More than 500 cheering, chanting New York City charter-school students and supporters rallied in Albany on Wednesday to demand equality with traditional public schools when it comes to state funding.
Wearing bright-yellow shirts with the rallying cry, “I Love My Charter School,” they gathered in the Legislative Office Building next to the state Capitol to complain that the Big Apple’s regular public schools have been allocated a lot more money than the charters, which also are public schools.
“Over the last five years, funding for traditional- school students has grown six times faster than funding for public charter-school students,” Joe Herrera of Families for Excellent Schools, which organized the rally, told the crowd.
Supporters said spending in the city per student rose from $20,619 in the 2010-11 school year to $22,732 this school year, a $2,113 increase.
During the same period, spending per charter student increased from $13,527 to $13,877, only a $350 hike.
“Thanks to Gov. Cuomo, we have an opportunity this year to make sure our children are funded equally, and now it’s up to us to make sure that all of our leaders know that this is a top priority,” Herrera said.
Cuomo has called for more equitable distribution of funding for charters.
Kennedy Swan, 6, took a bus from The Bronx with her dad, Trevor Swan, 37, a union bridge painter, who said the Bronx 4 Success Academy his daughter attends keeps her engaged.
“She was in Catholic school but we felt the charter school was more in tune, nontraditional,” he said. “It caters to these children. I love them.”
At the rally, Bronx 4 Success students performed a dance routine — a demonstration of one of many activities Swan said keeps the students excited about school.
Assemblyman Robert Rodriguez (D-Harlem) said charters could serve more students with more money.
“What we’re saying is that we have a clear method and way for educating our kids,” he said.
“What we don’t have, or what we see is clearly lacking, is the funding.”
A Cuomo spokesman said the governor’s new proposed budget increases funding to charters by $27 million and “unfreezes” the charter-tuition formula in New York City to allow for more local funding.