WASHINGTON, D.C.-Tonight National Alliance for Public Charter Schools President and CEO Nina Rees released the following statement in response to Bill de Blasios election as Mayor of New York City:
I’d like to congratulate Mayor-elect de Blasio on his victory this evening. In the coming weeks and months as he develops his plans for New York City schools, I urge him to consider the vital role public charter schools play in educating some of the city’s most vulnerable students. As reports continue to show, charter schools are responsible for significant gains in academic achievement and help prepare students for college and career. Important lessons can be drawn from the practices of high-quality charter schools and shared with the broader public school system to help improve student learning.
Public charter schools are an important addition to New York City’s public school landscape, and the children and families that attend them are counting on their mayor to ensure these schools remain available. I encourage Mayor-elect de Blasio to ensure that public charter schools receive the same access to school buildings as all other public schools.
During the campaign, Mr. de Blasio proposed ending the city’s innovative co-location of charter schools with traditional public schools as well as a shift to charging charter schools rent for space in public school buildings. A moratorium on co-location could eliminate more than 15,000 new charter school seats annually, and a rent charge could force charters to turn away 50,000 waitlisted families. Last month the National Alliance joined nearly 20,000 parents, students, and teachers in a march across the Brooklyn Bridge to demonstrate the important role charters play in the city’s public education system.
About the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the public charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. www.publiccharters.org.
