NYC Parents Want More Charter Schools
Over 60 percent of New York City parents favor charter schools and want lawmakers to lift the state-imposed cap, which has been reached in the city.
Over 60 percent of New York City parents favor charter schools and want lawmakers to lift the state-imposed cap, which has been reached in the city.
WHY IT MATTERS: Data has shown that students in charter schools outperform their peers in traditional public schools.
Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Democrat controlled state legislature have refused to raise the cap.
THE NUMBERS: The survey, conducted by Morning Consult for the pro-school choice Democrats for Education Reform (DFER-NY), found:
64 percent of parents have a favorable opinion of charter schools
64 percent of parents support increasing the cap
DEMOCRAT VOTERS SUPPORT, DEMOCRAT LAMAKERS OPPOSE – Notably, the survey found that 51 percent of all Democrat voters support raising the cap on charter schools, compared to just 27 percent opposing it.
However, the teachers’ union, which has strong ties to Gov. Hochul and NY State House and Senate leaders, opposes charter schools and lifting the cap.
CROSS-RACIAL SUPPORT – Charter schools and lifting the cap had support from majorities or pluralities of all racial and ethnic groups:
53 percent of Hispanics are in favor of lifting the cap.
48 percent of African Americans favored charter school expansion.
45 percent of whites backed charter school expansion.
45 percent of Asians also back a cap lift.
BOTTOM LINE: Gov. Hochul and other New York Democrat lawmakers are stuck between their own voters and a powerful political ally in the teachers’ union.
GO DEEPER –
New York Post - NYC parents give Mayor Eric Adams an ‘F’ for handling of new charter schools
New York City Charter School Center - Lift the Cap on NYC Charter Schools
New York Daily News - Lift the charter cap to let kids be lifted up