Hundreds of people filled the sidewalk in front of City Hall on Tuesday.
Parents, students, teachers and elected officials expressed their support for a proposal by Gov. Kathy Hochul that would increase the number of charter schools in the city.
Cynthia Estevez graduated from MESA, a charter school in Brooklyn.
“When I entered a Mesa (school) I didn’t speak much English and they helped me with a teacher,” Estévez said.
The 21-year-old says school prepared her for college and now she has a job at a tech company.
“It was Mesa who helped me get that job.”
Estevez is one example of benefits that advocates say continue long after students graduate.
estevez.
There are 275 charter schools in the city. They are public schools funded by the government but run independently. This allows them to tailor their study plans to the needs of their students.
Melissa Melkonian is the founder of The American Dream School in The Bronx.
“At our school, 90% of the students are Latino, 80% of our students, the families, only speak Spanish,” Melkonian said. “It is very important to have bilingual schools that give them those opportunities, not only to students, but also to families, so they can navigate the education process.
Critics of the governor’s proposal, including lawmakers and the Chancellor of Education, say more charter schools in the city will mean less funding for traditional public schools.
Immigrant parents who have their children in charter schools say communities of color need more options for a better education.
“It’s so important because today without education you can’t achieve anything,” said Elsa Puente, mother of one boy at a charter school.
Now these advocates say they will push for that proposal to be part of the state budget, which must be approved by April 1.
