Charter schools
What you need to know: Some fast
facts about NYC charter schools
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COURIER LIFE, FEBRUARY 18-24, 2022 27
BY HANNAH MALLARD
Charter schools are independentlyoperated
public schools accountable
for advancing student achievement.
New York City’s 267 charter
schools are independent of the New
York City Department of Education,
but if they don’t meet certain student
achievement standards, they can be
closed. This combination of freedom
and accountability allows charter
teachers to adapt their classrooms
based on their students’ needs while
pushing for high academic achievement.
New York City’s charter schools
have become a popular option for
many students, especially from minority
and economically disadvantaged
families. Charter schools offer
students opportunities for academic
success that unfortunately cannot
be said for some of the city’s public
schools.
We’ve included a list of charter
school benefi ts below to help you
and your family consider if a charter
school is the right fi t for your student!
NYC Charters Outperform Other
Public Schools
According to statistics from New
York state exams in 2019, 63% of charter
students in grades three through
eight passed the state math exam and
57% of charter students were profi -
cient in English Language Arts.
New York’s charter students outperformed
their peers from traditional
public schools: 46% of traditional
public school students passed
the state math exam and 47% of these
students were profi cient in English
Language Arts.
NYC Charters Do Not Succeed
at the Expense of District
Schools
A common myth is that as New
York’s charter schools succeed, the
city’s traditional public schools fail as
a result.
A 2018 study by the Manhattan Institute
concluded that “competition
from New York City charter schools
has either no effect, or a positive effect,”
on the city’s traditional public
schools.
In fact, district schools have
improved significantly as charter
schools have spread throughout
New York City’s five boroughs.
Funding for district schools has also
increased as the student population
at charter schools has gone up over
the years.
Charter Schools are Specialized,
with No Tuition Costs
Charter teachers adapt their classrooms
and teaching methods to the
current needs of their students. This
freedom in the curriculum, teaching
style, school missions and policies
resembles that of private schools, enabling
charter schools to provide the
very best approach to academics that
fi ts their students.
Though teachers have fl exibility,
charter schools are held accountable
for levels of high academic achievement.
If charter institutions underperform,
they can be closed.
Charter Schools Have Ample
Funding
$16,123 is spent per pupil at New
York’s charter schools (as per most
recent NYSED Public School Data).
Though this is less than the average
funding per pupil in traditional
district schools, charter schools and
teachers clearly make the most out of
their budget.
This funding by not-for-profi t
Boards of Trustees means that parents
of charter students don’t have to
spend money out of their own pockets
to ensure their child receives a great
education!
Charter School’s Don’t Pick
Their Students
New York City’s charter schools
admit students through a lottery system;
they cannot select their students.
This process gives students from all
backgrounds and education levels
an equal opportunity to attend and
achieve academic success at charter
schools.
Charter Students have had
Access to Great Schooling
Despite COVID-19
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit
New York, charter schools across the
fi ve boroughs immediately transitioned
to remote learning that adapted
to the students in each classrooms’
needs.
75% of New York’s charter schools
had created a remote learning procedure
before the March 2020 lockdown.
Charter students only had to wait an
average of three days to begin remote
learning after in-person learning was
closed.
Both charter students and teachers
had the tools to continue learning
and teaching from home. 80% of New
York charter schools provided students
with devices for remote learning
before schools were closed and 98% of
New York’s charter school teachers
had the technology to conduct remote
instruction.
Charter schools have been able to
keep students accountable and maintain
a high level of learning despite
COVID-19 and its ramifi cations on
education. 85% of New York’s charter
schools continued to introduce new
learning content to students through
the pandemic and charter schools
were three times more likely to take
attendance during remote classes
compared to traditional schools.
Charter schools also expanded nonacademic
programs such as socialemotional
counseling and family outreach
during the pandemic. 75% of
charter teachers increased their offi ce
hours during remote learning and 91%
of charter teachers increased their
time spent on communication with
families during the pandemic.