Application for proposed charter school in Suffolk is withdrawn
The application for a proposed charter school to serve Brentwood and Central Islip students has been withdrawn following heated opposition from both communities.
Founders of the proposed Long Island Children’s Academy had sought to open the school in 2017 with 168 students in kindergarten through second grade and plans to expand to 528 students through sixth grade.
Representatives of the charter school group said in a statement Friday that they never intended for the proposal to become a divisive issue in the community. Until there is more education about charter schools and the opportunity they can provide, they said, the group decided to withdraw the application submitted last year to the SUNY Charter Schools Institute.
The proposed school met with much criticism in the community, including at a Brentwood forum last month where nearly all speakers blasted the idea, arguing it would rob the cash-strapped Brentwood and Central Islip districts of funds. Those opposed also argued that the performance of charter schools is mixed and a proposed selection system for students through a lottery offers false hope.
Assemb. Phil Ramos (D-Brentwood), a strong opponent of the proposal, called the withdrawn application “a major victory for our community.”
“They stood up en masse and came to meetings and testified, and we have seen the results of them speaking out,” he said Friday.
There are five charter schools on Long Island — two in Suffolk County and three in Nassau. Local districts pay the tuition cost of students who attend charters.
Joie Tyrrell is a Long Island native and covers education for Newsday, where she has worked since 1998.
