Once again, lawmakers in Albany are maneuvering to sell out New York’s kids — this time, to the tune of $700 million. Even as the state is grappling with a $7 billion budget deficit.
And all to please their union bosses.
Their specific crime?
Blocking meaningful reforms needed to snag federal funds through the Team Obama’s $4.35 billion Race to the Top program — as Tuesday’s deadline to apply for the cash nears.
RTTP winners will be chosen based on how states move to improve schools. By resisting, lawmakers (particularly in the Assembly) not only risk the federal cash, they also lock in inferior schools. Stabbing kids in the back — twice.
To be sure, legislators are moving mountains to cover their tracks. Nowhere is that more obvious than in their new ploy this week regarding the cap on the number of state charter schools.
Eliminating charter-school caps is vital to winning RTTP funds; President Obama & Co. want to promote charters because they outperform union-run schools. But teachers unions like the cap, because their schools can’t compete with charters, and that makes members look bad.
Thus, Assembly members devised a plan to lift the cap — but still slow, or maybe even halt, charter growth.
Specifically, they’d strip SUNY of its right to grant charters, leaving the job solely to the state Board of Regents: Schools would only be allowed to apply to be charters in response to specific requests by the Regents.
And, since the Regents effectively answer to Assembly Democrats and Speaker Sheldon Silver, who in turn answer to labor leaders, the unions (voila!) would, in effect, control — i.e., block — charter growth.
Now, Silver & Co. may think they’ll get credit for lifting the charter cap, and making an effort to win the federal funds.
But they’re fooling no one.
Certainly, the Obama folks will see through this sham. And if the state loses out on the cash, New Yorkers will know who to blame.
Again, the deadline is near. Gov. Paterson has sought a straight lifting of the cap, no strings attached — which is New York’s best move to win the funds.
He needs to hang tough.
By the way, the RTTP application is due Tuesday — the same day Paterson presents his new budget.
If Assembly members want to protect school funds, they need to make changes that will give New York a real shot at the federal cash.
Lifting the cap is key.