More charter schools on LI the new reality
The Academy Charter School in Uniondale proposes to open three new charter schools, in Central Islip and Brentwood. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
Academy Charter School announced in early June it wants to open three new schools — a high school in Central Islip, and an elementary school and middle school in Brentwood. Of the 370 charter schools operating or proposed in New York state, the handful on Long Island have caused a fervor of controversy.
So far, charter schools on Long Island are limited to districts with two common themes: The public schools affected are vastly made up of nonwhite students, and most families are economically disadvantaged. The charter schools themselves comprise almost entirely nonwhite students from economically disadvantaged families.
The difference, statistically, is graduation rates.
The public districts in which charter schools operate or are planned — Brentwood, Central Islip, Hempstead, Riverhead, Roosevelt, Uniondale and Wyandanch — all have graduation rates below the state average. Two of the Island’s three charter high schools have graduation rates far above the state average.
Clearly, there is a need for options.
Opponents say charter schools undermine local districts by diminishing the quality of education for students who remain. It’s a fair point, but also worth considering is the allure of a better education for your child if your school district is lacking. Effective charter schools can improve the quality of education students get compared with that provided in some struggling districts. Nor should students miss out on an opportunity to change the course of their lives. And if a charter school fails to meet its obligations, its license can be revoked in five years.
Charter schools receive the state and local funding allocated for each student to the public school district. That means when a student opts for a charter school, the local public school district receives less tax money.
Too many charters operating within a single public school district can suffocate that district’s ability to function, which is why the editorial board earlier this year called for a moratorium on the approval of charters in Uniondale, Hempstead and Roosevelt. A criticism of charter schools nationwide is they don’t last. A 2024 report by the National Center for Charter School Accountability found that 26% of charter schools close after five years.
Let’s not forget that Long Island has one of the strongest public school systems in the nation. However, parents deserve choices, students deserve a great education, and taxpayers deserve confidence their money is being spent wisely. The editorial board’s position for years has been consistent — if a public school district is falling behind in standards and failing students and taxpayers, charter schools should be given a chance. Simultaneously, the state must provide additional resources to help struggling public school districts improve.
Some of the attacks on charter schools seem driven by the fears of job loss. Charter schools will not drive a stake through the heart of public schools, and they are not an educational panacea. But they do offer choices for concerned parents.
MEMBERS OF THE EDITORIAL BOARD are experienced journalists who offer reasoned opinions, based on facts, to encourage informed debate about the issues facing our community.