N.Y. Assembly Votes to Expand Charter Schools
By JENNIFER MEDINA
Published: May 28, 2010
The New York Assembly voted on Friday to more than double the number of charter schools in the state, a move that officials hope will give the state a better chance at receiving $700 million in federal grant money.
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The measure would raise the number of charter schools permitted in the New York to 460, up from the current 200. The increase would be phased in over the next four years, with more than 60 expected to open each year.
In New York City, the number of charter schools would be capped at 214; the city has almost 100 now.
This morning’s vote came after all-night discussions between lawmakers in the State Senate and the Assembly and the governor’s office.
And the vote appeared to end days of negotiations among charter school advocates and city officials on one side, and the teachers’ union and the Assembly on the other. Several members of the Assembly, including the speaker, Sheldon Silver, have been critical of the growth of charter schools, which are publicly financed