FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM FEBRUARY 17, 2022 • THE QUEENS COURIER 29
charter schools
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Some fast facts about New York City charter schools
BY HANNAH MALLARD
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
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. Th is 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 off er 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
eff ect, or a positive eff ect,” on the city’s traditional
public schools.
In fact, district schools have improved
signifi cantly as charter schools have
spread throughout New York City’s fi ve
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. Th is 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.
Th ough 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). Th ough
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.
Th is 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 schools don’t
pick their students
New York City’s charter schools admit
students through a lottery system; they
cannot select their students. Th is 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 aft er
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 social-emotional
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.
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