ALBANY - Unbowed advocates are continuing to fight to raise the cap on charter schools in hopes of collecting federal cash when a second round of funding is offered in June.
"We just have to keep making our case," said Peter Murphy, policy director of the state's Charter School Association.
Squabbling lawmakers couldn't reach agreement Tuesday on raising the current cap beyond 200 charter schools, missing the deadline to apply for up to $700 million in federal education money.
Murphy and other advocates say that by missing the first round of Race to the Top funds, lawmakers will face increasing pressure to change rules before June's second-round application deadline.
"We will then know what we have to do to get to the second round and will work on lifting the cap," said Assemblyman Michael Benjamin (D-Bronx).
Gov. Paterson wants lawmakers to increase the cap to 460, arguing it's needed to score maximum points with Uncle Sam.
Legislative leaders back a rival measure that would raise the cap to only 400 schools and, among other things, strip the city schools chancellor of the power to issue new charters.
Read more:http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/education/2010/01/21/2010-01-21_charter_school_push_continues.html#ixzz0dFrkmq63