Charter Schools - What's Your Opinion?  We have some answers.

Beginning in May, we asked you to let us know your thoughts about what has become a hotly debated issue: Charter schools.  To share your thoughts and resources about charter schools, click here to go to the survey. The following is an initial report from members This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  and This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it :

A vote to raise the state cap on the number of publicly funded charter schools permitted in NYS was rushed through the legislature and passed the Assembly on May 28, 2010 (A11310). The new legislation lifts the cap from 200 to 460 but adds more oversight and mandates that the new charters be set up as nonprofit entities. 

The rush was ostensibly an effort to keep NYS in the competition for President Obama's Race to the Top, his signature education program in which states compete for federal funding based on test scores and the schools’ progress. Many objectors to charter schools, including noted historian of American education, Diane Ravitch, oppose the dependence on test scores and accountability in determining success.  Ravitch writes "They [the Obama administration) also fail to recognize that the best predictor of low academic performance is poverty—not bad teachers.

"What we need is not a marketplace, but a coherent curriculum that prepares all students. And our government should commit to providing a good school in every neighborhood in the nation, just as we strive to provide a good fire company in every community."*

*March 9, 2010, Wall Street Journal

State Senator Bill Perkins, who chairs the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions, held a public hearing in May inviting educators, parents, union members, charter school entrepreneurs, and other interested parties to offer testimony on the current state of charter schools in NYS. Senator Perkins plans to hold more hearings to continue to investigate and study how charter schools are performing.

As the debate continues, we encourage you to add your comments here . As of this posting, all comments that have been submitted are opposed to charter schools in general and were against raising the cap in New York State.  Here are some excerpts from your responses and links submitted by one of the responders:

"...I was originally in favor of a few innovative charter schools which might try out innovative teaching methods and curriculum which could serve to stimulate improvements in the public school system, by example. That is still possible but not on the scale that this expansion has produced and is being forced upon the states by Arne Duncan/Obama and the bribes of federal financing...."
— Sheila Geist

http://www.classsizematters.org/

Framework of principles developed with the NY Charter Parents association here: http://www.classsizematters.org/common_principles_v3.pdf

 Demonstration of the New Voting Machines in Astoria Next Tuesday, Aug. 10

Join the Long Island City Alliance, Greater Astoria Historical Society, and the NY Democratic Lawyers Council for a public demonstration by the NYC Board of Elections of the new voting machines.

Tuesday August 10, 6-8 pm
Greater Astoria Historical Society
35-20 Broadway 4th Floor
Astoria, NY 11106

On September 14, the lever machines will be replaced by Paper Ballots and Optical Scanners for all elections!

The NYC Board of Elections will give us a full demonstration of the machines and then allow members of the public to try them out.

Light refreshments will be available.