Charter Schools
Check out these charter schools for your
child to attend in Brooklyn
By EMILY DAVENPORT
It is prime school-search
season in New York City. If you
are one of the thousands of
families weighing their child’s
educational options for pre-
Kindergarten, elementary,
middle, and high school, you
are in the thick of applications,
essays, and assessments
or testing. Aside from your
regular work and daily activities
during this time, you now
must add researching schools,
contacting administrators, and
touring neighborhood options
to your busy to-do list. This is
true whether you considering
public or private schools.
So, how does one choose
the best option? Begin with
the big decision — public or
private. Then, take a look at
the options within your preferred
category. For those utilizing
the city’s public school
options, you have many
options in your district, with
priority at your zoned school,
and you will also have access
to a host of charter schools.
Charter schools (founded
by not-for-profit Boards of
Trustees) receive government
funding, but unlike public
schools, they operate independently
under a contract
(or “charter”)—an example of
what has been labeled by some
as “public asset privatization”
or contracting out. Many of
the city’s charter schools utilize
public school space. Since
the passing of the New York
Charter Schools Act of 1998,
there has been debate from
government officials and families
alike on whether these
schools should be considered
public. According to the
United States Department of
Education, given that charter
schools are open to all
students and do not charge
tuition, they are categorized
right alongside your area public
schools.
“We serve the communities
in which we are located,” says
Emily Kim, the Chief Executive
Officer of Zeta Charter
Schools, which has sites in the
South Bronx and the Inwood/
Washington Heights areas.
Zeta opened its doors in the
fall of 2018.
Charter schools may not
have all the regulations of a
districted school, but they
are accountable for academic
results and upholding promises
Caribbean L 22 ife, January 15-21, 2021
that the charter school
stemmed from. With well over
200 charter schools in the city,
there are tens of thousands of
New York City families that are
served by these institutions,
and these schools have thousands
more on their waitlists.
So, why are so many families
choosing charter schools?
Charter schools have more
flexibility in their offerings, a
longer school year, extended
daily hours, and additional programming.
“Much of my experience
is in charter education,
and I love how charters are free
to innovate and raise the excellence
bar for children,” Kim
says.
Although every charter is
different (the model, goals, and
policies may vary) — overall,
they are outperforming their
neighborhood counterparts on
state tests (English language
arts and math).
“Parents deserve to have a
high-quality school option, as
well as a choice as to where
they send their children to
school. Charters provide parents
with much-needed educational
options for their children,
which raises the bar for
public education, generally,”
Kim says. “We serve families
and want them to be close partners
with us in their children’s
education. Through this partnership,
we ensure that children
meet their highest and
best potential.”
Many families are drawn by
the opportunity to send their
children to high-performing
charter schools. Most operate
through a lottery placement
system due to the demand.
“We were zoned for a failing
public school (math and
reading scores were in the
single-digit percentile), and
private school is too costly,”
says Tiffany G., who is a parent
at Harlem Hebrew Language
Academy Charter School. Her
daughter, now in fourth grade,
started at the school in kindergarten.
“Public schools in New York
are wonderful if you are wealthy
and thereby able to afford an
affluent neighborhood where
high-quality public schools can
be found. For many who are
not wealthy or able to afford
expensive neighborhoods, public
schools are poor performing,
sometimes perilous places.
The current public school
system exacerbates our city’s
economic system of have and
have-nots, while many charter
schools offer a high-quality
education accessible to all New
Yorkers regardless of income,”
she says. Adding: “There is a
tremendous amount of variety
among charter schools, as they
are not bound by all the same
regulations as public schools.
Shop around to find the school
that is the best fit for your
child’s learning needs.”
For families in the midst
of the school search, a common
online application (available
via nyccharterschools.
org) represents approximately
75% of New York City’s charter
schools, adding ease to the
process of applying. The online
form, due by April 1, makes
searching school options and
information on each accessible.
New York families interested
in applying to charter schools
should check individual school
websites for listings of tours,
open houses, and application
instructions.
Brooklyn Charter Schools
Ascend Public Charter
Schools
15 K-12 schools in
Brownsville, Bushwick,
Canarsie, East Flatbush,
Cypress Hills, East New York,
and Lefferts Gardens
347-464-7600, ext. 1002
Explore Schools
718- 989-6730
Launch Expeditionary
Learning Charter School
1580 Dean St., 3rd Floor,
Brooklyn
718- 604-6910
PAVE Red Hook Charter
School (K-8)
732 Henry St., Brooklyn
PAVE Red Hook Charter
School (pre-K)
76 Lorraine St., Brooklyn,
718-858-7813
Williamsburg Charter
High School
718-782-9830
admissions@thewcs.org
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