Application Resources

 

  • The New York State Charter Schools Act of 1998 is the vehicle by which the charter school effort in New York State was formally launched. Under the Charter Schools Act, the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York, the New York State Board of Regents, or local boards of education (in New York City, authorizing power is vested in the Chancellor) have the power to create charter schools and thereafter to renew charters of successful schools. Additionally, existing traditional district-operated schools can seek to convert to charter status through their governing boards of education.  New York was the 36th state to adopt charter legislation.
   
 
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The application process of the SUNY Charter Schools Institute is of course guided by the Charter Schools Act, and as such, all school applicants should be familiar with its provisions and guidance. The above link to the Charter Schools Act brings you to a file that does incorporate the most recent changes made on April 1, 2007. If you would like to see specifically what changes were made, you can view the document with the changes tracked.


  • One of the many revisions to the Act was the requirement that any charter school proposed in a district where student attendance in charter schools represented more than 5% (in a base year) of the total public school enrollment: 1) provide evidence that the school district of location approves of the establishment of the proposed charter school, or 2) explain how the establishment of the proposed charter school will have a “significant educational benefit” to the students who attend the school.

For the 2007-08 school year, student attendance in charter schools represented more than 5% (in a base year) of the total public school enrollment for the following school districts: Albany, Buffalo, Lackawanna, Roosevelt, Schenectady, and Troy.


  • The two organizations below offer a broad range of services and support to both new and existing charter schools; the first serving member charter schools across the state, the second focusing on those schools planned for and located in New York City.

The New York Charter School Association (NYCSA) is a state-wide member services association. NYSCA's mission is to promote effective, efficient, and accountable charter schools by: provide services that dramatically increase academic performance, and ensure financial stability, and; create a social and political climate that fosters the establishment and expansion of public school choice.

The New York City Center for Charter School Excellence is an independent, not-for-profit organization, launched in 2004 as a partnership between New York City and the philanthropic community, with support from The Robertson Foundation, the Robin Hood Foundation, The Pumpkin Foundation and The Clark Foundation. Its mission is to "stimulate the supply of high quality charter schools and support ongoing student excellence in all NYC charter schools, impacting the effectiveness of public education. As an independent nonprofit, the Charter Center is an advocate, bridge and catalyst for the achievement of academic and operational success and sustainability of all NYC charter schools for each young person."