NYC mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio has said that charter schools located in city-run schools should pay rent.
In an op-ed on Crain’s New York Business, David Briggs, chairman of Amber Charter School and a trustee of New Visions Charter Schools, argues that charters are in fact public schools. Like public schools, Briggs points out, charter schools rely on tax dollars, prudent management, and fundraising. Additionally, their annual per-pupil reimbursement is 80% of what traditional public schools receive.
Briggs goes on to note:
History is replete with examples of social, religious and financial institutions forging relationships to stabilize growing urban centers. Charters offer a fresh approach to reinvigorating a mediocre school system. Rather than taking punitive measures, our next mayor should seek partnerships that equitably support all public schools.
