Enrolling your child in a Charter School Any child eligible for admission to a traditional public school is eligible for admission to a charter public school. Admission to a charter school cannot be limited on the basis of disability, race, creed, gender, national origin, religion, ancestry, intellectual ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, or athletic ability. If the number of applicants exceeds the number of available seats, a random selection process, such as a lottery, must be used. However, charter schools do give preference to siblings of students already enrolled in the charter school and students living in the charter school’s community school district. To find out what community school district you live in, click here If you are interested in applying for admission to any charter school, you must contact the school directly to inquire about its application /enrollment timeline and process. For the most up-to-date information on charter schools locations, contact information, and grade levels served, please click here.General Information If you would like to learn more about Charter Schools please click here.
For information related to the opening of New Charter Schools in September 2008, please click here .Charter schools became a component of New York State's public education offerings with the enactment of the New York State Charter Schools Act of 1998 . The Charter Schools Act designated those that could authorize the opening and subsequent renewal of new schools: the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York, the New York State Board of Regents, or local boards of education (in New York City, authorizing power is vested in the Chancellor). Existing traditional district-operated schools can also seek to convert to charter status through their governing boards of education. The Act also designated the parameters within which the schools must operate and the conditions by which their charters can be renewed. The work of the NYCDOE Office of Charter Schools is of course guided by the Charter Schools Act.
Filing a complaint about a Charter School We appreciate, respect and welcome the voice of parents/guardians and their views pertaining to the progress their children are making towards academic excellence. Section 2855 (4) of the NYS Charter Schools Act provides that parents (as well as any other individual) who believe that a charter school has violated a term of its charter or the law may complain formally to the school and seek relief. Each Charter School is governed by Board of Trustees and is subject to oversight by its Authorizer. In New York State, there are 3 such entities: Chancellor of the New York Department of Education ("NYCDOE"), State University of New York Charter Schools Institute ("SUNY CSI") & the New York State Board of Regents ("SED"). Each Authorizing entity is responsible for making sure the each Charter School is executing and performing within the guidelines, standards and goals set forth in their charter agreement. For a listing of schools and their respective authorizer, please click here. Although 78 Charters Schools reside geographically within the 5 boroughs of NYC, Charter Schools, being independent Local Educational Agencies ("LEAs") are not subject to the NYC Chancellor's Regulations, but rather to the regulations set forth in Article 56 of the NYS Charter Act, as well as New York State Education Law. Further, the protocol and escalation process differs slightly for each authorizing entity.
SUNY CSI Authorized Schools:For questions or concerns about a school authorized by the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York, you may either contact the Institute at 518/433-8277, ext. 2051 or to parent resources web link.
SED Authorized Schools:For questions or concerns regarding schools authorized by the New York State Board of Regents, please visit the website of the State Education Department.
Chancellor Authorized Schools:For questions or concerns regarding schools authorized by the New York City Schools Chancellor (NYCDOE), please see the following complaint guidelines: 1. Contact the school leadership. Please contact school leadership for violations, issues or complaints. We encourage parents to document events and familiarize themselves with the school's guidelines and reference materials. Such items include, but are not limited to parent handbooks, student discipline policy guidebooks, dress code pamphlets, school issued memorandums, etc.2. Appeal to the school’s board of trustees. If a parent or guardian is not satisfied with the outcome or decision pertaining to the incident, the parent may appeal to the school's board of trustees. The board meets publicly on a regular basis. Parents are encouraged to contact the board to schedule items on the meeting agenda or with the committee that deals with such matters. 3. Appeal to the NYC-DOE—Office of Charter Schools. If a parent is not satisfied with the board's decision, the parent may appeal would be to the school's authorizer. Only after appealing to the school’s board of trustees may a parent file a complaint with the NYC-DOE by completing the NYC-DOE Charter School Grievance Form found here.4. Appeal to the New York State Board of Regents. The last escalation point for a parent who decides that after going through the first 3 levels of the appeal process he or she is still not satisfied with the outcome, is to contact the NY State Board of Regents at this telephone number (518) 474-3852 or the following address: Public Schools Choice Room 462 EBA New York State Education Department 89 Washington Avenue Albany, New York 12234A copy of the complaint should be sent to the charter school board and, if applicable, the charter entity.
For more information about the process for NYDOE authorized schools, please feel free to contact us at the following number: (212) 374-5419