NEW YORK (TIP): State Senator John Liu stated the following about the tentative agreement to keep the New York City charter cap in place while allowing for the reassignment of 14 previously closed charter schools.

“This tentative agreement holds the line on New York City’s charter cap, which exists to strike a balance between giving parents choice and the responsibility to keep public schools open and accessible to all.

“As part of this agreement, 14 ‘zombie charters’ that have previously closed, and are within the existing charter cap, will be reassigned to new operators within the city. It is my sincere hope that these reassignments will go to the many historically underrepresented and minority-led charter operators, many of which have been waiting years for their turn at the wheel. “Of particular importance is a commitment by the governor to pay for the space for these 14 charter reassignments, which will alleviate the financial burden on the NYC Education system and remove the incentive for the city to co-locate charters in public schools.

“Finally, this agreement comes with the understanding that additional measures on the accountability, transparency and operations of charter schools are necessary and impending. My colleagues and I have been working on this and will continue to prioritize this effort following the passage of the budget.”