Charter schools: Public education's savior?
Read More: Aft , American Federation Of Teachers , Charter Schools , Harlem Success Academy , Madeleine Sackler , Marshall Fine Interview , The Lottery , Entertainment News
Making a documentary is always a crapshoot, but Madeleine Sackler is hoping she'll get a little help from the headline.
Sackler's documentary, The Lottery, opening in limited release on Friday, deals with the issue of charter school in Harlem. It reaches theaters just as New York State made the decision to raise its cap on charter schools from 200 - which it has nearly reached - to more than 400. In doing so, the state will qualify for more than $700 million in federal education funds under President Obama's "Race to the Top" incentive program.
"It's a historical moment, a critical moment, and this is another example," says Sackler, 27, a Greenwich, Conn., native. "The fact that the president is articulating reform and that it's working is great. Giving parents more choices is fantastic. If I was a parent with a child, I think the chance of finding the right thing for my child will be increased by having more options."
Sackler's film follows several Harlem parents, whose children are about to reach school age - and who are eager to have them accepted into the Harlem Success Academy. Harlem Success, a high-performing charter school, each year offers fewer than 500 spots for approximately 3,500 applicants. The places in the incoming class are decided by a drawing - with each prospective
