Add New Haven Charter Schools to those that discriminate against English Language Learners and Special Education students
As noted in the recent Wait, What? articles entitled, Hartford Charters fail to accept and educate Latinos and English Language Learners and Bridgeport Charter Schools Discriminate Against Connecticut Children, the privately owned and operated, but publicly funded, charter schools located in Hartford and Bridgeport discriminate against Latino students, those who require assistance learning the English language and students who need special education services.
Data collected by the Connecticut State Department of Education further reveals that charter schools in New Haven are equally bad when it comes to accepting and educating their fair share of students who require these additional services.
Unlike true public schools that must accept every student that comes through the door, charter schools use a variety of underhanded and deceptive techniques to prevent a variety of needy students from enrolling in their schools, or once enrolled, use harsh disciplinary policies and other push-out strategies to rid their schools of what they perceive to be unwanted students.
The numbers are stark and disturbing. The following chart highlights the level of discrimination in New Haven’s charter schools.
| New Haven | % English Language Learners | % Special Education |
| New Haven Public Schools | 14% | 13% |
| Booker T Washington Charter | 0% | 0% |
| Common Ground Charter | 0% | 17% |
| Elm City Montessori Charter | 0% | 0% |
| Achievement First Inc. – Elm City Charter | 5% | 6% |
| Achievement First Inc. – Amistad Charter | 11% | 5% |
The data further indicates that like charter schools in Hartford and Bridgeport, New Haven’s charter schools use what should be illegal tactics Add New Haven Charter Schools to those that discriminate against English Language Learners and Special Education students - Wait What?:
