Despite strong support from local parents for a charter school and plenty of space for two schools in one building, the city’s Panel for Educational Policy last night rejected the Department of Education’ s plan to open a Success Academy Charter School in the Andries Hudde Middle School, 2500 Nostrand Avenue in Midwood.
While the PEP’s refusal to allow the co-location was an obvious blow to the Success Academy Charter school network it also took some wind from Mayor Bill de Blasio‘s sail in Albany as the senate debates on reauthorizing mayoral control of the city’s schools – a point not lost on Success Academy CEO Eva Moskowitz.
“Since Mayor de Blasio has taken office, the PEP has failed to approve a single co-location for a new charter school, even though there is ample space in city school buildings for such co-locations. The failure to approve such co-locations is having an adverse impact on the city’s finances because the city must then pay for charter schools to rent private space,” said Moskowitz.
“If Mayor de Blasio wants mayoral control, he should show he’s willing to use it. If he won’t use it, then someone else needs to take control of the city’s schools. Our schools require dramatic change. A mayor who can’t or won’t push through a PEP vote to fit a single school hasn’t faced up to the dramatic leadership called for by our educational crisis,” she added.
Education Department spokeswoman Devora Kaye said the city was disappointed with the outcome of the vote.
“Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor [Carmen] Fariña are committed to meaningful dialogue with all stakeholders when making important decisions that impact the education of our city’s students and lead to improved student outcomes,” Kaye told reporters in an email.
The proposal called for Success Academy-Midwood to open at Hudde in the Fall 2016, serving about 130-180 students in kindergarten and first grade, and add one grade level each year until it serves approximately 375-495 students in kindergarten through fourth grade in the 2019-2020 school year.
According to the The DOE evaluation the Hudde building has the capacity to serve 1,526 students. Currently, the building is serving about 873 students, yielding a building utilization rate of approximately 57%.
The 13-member PEP includes eight mayoral appointments and one appointment from each of the five borough presidents. It has independence to approve or reject proposals for new schools and policies.
During the public input before the vote about 72 people spoke on the subject with a great majority being in favor of the co-location.
Flatbush City Councilman Jumaane Williams said he is not opposed to charter schools, but is against forced co-locations and that he stood with parents of Hudde students that were against the plan.
“Last night’s decision by The Panel for Educational Policy does not guarantee that there won’t be another forced-through effort at this school going forward, so we must continue our advocacy and fight against prospective forced co-location proposals in the community,” said Williams.
“Charter schools were designed to be a test lab for improving our public education system, not an institution that leads to a battle for resources and a divide in our city,” he added.
