We are heartened by news that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg plans to dramatically expand the number of Gotham's charter schools from two dozen to more than 50. And we're pleased that he and schools chancellor Joel Klein are including private funders in the plan - an admirable public-private venture for the benefit of kids, and one that, if used as a nationwide model, could go a long way toward easing the daunting start-up costs of charter schools. The funders, which include the Robertson Foundation, the Robin Hood Foundation, and philanthropists Joe and Carol Reich, will provide up to $70 million to a new nonprofit that will manage the new schools - many of which will be failing public schools that have been reconstituted. Of course, the devil is in the details, and we'll watch to see whether the new schools have the right amount of autonomy and flexibility in such key areas as budget, staffing, and curriculum. But Klein and Bloomberg are definitely talking the talk, and making steps toward walking the walk.
"Failed city schools may go private," by Carl Campanile, New York Post, October 31, 2003
"Charter school push," by Carl Campanile, New York Post, October 28, 2003