Thanks to legislation recently passed in Albany with the strong support of Governor Andrew Cuomo, Eva Moskowitz announced that she will seek another 14 charter schools, expanding her network significantly. This August, according to her website, she will have “9,450 scholars at 32 schools” in the city. She is applying to the State University of New York, which is a friendly authorizer. The public schools of New York City are now required by state law to give her free space or pay her rent in private space. Thanks, Governor Cuomo!
This is how her press release began:
“RESPONDING TO STRONG COMMUNITY DEMAND, SUCCESS ACADEMY TO APPLY FOR 14 ADDITIONAL CHARTERS
“June 10, 2014 (New York, NY) — Success Academy Charter Schools announced today that it is submitting applications to SUNY Charter Schools Institute to establish 14 new public charter schools in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Queens. Community demand for these high-performing schools reached an all time high this year, with more than 14,400 families applying for fewer than 3,000 open seats. An outgrowth of the charter-friendly legislation championed by Governor Cuomo and other state leaders this spring, the planned schools will provide educational equity to thousands of families in communities currently without viable school options for their children.”
“Chancellor Fariña recently noted that it is important to listen to the community. That is what we are doing in applying for these charters because the community is demanding more high quality charter schools,” said CEO Eva Moskowitz. “These families — representing more than a dozen neighborhoods — are desperate for great schools. Even with 14 more schools, we will not make a dent in the demand we are seeing.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Getting closer to the cap.
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Don’t worry, they’ll take care of that minor detail.
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District 2 will be interesting.
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Diane-PLEASE look at The Kalamazoo Promise-a Michigan College scholarship for students who graduate from Kalamazoo Public Schools, anonymously funded. They have just expanded it to Michigan private colleges as well. I think it is important to remember that SOME wealthy people do not try to tell schools what to do, design programs with out any real experience whether they will work or not, and just truly try to help. Despite Michigan’s governor diverting money to business interests this program needs to be highlighted and praised.
Patricia Carlin
Kalamazoo Central High School
All Giants Achieve Program
Co-Advisor Class of 2016
(269) 337-0330 x534
carlinpa@kalamazoo.k12.mi.us
>>> Diane Ravitch’s blog 6/11/2014 8:30 AM >>>
dianeravitch posted: “Thanks to legislation recently passed in Albany with the strong support of Governor Andrew Cuomo, Eva Moskowitz announced that she will seek another 14 charter schools, expanding her network significantly. This August, according to her website, she will h”
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Noted. But Patricia, there’s a big difference between funding college educations and influencing policy. We tend to focus on groups that are influencing and at times perverting policies for their own benefit.
The Kalamazoo Promise is not a policy issue. Diane and many readers on this blog tends to focus on that angle.
If your point is that not all wealthy people are self-interested jerks, sure, we know that. But the list of our critics and those who would undermine us is long.
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Sorry, Patricia, but I’m not buying it. The purpose of programs like the one you cite it to provide cover and rationale for the 1% in their mania to take control of the last big public institution we have, open and free to all.
Your intentions are, no doubt, good ones, but be realistic about the aims of those using you.
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Pushing up charter school governance to the state level is a mistake. They’ve tried it in state after state and it doesn’t work.
They do it to get around local opposition, but it’s short-sighted and dumb. They should know it, too. It hasn’t worked anywhere it’s been tried.
The regulator has to be close to the contractor.
You’re going to have all the same problems with charter schools that states like OH and FL and MI have. Welcome to the ranks of the race to the bottom ed reform states!
No one ever mentions us in those glowing ed reform docu-dramas, and there’s a reason for that.
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Did she pick which public school facility she wants yet? Maybe they could notify the students prior to eviction.
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Students Matter @Students_Matter · 17h
Historic Vergara v. California ruling is a victory for students & all who care about education.
Got it? If you disagree with them you don’t “care about education”
They’re not subtle, I’ll give them that. They use a hammer even when one’s not necessary!
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Details about this round of charter school apps can be found here: http://www.newyorkcharters.org/openAppKit.htm
I urge NYC residents opposed to the opening of more charters to send feedback to the SUNY Charter Schools Institute during the review period, and to lobby the SUNY Trustees if (or when) the apps go to them for approval.
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Sharon, I have tried that process….I even emailed my state representatives to not appoint the same Regents, but I figured when it’s a done deal, even before the feedback process, it’s done. I have never seen any governor who can wield so much influence. He reminds me of the main character of BOSS. In order to keep power, you have to know every representative’s weakness and exploit it to your advantage. One of these days, his house of cards will fall.
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If there is so much demand, why does the network not admit a new applicant every time a student leaves? Regular public schools must take new students whenever they register — middle of the student’s academic career, middle of the year, just before tests, or whenever. They must take students who are transient, whose schooling has been interrupted, whose attendance is or has been spotty. They take whoever shows up, whenever they show up. Charter schools should be required to do the same — if a student leaves or is “counseled out” mid-year, take a new student from the wait list.
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I think I am going to go to Eva Moskowitz’s apartment and tell her that I need her kitchen and master bathroom for my apartment. She won’t mind, will she?
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TAGO!
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Here’s Eva Moskowitz’s very short press release for children who are “hungry for great public school options” but who are not enrolled in one of her schools by the very first day of third grade:
Drop dead.
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Congress is about to put forth legislation expanding charter schools everywhere. Watch how quickly Eva grabs those smaller charters, many started by teachers and parents, and gobbles them up to increase her empire. I predict that she will soon go nationwide and be among the charter chains who are in this for the profit.
deBlasio turned out not to be a savvy politician. Either he’s and idiot or was on Eva’s side from the very beginning and allowed her and Cuomo to make mince meat out of him. Maybe if charters were horses he’d be had waged a better campaign and had all his ducks in a row. As for NYC’s DoE, Farina is leaving in place many of the directors Klein hired. Watch as many more public schools are closed. She had the power to stop the closing of Jamaica. She had the power to go to the school and community herself and see the improvements being made. Instead he ignored the pleas to keep it open. So much for community input in this administration.
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STRONG COMMUNITY DEMAND???
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