More Charter Schools Ready To Open

MYFOXNY.COM - "There is a new sense that we're going to be for teaching and learning and not for the status quo," Eva Moskowitz, a charter school founder, told Good Day NY.

The cap on charter schools is expected to be raised from 200 to 460 in New York following the approval last week of new legislation by the state assembly.

Moskowitz weighed in on the future of education in New York City with the privately funded public schools.

"In about 56 business days I'm opening up three more and now that the cap is lifted we plan to open up about 40," said Moskowitz who runs four charter schools through the Success Charter Network.

"We had 100 percent of our kids pass the math exam with an outstanding 71 percent scoring four, the highest grade. We serve largely poor children. In reading, about one quarter of students got the top score of four."

Critics of charter schools say they siphon funds and space from public schools. Most charter schools are located within the same buildings as public schools. And unlike the public school system, teachers are not unionized.

But supporters point to the greater attention given to individual students and their success.

"First, it's a lot of hard work. We're free from the restraints from the labor union contracts and we're also free from bureaucracy and when you combine you can actually organize the school around teaching and learning."