Charter schools will be big winners in the new state budget under a tentative deal hammered out by Gov. Cuomo and legislative leaders Thursday night, sources close to the talks said.
For the first time the privately operated schools will be eligible for government funds to cover the costs of leasing classroom space in private buildings, Albany sources said.
The city would be required to first look for space in regular public schools where new charters — or those wishing to expand — could be co-located.
And if such space couldn’t be found, the city would have to reimburse any charters that rent in private buildings, which could cost the city as much as $40 million a year.
And in a slap at Mayor de Blasio, he’ll be barred from charging rent to any charter school co-located in public school buildings.
During the mayoral campaign last year, de Blasio vowed to charge rent to the better funded charter.
“There is a complete ban on rent,” a source familiar with the deal said.
The agreement also calls for de Blasio to find alternate space for all three of Eva Moskowitz Success Academy charters booted from city facilities for the fall.
Cuomo — as well as state Senate leaders Dean Skelos and Jeff Klein — pushed hard for the measures after de Blasio took actions to limit charters.
“The governor stuck it to de Blasio,” said another source.
Michael Fiorillo reacts:
The growing edifice of hypocrisy, deception, greed, corruption and sadistic will-to-power is just sickening to behold.
What a bleak, bleak time: cravenness on the part of those who should be representing us; fear, apathy and ignorance on the part of most of our colleagues; aggressive predation by the privateers and their political courtesans.
We're screwed, folks, we're screwed...
Agreed - the message has been sent.
The corporate whores own the state.
The worse-than-uselessness of the UFT leadership becomes apparent in this episode: Unity Caucus, busy trying to take over NYSUT because its current leadership isn't sufficiently slavish towards Cuomo, is nowhere to be heard from here - in fact, since Silver signed off on it, we should assume the UFT agreed to it - despite the fact that this legislation more deeply entrenches the siphoning away of public school funds to charters.
ReplyDeleteBut how do you communicate that something is shameful to people who have no shame?
I agree, Michael - I bet the UFt winked and nodded at this, which is why Silver said yes to it. And of course since they have their own co-location, they're implicated in the problem as well.
DeleteI think Silver had to give a little to get the Pre-K funding for NYC. However, from what I read, charter schools won't be able to demand whatever placement they want--apparently, there will be a process to follow so the process is fair(we'll see how that goes), and the charter schools can be audited by the city and the state (a silver lining to this mess). Funny, though, the Post couldn't even be positive about the Pre-K funds for NYC. They had an article, which of course went against every bit of research on the subject, saying pre-K doesn't help students succeed. Their attacks on dB would be laughable if they were not so disgusting. Did anyone see the editorial awhile back that called DeB "Herr Wilhelm "and pictured him with his hand up in a way that resembled the Nazi salute. And, where were the other news sources and people denouncing that? Nowhere.
ReplyDeleteThe attacks against de Blasio have been savage. That's partly why I have gone from being a mild critic of his administration to trying to offer suggestions and support. Alas, as we can see, he is outgunned in this fight, as are we.
DeleteI agree.
DeleteWhatever De Blasio's shortcomings, we have little choice but to support him, if only because unlike everyone else out there, he's not a vicious son of a bitch who wishes us ill.
If a decent man like De Blasio can be so easily destroyed by these beasts, then our prospects will be even worse than they are now.
How can you suoport deBlasio when he is getting bowled over and he just concedes rather than fighting back? There is nothing to our new mayor so far.
ReplyDelete