place in 2007 and, as of the time of the resolution, there are only 8 charters spots left, CEDC said. The limit of 460 charter schools statewide is also nearly full, according to the resolution, with only 95 charter spots remaining as of earlier this month.

A representative for the council did not immediately return a request for comment.

Brooklyn, the council argues, is uniquely positioned to address the cap, as it is the borough with the most charter schools in the city.

Kings County has more charters than any other county in the state and holds 37 percent of New York City's charter schools, the resolution said. After Brooklyn, which has 97 charters, the Bronx falls in second with 77, Manhattan in third with 53, Queens in fourth with 27 and Staten Island last with six schools.

"Charters are an unproven experiment that continues to grow, predominantly in New York City, while other parts of the state with far fewer local alternatives go ignored," the resolution continues, pointing out that Suffolk County has one charter per 100,000 students while most boroughs in the city have one per every 3,000 students.

The state should have "ample room" under the current cap to provide charter schools to these more suburban communities, council members said.

Members also argue that charter placement statewide is "arbitrary to performance on state tests," based on their own examination of state data.

Charters, they add, seem to operate free from public oversight in some areas. More charters would weaken this public accountability further, the resolution concludes, and further strain city and state resources for schools.

"Now is not the time to increase the number of charters," it said. "Now is the time to begin an evaluation period."

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