"LIFT CAP ON CHARTER SCHOOLS NOW!"

A number of people and organizations, including Democrats for Education Reform, were involved with a number of activities on Monday calling for an immediate increase in the cap on charter schools in New York state.  There was a NYT ad, a press release (below) and a rally sponsored by Geoff Canada's Harlem Children's Zone.  Though I couldn't attend, it was apparently an amazing event. 

 

As you can see from the press release, Canada is an incredibly powerful and passionate warrior for children.  I still remember a great line from one of his speeches: "I'm not aware of any organization in the world that is failing as badly as our urban public schools in which everyone goes home at 3pm."

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For immediate release

 

Contact: Marty Lipp, 212-534-0700 or 917-774-8159

 

 

Community Leaders, Parents and Educators Demand:

 

“LIFT CAP ON CHARTER SCHOOLS NOW!”

 

March 27^th, 2006 -- Harlem Children’s Zone was joined on the steps of City Hall today by educational and community leaders, parents and elected officials to urge New York State to lift the cap on charter schools now.

 

The overwhelming majority of children served by public charter schools in New York are African-American and Latino and come from economically disadvantaged homes.  By any objective measure, these schools are succeeding at higher levels than the traditional public schools most of these children would otherwise attend.  Now that the charter school cap is exhausted, thousands upon thousands of the city’s neediest children will be denied the education they are demanding – attendance in a quality public charter school.

 

With the overwhelming need for more charter schools, any delay in lifting the cap must be interpreted in only one way: pressure to maintain the status quo blocking expanded opportunity for kids who need it most.

 

“This is simply wrong.  It is unconscionable to delay the expansion of opportunity to these children – especially when so many families in New York have so much educational opportunity,” said Geoffrey Canada, the event organizer and Harlem Children’s Zone President and CEO, “For the sake of our kids, the State must lift the charter school cap now.  Our children need to be given more chances to succeed, and that’s what charter schools are all about.  Our children deserve no less.”

 

Charter school facts:

• 87% of charter school students are African-American or Latino.
• 75% of charter school students are low-income.
• Charter school students outscore peers at conventional public schools in their districts on the English Language Arts and Math tests in fourth and eighth grade.
• This year, there are three times as many student applicants as available seats at New York City charter schools.
• More than 25 groups have already submitted applications to the New York City Department of Education to open new charter schools in 2007.

 

Harlem Children’s Zone, Inc., is a not-for-profit agency that offers education, social service and community-building programs in Central Harlem. Mr. Canada has been the CEO and President of HCZ since 1990. Recently, he was named co-chair of Mayor Bloomberg’s task force on poverty. In September 2004 the agency formed the HCZ Promise Academy Charter School, which will eventually run from kindergarten to 12^th grade, serving 1300 students. In September 2005, it opened HCZ Promise Academy 2.

 

“If the city water system were failing and children were dying of thirst,” said Mr. Canada, “Would the State limit the number of private relief organizations allowed to save our children? Of course not – and getting a good education can literally save a poor child’s life.

 

 “Each time the Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy Charter Schools have held an admission lottery,” continued Mr. Canada, “I have had parents crying and pleading with me to help their children who didn’t get in. It’s absolutely heart-breaking and, worse, it absolutely doesn’t need to happen.”

 

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