The Charter Center publishes original reports about the role of charter schools in New York’s public education system, and supports outside researchers studying the City’s charter sector.
Charter School Accountability and Oversight: White Paper
Charter schools are expressly designed to operate independently of local school districts, but with the expectation that - free from centralized authority, employment contracts and uniform curriculums - educators in charter schools would be able to explore and implement different and innovative teaching methods in order to improve student learning and achievement. In exchange for this autonomy, charter schools are held accountable for the success of their students.
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NYC Charter School Legal Brief: November 2019
November 2019
Published by the New York City Charter School Center
In this legal update, the Charter Center’s General Counsel & Vice President of Legal Policy, explains the outcome and impact of Success Academy’s case to secure charter schools’ operational freedom from the NYC DOE when offering Pre-K.
New Provisions Passed in 2019-20 State Budget Legislation
Apri 2019
Published by the New York City Charter School Center
New York State’s 2019-20 budget includes two significant legislative changes affecting charter schools in New York City regarding changes to the per-pupil funding formula and new requirements pertaining to the definition of the roles and responsibilities of school security personnel. The Charter Center has drafted a memo to help schools understand how this legislation impacts their work.
Lift the Cap: Why New York City Needs More Charter Schools
February 2019
Published by The Manhattan Institute
Charter schools have become a significant part of the education sector in New York City since enabling legislation was passed in 1999. They now educate 123,000 students, or 10% of all public school students in the city, in 236 schools. Minority students from impoverished families benefit most from New York City’s charter schools, which offer strong academics and the prospect of upward mobility. Over 80% of charter students are low-income, and 91% are African-American or Hispanic. The state law that allows the creation and funding of charter schools limits the number of charters that can be operated in the city and state.
Finding Room for New York City Charter Schools
May 2018
Published by The Manhattan Institute
Former mayor Michael Bloomberg championed charter schools and accelerated their growth via colocation, the granting of free space in traditional public school buildings. However, during his 2013 campaign for mayor, Bill de Blasio pledged to curtail the practice. In response, in April 2014 the New York State legislature began requiring the city to offer rental assistance to new charters that are denied space in public school buildings. This report examines the de Blasio administration’s record regarding colocations, the extent to which there is space available for charters in underutilized public school buildings, and what additional steps the city and state might take to find room for charters.
New York City's Charter Schools: What the Research Shows
February 2018
Published by The Manhattan Institute
This report evaluates the current state of research on New York City charter schools. Overall, their effect on student performance is unambiguously positive. Key findings include: (1) Students who attend a NYC charter instead of a traditional public school do much better on math tests and better, but by a smaller amount, on English language arts tests; (2) Differences in resources do not explain differences in effectiveness between charter schools and traditional public schools; and, (3) There is no evidence that NYC charter schools systematically push out low-performing students. In fact, low-performing students are less likely to exit charter schools than they are to exit traditional public schools, especially after accounting for differences in their demographic characteristics.
Leadership, Commitment, Judgment: Elements of Successful Charter School Authorizing
February 2018
Published by National Association of Charter School Authorizers
Great authorizers—those with strong school portfolios and performance outcomes—implement foundational best practices that NACSA has promoted for years. But to achieve outstanding outcomes, more is needed. When compared to others nationally, great authorizers also share certain additional unmistakable characteristics. This report details examples of demonstrated leadership, judgment, and commitment by some of the best authorizing offices in our nation, including New York.
Charter School Performance in New York City
October 2017
Published by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes Stanford University
This analysis shows that in a year's time, on average, charter school students in New York City show stronger growth in both reading and math. The impact is statistically significant: thinking of a 180-day school year as "one year of learning", an average New York City charter student demonstrates growth equivalent to completing 23 additional days of learning in reading and 63 additional days in math each year.
The 2017-18 State Legislative Session and Charter Schools
July 2017
Published by the New York City Charter School Center
As part of the agreement to extend mayoral control in New York City for two years, the Charter Center has detailed the provisions and commitments by the State Education Department and the New York City Department of Education that will affect charter schools in New York City.
Neighborhoods Primed for Charter School Growth: Report
May 2017
Published by the New York City Charter School Center
Given the critical needs of many NYC students, particularly those in underserved communities, the Charter Center analyzed district school performance, charter demand, and Census data that identified four neighborhoods in the Bronx and Queens that would particularly benefit from the immediate growth of high quality charter schools.
