NYC scraps plan to host three Success Academy charters in city schools

New York City Chancellor of Schools David Banks said on Monday the city will reject proposals to house three Success Academy schools in public school buildings.

Banks stated that The Ministry of Education rejected this idea. to locate two new charter schools in Queens and one new charter school in the Bronx following community backlash.

A senior city school official said the decision came after community members complained that the proposals “would create significant problems for new schools and existing schools co-located.”

Banks’ announcement came a day before the Education Policy Commission was due to vote on two schools in Queens, NY1 reported.

One proposal was to locate the elementary school at the Academy of Success in Building 72 of Catherine and Count Basie High School, which has two secondary and special education campuses in Rochdale Village.

Queens’ other charter elementary school was to be housed on the Springfield Gardens Educational Campus, which houses several high schools.

The unsuccessful proposal to house the elementary school of the Academy of Success in the school building in the Bronx was supposed to be discussed on Wednesday, according to NY1.


New York City Chancellor of Schools David Banks announced the cancellation of a plan to co-locate three Success Academy charter schools in public school buildings.
New York City Chancellor of Schools David Banks announced the cancellation of a plan to co-locate three Success Academy charter schools in public school buildings.
Stephen Young

The United Federation of Teachers strongly opposed the co-location of the three charter schools.

Some parents and faculty also spoke out against the plan, as both sides were arguing about whether there really was room to accommodate more students.

“We can’t force extra students into a building that doesn’t have room and then condemn New York’s schools for failing,” said Adriana Alice, president of the District 28 President’s Council on one of Queens’ proposals, according to Chalkbeat New York. “Children have no place to succeed. They have nowhere to grow.”

Success Academy did not immediately respond to the email and called on Monday evening.


One of the Success Academy's schools was to be located in Catherine and Count Basie High School No. 72 in Queens.
One of the Success Academy schools was to be located at 72 Catherine and Count Basie High School in Queens.
Helein Seidman

Success Academy founder and CEO Eva Moskowitz has previously allayed concerns about space at proposed co-ed schools.
Success Academy founder and CEO Eva Moskowitz has previously allayed concerns about space at proposed co-ed schools.
Christopher Goodney/Bloomberg via Getty Images

But charter school spokesperson Ann Powell previously told Chalkbeat: “Our schools are extremely popular in Queens.” Powell also said the 500 families in part of the Bronx must “come a considerable distance to attend other success academies.

Success Academy founder and CEO Eva Moskowitz previously told NY1 that space issues in buildings are nothing more than a scare tactic.

“Co-location is such an important public policy,” Moskowitz reportedly said. “This is, of course, Success, but it is also politics. Do we really need a city where 40% of the seats remain empty? Their construction was expensive, these buildings.”

Charter schools are legally allowed to occupy vacant seats in Department of Education buildings, and have been doing so for years.

Banks, in a statement Monday, promised to work with success academies “to find suitable premises for their new schools.”

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