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Today, New York State Supreme Court Judge Joan B. Lobis ruled that the school board vote to close 19 city schools next year is “null and void.” This decision raises a host of questions, including the fate of schools that were slated to open next year in the newly available space. This will significantly affect four charter schools, which were counting on receiving free space. Public space is a huge benefit for a charter school, as the going rate for leasing private space is around $2,400 to $3,500 per pupil. With the charter school application deadline approaching in less than a week, it is unclear how this new development will affect the openings of these new schools. We compiled a list of the affected schools below. We’d love to hear from charter operators what their plans are in the face of this decision.

Affected Schools:

1. Dr. Izquierdo Health and Sciences Charter School was supposed to open in the space vacated by New Day Academy.
2. Harlem Success Academy 2 was supposed to move from its current location in P.S. 132 to the space vacated by KAPPA II.
3. Renaissance Charter High School for Innovation was supposed to open in the space vacated by the Academy of Environmental Science High School.
4. Democracy Preparatory Charter School 2 was supposed to open in the space vacated by the Academy of Collaborative Education.

Comments

[Douglas]

I'd like to hear from online education companies about what their lobbying plans are in the wake of decisions like this. Great article in the Washington Post this morning: http://gothamschools.org/2010/03/26/in-wake-of-ruling-against-school-closures-what-happens-next/comment-page-1/#comment-260443

Brings up the point that a great deal of the tension in education performance in this country comes from union led efforts to prevent real change from happening. Trying to envision what it would mean in the wake of this debacle to try putting more online education to work. Connections Academy could fit in well here, as would the creation of an online Virtual NYC ed program.

[Tory Burch Outlet]

"When I [author Clara Hemphill] visited 30 schools in District 7 in the South Bronx as a reporter for the Insideschools.org website early in Mayor Bloomberg's first term, the schools, with a few noteworthy exceptions, were in a sorry state. I met principals who routinely called for an ambulance to take an out-of-control child to the nearest psychiatric emergenc