NYC charter schools press Hochul, Mamdani for pre-K, 3-K funding amid universal childcare push

Don’t charter a course without them.New York’s charter school educators say they’re being frozen out of Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov.Kathy Hochul’s big new universal childcare expansion.The pair’s lofty, $4.5 billion plan to beef up pre-K and 3-K programs — in addition to providing universal daycare for the city’s 2-year-olds — awaits final approval in the state’s upcoming budget.But charter school advocates warned Hochul and Mamdani in a letter this week that the expansion would fall short of being truly “universal” if those institutions’ pre-K programs continue to receive $20,000 less per child than those in traditional public schools.“This is a direct divestment in the 1-in-6 public school families who rely on publicly funded options like charter schools,” the letter argued.

“All public school children are entitled to equal treatment and funding, regardless of what public school they attend.”The advocates coupled their emphatic letter with a rally Friday on City Hall’s steps calling for local and state leaders to close the funding gap and fully fold charters into the early childhood education and care push.They carried signs declaring “Don’t discriminate against charter kids” and “Treat my child equally.”The rally comes amid an uncertain time for New York City’s charter schools — privately managed, publicly funded alternative schools that enroll 150,000 students citywide.Mamdani kept charter schools at arm’s length — and opposed expanding them — amid his improbable rise from little-known democratic socialist state Assembly member to mayor of the largest city in the nation.His seemingly hostile stance toward charters leaves it an open question how they’ll fit into the wider push for universal childcare, which likely would involve expanding early education programs.Advocates argued charter schools should be part of the expansion, noting they account for 50% of the top performing public schools in the city, �...