IN HARLEM, THE EVIDENCE IS CLEAR: CHARTER SCHOOLS CAUSE NO FINANCIAL HARM, ONLY BENEFIT, TO TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Ann Powell, 646-894-6407
Ann.P[email protected]
Maria Amante, 332-222-6642
[email protected]
IN HARLEM, THE EVIDENCE IS CLEAR: CHARTER SCHOOLS CAUSE NO FINANCIAL HARM, ONLY BENEFIT, TO TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The Most Charter-Saturated District in NYC Offers Key Proof Points to Quell Arguments Against Governor Hochul’s Proposal to Lift the Cap and Expand Highly Popular and Successful Public Schools
Harlem, NY, March 13, 2023 — Charter schools have been much maligned in response to Governor Hochul’s proposal to lift NYC’s charter cap. Opponents claim charter schools “cherry pick” the “best students,” cause district schools to struggle because they are stuck with the most difficult to educate children, and “drain” financial resources from district schools when families leave.
“The Harlem Example,” a white paper produced by researchers at Success Academy, examines the data on student demographics, teacher-student ratios, class size, and the financial impact of charter schools on traditional public schools in Community School District 5. CSD 5 encompasses most of Harlem and enrolls a higher percentage of public charter school students than any other district in NYC. Rather than harming district schools, the proliferation of charters has led to higher per pupil spending for traditional public schools, while also closing what had been an enormous achievement gap between Harlem’s public school students and the average New York State student.
ABOUT SUCCESS ACADEMY
Since its founding in 2006, Success Academy has created the highest-performing public school district in New York state, and a national model of access to excellence for children across all demographics. We currently enroll over 20,000 children in 49 elementary, middle, and high schools. The majority of Success Academy scholars are children of color from low-income households in disadvantaged neighborhoods, admitted through a random public lottery. Our distinctive K-12 approach, designed as a holistic 13-year educational trajectory, leads to student outcomes that outpace even those in affluent suburban schools. To date, 100% of SA’s graduates have been accepted to college, many to highly selective institutions. Most are the first in their families to have the opportunity for higher education. We regularly share our curriculum and methods with educators and school leaders across the country. By scaling excellence and reigniting the civic mission of education, Success Academy is leading a movement to reinvent public education.
For more information about Success Academy, go to successacademies.org.
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