"With just days to go before the Legislature must pass education reforms for New York to have a shot at up to $700 million in federal Race to the Top aid, fears are mounting that Albany is about to attempt a destructive bait-and-switch con.
The issue is charter schools. Education Secretary Arne Duncan made clear he will deny money to states that limit the growth of these successful, privately run but publicly funded schools.
Here in New York, Democratic lawmakers in the thrall of the teachers union have resisted charters every which way they can. The opposition has been especially strong in Speaker Sheldon Silver's Assembly, which has capped the number of charters at 200."
The issue is charter schools. Education Secretary Arne Duncan made clear he will deny money to states that limit the growth of these successful, privately run but publicly funded schools.
Here in New York, Democratic lawmakers in the thrall of the teachers union have resisted charters every which way they can. The opposition has been especially strong in Speaker Sheldon Silver's Assembly, which has capped the number of charters at 200."