2017-18 Enrollment Lottery Estimates Report
May 2017
Published by the New York City Charter School Center
Parent demand for New York City charter schools increased by seven percent for the 2017-18 school year! There were an estimated 73,000 applicants for the nearly 25,200 seats available in the 227 charter schools that will be operating this fall. This leaves nearly 48,000 students on waitlists citywide.
New Provisions Passed In 2017-18 State Budget Legislation
May 2017
Published by the New York City Charter School Center
New York State’s 2017-18 budget includes two significant legislative changes affecting charter schools in New York City regarding changes to the per pupil funding formula and an increase in rental assistance. The Charter Center has drafted a memo to help schools understand how this legislation impacts their work.
With State Formula for Charter School Funding Likely to Change, City Costs to Grow More Than Budgeted
March 2017
Published by New York City Independent Budget Office
The IBO released an updated report comparing public spending for charter schools to traditional district schools, and its analysis is clear: not only do NYC charter schools receive less in public spending than their district counterparts, but this funding disparity continues to grow. In the current school year (2016-17), the IBO reports that charter schools will again receive substantially less per pupil regardless of whether it operates in public or private space; the IBO estimates that charters are underfunded compared to traditional district schools by $1,145 to $4,863 per pupil.
NYC Charter School Legal Brief: January 2017
January 2017
Published by the New York City Charter School Center
In this quarterly legal update, the Charter Center’s Director of Legal Affairs looks at three cases that: examine changes to labor law governing charters; review authorizers’ non-renewal decisions; and, study a constitutional challenge to the funding system for New York’s charter schools.
Over 44,000 Students On NYC Charter School Waitlists
June 2016
Published by the New York City Charter School Center
In New York City, there are an estimated 68,000 applicants for nearly 23,600 available charter school seats – creating a citywide charter waiting list of an estimated 44,400 children. Demand for charter school seats remains strong with a 4% increase in applicants from the 2015-16 school year. In fact, for each charter school seat in Harlem and the South Bronx, there are nearly four applicants.
ELL Legal FAQ
April 2016
Published by the New York City Charter School Center
The Charter Center has developed an English Language Learner (ELL) Legal FAQ to address enrolling, identifying, and serving ELLs. This resource provides guidance to ensure that charter schools are providing instructional programs and parent communications for ELL families that are in compliance with federal laws.
New Provisions Passed In 2016-17 State Budget Legislation
April 2016
Published by the New York City Charter School Center
The Charter Center drafted a memo to help schools understand how the legislation impacts their work surrounding grant assistance funding and the simplification of the rental assistance program.
New York State Student Achievement Test Results: New York City Public Schools No Longer Lag Rest of the State
February 2016
Published by New York City Independent Budget Office
New York City-based charter schools outperform schools throughout the state when test results are adjusted to control for demographic differences. After controlling for demographics, traditional public schools in New York City have a 13.1 percentage point advantage over the rest of the state on ELA and a 12.5 percentage point advantage on math proficiency. The gaps are larger for charter schools in the city: 18.8 percentage points on ELA and 30.1 percentage points on math.
Issues 2016: Charter Schools Are Better at Retaining Hard-to-Educate Students
January 2016
Published by The Manhattan Institute
Students learning English are more likely to remain in their school if it is a charter than if it is a traditional public school: in New York City, among students classified as English-language learners, 82 percent who originally enrolled in charters for kindergarten remained in their schools four years later, compared with 70 percent of such students in traditional public schools.
More Publications
Charter School Enrollment & Trends
October 2015
Published by the New York City Charter School Center
Student enrollment in New York City’s public charter schools has doubled over the last four years, ranking NYC’s charter sector second only to Los Angeles in terms of total charter enrollment. In key neighborhoods — including Harlem, the South Bronx, and Bedford-Stuyvesant — 1 in 3 students currently attends a charter school. In fact, 1 in 10 students citywide will be enrolled in a charter school by the 2016-17 school year. The Charter Center’s analysis of enrollment patterns and charter school expansion in NYC reveals robust growth that is difficult to ignore.
Student Discipline Policies for New York City Charter Schools
October 2015
Published by the New York City Charter School Center
This short guide to the basic procedural requirements for due process when suspending or expelling a student includes examples of language for the student or family handbook to ensure families are aware of their rights and responsibilities.
