Letters: Charter school growth

Regarding "Charter growth: Demand from parents leads to schools' expansion" [News, Aug. 23], critics of charter schools repeatedly bemoan the financial costs to public schools wherever charter schools are made available as an alternative. "They're taking money out of our school districts," Hempstead school board president Charles Renfroe is quoted as saying.

This is an easily refuted charge. According to state education data, since the Roosevelt Children's Academy began operations in 2001, the per-pupil expenditures in the Roosevelt Union Free School District increased from $13,365 to $29,420 in the last completed school year, 2010-11, or 120 percent. Since the Academy Charter School in Hempstead began its first year of operation in September 2009, per-pupil expenditures in the Hempstead Union Free School District increased 3.2 percent from $25,423 to $26,242.

Charter schools may or may not be a good idea. But the idea that they are siphoning off large sums of money from struggling public schools, at least on Long Island, lacks credibility.

Seth Forman, Hauppauge

Editor's note: The writer is the chief planner for the Long Island Regional Planning Council.
 

The data supporting the success rate of students attending charter schools are impressive. As a former New York City schoolteacher, I have to believe it is more than just good teaching.

The first thing that a charter school student and teacher have is an adult at home who is taking responsibility and cares about the child's education. Having a parent who the student and teacher can rely on is 90 percent of the success in education.

The photo that appeared with the article shows that all three students are wearing uniforms. In my opinion, this indicates pride and respect for themselves and their school. If I understand charter school mandates correctly, they can expel students with disciplinary problems or those who don't meet certain requirements. The classroom dynamics of well-mannered behavior allow learning to take place.

It will be interesting to see, as charter school teachers unionize, if there'll be a drop in performance. I don't think so. I believe it is a combination of parent, student, teacher and supervisor that makes charter schools successful. The question remains, how do we do this for every student?

David Smith, Hicksville