Paterson Submits Bill on Doubling Charter Schools and Boosting Funding

January 8, 2010

Gov. Paterson on Thursday urged lawmakers to lift the state’s cap on charter schools and let student test results be used in teacher tenure decisions.

Eliminating the statewide cap of 200 charter schools would greatly improve New York’s chances of competing for $700million in much-needed federal funding, the governor said.

"It is incumbent upon us as lawmakers to take any and all action necessary to ensure that we are successful in this process," Paterson said in introducing legislation to scrap the cap.

Eliminating the cap before the Jan. 19 Race to the Top federal-funding deadline – as opposed to just raising it – may be further than some legislators are willing to go.

The state’s powerful teacher unions oppose doing away with the cap.

United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew said the Race to the Top money also requires charter schools to serve high-needs students the same way public schools do.

"The way the law is currently structured, that’s not happening," said Mulgrew, who released a report Sunday on the disparity.

Charter advocat es praised the governor and said state law is adequate at making sure charter schools serve needy students.

"[Eliminating] the cap is where you’re going to get the most impact," said James Merriman of the New York City Charter School Center.

Paterson, the state Board of Regents and Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson had previously called for raising the cap.

"Sen. Sampson has been supportive of increasing the cap, not eliminating it," a Senate spokesman said.