TRAGIC SHUT-OUT: RECORD 43,000 NYC STUDENTS TO BE TURNED AWAY FROM PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS DUE TO ARTIFICAL CAP

While Perkins is attacking charter schools, the parents of NYC have spoken – and they are FURIOUS that nearly 80% of those who apply for spots are charter schools are turned away thanks to politicians doing the unions' bidding:

 

TRAGIC SHUT-OUT: RECORD 43,000 NYC STUDENTS TO BE TURNED AWAY FROM PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS DUE TO ARTIFICAL CAP

Cap Lift Would be a Win-Win, Helping Meet Huge Parental Demand and Improving New York State's Chances at $700 million in Race to the Top Money
 
(NEW YORK CITY): 43,000 New York City students will end up on waiting lists for public charter schools, according to new data released today by the New York City Charter School Center—a record high that could be greatly reduced if Albany were to lift its artificial cap on these high-performing institutions.
 
With lottery season nearly complete, city charter schools are on pace to disappoint all but 11,700 of some 55,000 applicants, meaning that there was only one seat for every five children who applied. (These figures exclude returning charter school students. Citywide charter school enrollment is expected to exceed 38,000 students in 2010-11.)
 
"Each year, more parents line up for a space in one of New York City's successful charter schools, and each year, more of them are told that their kids can't share in the remarkable results that charters are producing for others," said James Merriman, CEO of the New York City Charter Center. "Today, Albany is stifling choice for more than 40,000 kids. Unless politicians lift the arbitrary and artificial cap on public charter schools, that number will only continue to grow. And that's a disgrace."
 
Brooklyn tops all boroughs with an estimated 18,200 students applying for 3,800 spots, meaning that 14,400 children would be added to waiting lists.

In Harlem, an estimated 14,000 students applied for 2,700 spots, disappointing 11,300.

The Charter Center's preliminary estimates correct for parents who apply to more than one charter school. Total applications are estimated to exceed 64,000, up from last year's final tally of 51,395.
 
The lottery data was revealed as New York prepares to apply for up to $700 million in federal funding as part of the 2nd round of the Race to the Top application. In the first round, New York was docked for having a cap on charter schools and came in a dismal 15th out of 16 finalists.
 
"The state can potentially win $700 million in desperately needed education funding, and the only 'sacrifice' is to lift a cap on charter schools that produce better academic results for kids and draws an enormous amount of parental demand throughout the five boroughs. What am I missing here?" asked Valerie Babb, President of the Charter Parents Advocacy Network (CPAN) and a parent whose daughter attends Harlem Link Charter School.