Charter Schools Versus Traditional Public Schools: Comparing the Level of Public Support In School Year 2014-2015
July 2015
Published by New York City’s Independent Budget Office
NYC’s IBO released its latest comparison of per student public support for charter schools with that for traditional public schools. As in its prior two comparative reports, the IBO reviewed the amount of money allocated to charter schools plus the supplemental public support given to these schools, some of which is required by the state and some provided at the city’s discretion. Also estimated was per student spending at traditional public schools.
School Indicators for New York City Charter Schools 2013-2014 School Year
July 2015
Published by New York City’s Independent Budget Office
NYC’s IBO issued a report detailing charter school growth, location and network affiliation – touching on enrollment, co-location, student attrition and backfill, amongst other topics. The report also covered charter student demographics and achievement results. The aggregate picture that emerges is of a diverse charter school sector in high demand that overall is educating a rapidly increasing number of students who are mostly minority and low-income with varying success.
New Provisions Passed in the 2015 Legislation Session Affecting Charter Schools
June 2015
Published by the New York City Charter School Center
On June 26, 2015, the Senate and Assembly passed new legislation regarding New York City charter schools. The Charter Center drafted a detailed memo to help schools understand how the legislation impacts their work surrounding charter cap restrictions, teacher qualification flexibility and permissive enrollment preference.
PUSHED OUT? Low-Performing Students and New York City Charter Schools
March 2015
Published by the Manhattan Institute
This paper uses longitudinal NYC student-level enrollment data to assess critics’ claims that charters systematically “push out” low-performing, or otherwise difficult-to-educate, students in order to boost aggregate test scores. Critics of charter schools commonly assert that charters’ (often) strong academic performance derives primarily from the type of student educated, rather than the quality of schooling provided.
Comparing Student Attrition Rates at Charter Schools and Nearby Traditional Public Schools (Updated with and Additional Year of Data)
January 2015
Published by New York City’s Independent Budget Office
NYC’s IBO issued an updated report that examines whether elementary grade students in charter schools leave their schools any more frequently than students in traditional public schools. The study finds, among other things, that, on average, students at charter schools stay at their schools at a higher rate than students at nearby traditional public schools. Also, of the students tracked, those with special needs remained at their charter schools at a higher rate than similar students at nearby traditional public schools.
Steal This Plan: Seven Ways NYC’s “Renewal Schools” Can Learn From Great Charter Schools
November 2014
Published by the New York City Charter School Center
Providing a great public education is a citywide effort, and effective charter schools stand ready to share their work. After Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a plan to improve struggling district schools, the Charter Center described seven ways the plan could be strengthened and expanded by incorporating the effective strategies of top charter schools and networks.
Still Building Inequality: How New York’s Charter Public School Students Continue to Bear the Cost of School Facilities
November 2014
Published by the New York City Charter School Center and Northeast Charter Schools Network
In 2014, New York lawmakers authorized the first-ever public funding for charter schools’ ongoing facility costs—but not all charter school students were covered. A new analysis of the uncovered facility costs paid by charter schools in New York State shows the size of the remaining inequity.
Why the Gap?: English Language Learners and New York City Charter Schools
October 2014
Published by the Manhattan Institute
An analysis of the English Language Learner “enrollment gap” between charter and district schools shows that it is not created because ELLs are more likely to leave charter schools over time; ELL students are retained at similar if not higher rates at charter schools. Instead, the single, overwhelming reason for the ELL gap is that fewer ELLs enroll in charter schools in the intake grades.
2014 Guide to New Provisions in State Law Affecting New York City Charter Schools
July 2014
Published by the New York City Charter School Center
On April 1, 2014, New York State lawmakers approved a package of budget legislation that changed the legal landscape for New York City charter schools. The Charter Center created a detailed guide to help schools understand how the legislation impacts their work in seven key areas.
No Velvet Ropes: How NYC Charter Schools Make Opportunity Accessible
April 2014
Published by the New York City Charter School Center
Not all public schools are equally accessible to the public. An analysis of admissions policies and student achievement shows that charter schools provide some of the city’s most high-quality school options. Meanwhile, selective admissions policies and prohibitive housing costs make many district public schools effectively off-limits to hundreds of thousands of families—as if surrounded by invisible velvet ropes.
State of the Sector (2012)
April 2012
Published by the New York City Charter School Center
What choices are charter schools providing? What are their results? Who are their students? And what is the outlook for charter schools' future? Read the Charter Center's new, data-rich report to find out.
