Over 60 percent of New York City parents favor charter schools and want lawmakers to lift the state-imposed cap, which has been reached in the city.
WHY IT MATTERS: Data has shown that students in charter schools outperform their peers in traditional public schools.
- Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Democrat controlled state legislature have refused to raise the cap.
THE NUMBERS: The survey, conducted by Morning Consult for the pro-school choice Democrats for Education Reform (DFER-NY), found:
- 64 percent of parents have a favorable opinion of charter schools
- 64 percent of parents support increasing the cap
DEMOCRAT VOTERS SUPPORT, DEMOCRAT LAMAKERS OPPOSE – Notably, the survey found that 51 percent of all Democrat voters support raising the cap on charter schools, compared to just 27 percent opposing it.
- However, the teachers’ union, which has strong ties to Gov. Hochul and NY State House and Senate leaders, opposes charter schools and lifting the cap.
CROSS-RACIAL SUPPORT – Charter schools and lifting the cap had support from majorities or pluralities of all racial and ethnic groups:
- 53 percent of Hispanics are in favor of lifting the cap.
- 48 percent of African Americans favored charter school expansion.
- 45 percent of whites backed charter school expansion.
- 45 percent of Asians also back a cap lift.
BOTTOM LINE: Gov. Hochul and other New York Democrat lawmakers are stuck between their own voters and a powerful political ally in the teachers’ union.
GO DEEPER –
New York Post – NYC parents give Mayor Eric Adams an ‘F’ for handling of new charter schools
New York City Charter School Center – Lift the Cap on NYC Charter Schools
New York Daily News – Lift the charter cap to let kids be lifted up