NYC Public School Parents: State Budget Set to Divert Public School Funds for Charter School Rent

NYC Public School Parents: State Budget Set to Divert Public School Funds for Charter School Rent:

State Budget Set to Divert Public School Funds for Charter School Rent

The proposed budget bill was posted online overnight.  The bill will require the NYC public schools to either allow space for new or expanding charter schools in our buildings or pay for market-rate rent out of our budget.  Parents should contact their Assembly member and insist they vote against this bill.  The loss of funds diverted to charters will come directly from our classrooms.

Links to the bill can be found on the Assembly web site here.

Language on rent can be found on page 71:

21    S 5. Subdivision 3 of section 2853 of the education law is amended  by
   22  adding a new paragraph (e) to read as follows:
   23    (E)  IN  A  CITY  SCHOOL DISTRICT IN A CITY HAVING A POPULATION OF ONE
   24  MILLION  OR  MORE  INHABITANTS,  CHARTER  SCHOOLS  THAT  FIRST  COMMENCE
   25  INSTRUCTION  OR  THAT  REQUIRE  ADDITIONAL  SPACE DUE TO AN EXPANSION OF
   26  GRADE LEVEL, PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE, APPROVED BY THEIR CHARTER  ENTITY
   27  FOR THE TWO THOUSAND FOURTEEN--TWO THOUSAND FIFTEEN SCHOOL YEAR OR THER-
   28  EAFTER  AND  REQUEST  CO-LOCATION  IN  A PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING SHALL BE
   29  PROVIDED ACCESS TO FACILITIES PURSUANT TO THIS PARAGRAPH FOR SUCH  CHAR-
   30  TER  SCHOOLS  THAT FIRST COMMENCE INSTRUCTION OR THAT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL
   31  SPACE DUE TO AN EXPANSION OF GRADE  LEVEL,  PURSUANT  TO  THIS  ARTICLE,
   32  APPROVED BY THEIR CHARTER ENTITY FOR THOSE GRADES NEWLY PROVIDED.
   33    (1) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, WITHIN
   34  THE  LATER  OF  (I) FIVE MONTHS AFTER A CHARTER SCHOOL'S WRITTEN REQUEST
   35  FOR CO-LOCATION AND (II) THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE CHARTER SCHOOL'S  CHARTER
   36  IS  APPROVED  BY  ITS  CHARTER  ENTITY,  THE  CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL
   37  EITHER: (A) OFFER AT NO COST TO THE CHARTER SCHOOL A CO-LOCATION SITE IN
   38  A PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AS  PROVIDED
   39  BY  LAW,  OR  (B) OFFER THE CHARTER SCHOOL SPACE IN A PRIVATELY OWNED OR
   40  OTHER PUBLICLY OWNED FACILITY AT THE EXPENSE OF THE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
   41  AND AT NO COST TO THE CHARTER SCHOOL.  THE  SPACE  MUST  BE  REASONABLE,
   42  APPROPRIATE  AND  COMPARABLE  AND IN THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BE
   43  SERVED BY THE CHARTER SCHOOL AND OTHERWISE IN REASONABLE PROXIMITY.