File #: Res 1889-2009    Version: * Name: Amend the State Education Law, in relation to charter schools.
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on Education
On agenda: 4/2/2009
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to amend the State Education Law, in relation to charter schools, by establishing siting procedures for charter schools, or alternatively to pass legislation allowing New York City to enact such a law locally.
Sponsors: Erik Martin Dilan, Leroy G. Comrie, Jr., Inez E. Dickens, Lewis A. Fidler, James F. Gennaro, Robert Jackson, Letitia James, John C. Liu, Darlene Mealy, Jessica S. Lappin
Council Member Sponsors: 10
Attachments: 1. Committee Report 4/6/09, 2. Hearing Transcirpt 4/6/09, 3. Hearing Testimony 4/6/09
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
12/31/2009*Erik Martin Dilan City Council Filed (End of Session)  Action details Meeting details Not available
4/6/2009*Erik Martin Dilan Committee on Education Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
4/6/2009*Erik Martin Dilan Committee on Education Laid Over by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
4/2/2009*Erik Martin Dilan City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
4/2/2009*Erik Martin Dilan City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available

Res. No. 1889

 

Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to amend the State Education Law, in relation to charter schools, by establishing siting procedures for charter schools, or alternatively to pass legislation allowing New York City to enact such a law locally.

 

By Council Members Dilan, Comrie, Dickens, Fidler, Gennaro, Jackson, James, Liu, Mealy and Lappin

 

                     Whereas, In 1998, the New York Charter Schools Act allowed the creation of independent public schools; and

                     Whereas, According to the New York City Department of Education, as of September 2008, New York City has 78 charter schools which serve approximately 23,577 students; and

                     Whereas, According to the New York City Charter Center, each charter school receives approximately 12,432 dollars in state funding for each child it educates during the 2008-2009 school year; and

                     Whereas, Like all public schools, charter schools must meet state standards and Regents requirements as well as state and federal laws regarding health, safety and civil rights; and

                     Whereas, According to the New York State Education Law (“SEL”), a charter school may be located in part of an existing school building, in space provided on a private work site, in a public building or in any other suitable location; and

                     Whereas, The SEL requires that before a charter school may be located in any part of an existing school building, the charter entity must provide notice to the parents or guardians of the students then enrolled in the existing school building; and

                     Whereas, The SEL also requires that a public hearing be held for the purposes of discussing the location of the charter school; and

                     Whereas, A charter school may own, lease or rent its space; and

                     Whereas, For the purposes of local zoning, land use regulation and building code compliance, a charter school is deemed a non-public school and thus lacks a formal siting process; and

Whereas, The lack of a legally mandated siting process has caused dissention among some New York City residents; and

                     Whereas, Establishing mandated siting procedures for charter schools would ensure more community participation in charter school siting; now, therefore, be it

                     Resolved, That the New York City Council calls upon the New York State Legislature to amend the State Education Law, in relation to charter schools, by establishing siting procedures for charter schools, or alternatively to pass legislation allowing New York City to enact such a law locally.

 

 

 

AES

LS#7353

3/30/09