Proposed parent letter/talking points

March 12, 2007


The Honorable _____
New York State Assembly

RE: Support Charter Schools;
Oppose Anti-Charter School Provisions in Assembly Bill 4307-B

Dear Assembly Member _______

I write as your constituent requesting that you support Governor Spitzer’s proposal to raise the cap on charter public schools, and provide additional funding to correct the current inequity in the funding of this vital public school option.

I also write to tell you of my strong opposition to the anti-charter school provisions contained in Assembly Bill 4307-B, which would hurt my child’s charter public school.

This bill would cut our children’s charter public school’s funding, even though state funding for public schools is growing by record amounts. This unequal treatment of charter public school funding is unfair and wrong, and should be corrected rather than made worse by this bill.

This bill also would make it more difficult for my school to operate successfully and improve my child’s education by imposing higher costs for buildings and other mandates that also threaten my school.

I don’t understand why any state legislator, especially my own, would consider and vote for legislation that harms my child’s charter public school and limits parents’ ability to choose strong public schools for our children. Please help us, not hurt us!

I ask that you oppose the charter provisions of this bill, as you complete the state budget for April 1. My children’s future is too important to me to allow the Assembly to hurt our charter public school.

Instead, I hope that you and the legislature will support Governor Spitzer’s proposal to raise the cap on charter schools, and provide more funding for all charter schools.

Thank you.

Sincerely,