More Info on Charter School Coming to Gowanus
Late last year there was word that Brooklyn Prospect Charter School, which is currently located in Sunset Park High School, would be building a new facility on Douglass Street between 3rd Avenue and Nevins, and that’s been confirmed by a lease agreement that was recently recorded in public records for the properties at 182 and…
Late last year there was word that Brooklyn Prospect Charter School, which is currently located in Sunset Park High School, would be building a new facility on Douglass Street between 3rd Avenue and Nevins, and that’s been confirmed by a lease agreement that was recently recorded in public records for the properties at 182 and 188 3rd Avenue and 267 Douglass Street. The school’s website, meanwhile, says that it’s in search of an interim location for next year. (Controversial plans to temporarily occupy space at P.S. 32 were recently withdrawn.) It seems to be the case that the warehouse on the corner of 3rd Avenue and Douglass is going to be torn down to make make way for the schohtol, since its owner just got a permit to demolish the building. As of Monday, though, there was no visible construction or demolition under way on the block.
Charter School Expanding to Gowanus [Brownstoner] GMAP
Many charter schools have interesting ideas. Many of them do good things and their employees and students work very, very hard. Many receive corporate funding — at least for their initial start-up.
Of course, it is always a better PR move to fund a shiny new charter than it is to put money into an existing one… that might not be doing so well. And so, they open and close like a game of musical chairs… an exercise which, by the way, is not cheap.
I don’t like charters. I agree, why not build a new middle school? A regular one. Not like the population isn’t there to support it.
Curiositykilledthecat, It’s not the use of public money to fund school construction, not at all.
Both charter school students and public school students get x amount per year from the state. A portion of the charter student’s allocation goes towards paying for the school, which leaves less money for educational purposes. The public school kid doesn’t have money taken out of his allocation to finance the building in which he attends school.
Public money is used for all public school construction, jessibaby. Why do you take issue with that fact in this case?
“I’m not a big fan of charter schools, but this happens to be a good one that is popular with smart kids who are turning down MS 51 and other good district middle schools to attend it.â€
That’s good to hear – perhaps this charter will get private funding to pick up the shortfall.
Still, this all makes me think there should be some criteria to satisfy before being able to finance the construction of a new building based upon per-child payments from the state. Then again, a developer would need to kick the tires of the charter because if nobody goes, they don’t get minimum payments. But wait, didn’t that shiny new school by Bushwick have a city or state rent guarantee? Only sure winner is the developer it would seem.
I believe in this case there IS no existing public school building that can accommodate this charter school. They can’t even find a space to house 3 grades next year.
I’m not a big fan of charter schools, but this happens to be a good one that is popular with smart kids who are turning down MS 51 and other good district middle schools to attend it. Since admittance is by lottery, any kid can attend who gets lucky, so there are a wide range academic levels among the kids.
I don’t know why the DOE couldn’t have established Brooklyn Prospect as a regular new district middle school. Although in that case, the school would probably end up as selective as MS 51 and not simply open to anyone who fills out an extremely simple application that consists of listing your child’s name, address, and current school. As a charter school, the school day is longer and there are a few fewer vacation days for the kids.
I believe in this case there IS no existing public school building that can accommodate this charter school. They can’t even find a space to house 3 grades next year.
I’m not a big fan of charter schools, but this happens to be a good one that is popular with smart kids who are turning down MS 51 and other good district middle schools to attend it. Since admittance is by lottery, any kid can attend who gets lucky, so there are a wide range academic levels among the kids.
I don’t know why the DOE couldn’t have established Brooklyn Prospect as a regular new district middle school. Although in that case, the school would probably end up as selective as MS 51 and not simply open to anyone who fills out an extremely simple application that consists of listing your child’s name, address, and current school. As a charter school, the school day is longer and there are a few fewer vacation days for the kids.
househunt, i think you and i might agree on most points. with public hospitals, there is also the point to be made that there is a lot of public money being appropriated to private profit (and i don’t care about labels; when a hospital CEO makes a million bucks he’s profiting) and there is no resultant savings to the taxpayer and no increase in the quality of care.
jessibaby, i think that depends. if a school needs its own space because of special needs associated with its “innovations,” or because it wants to grow to a certain size, or because it wants something sooner or nicer or better or more centrally located to the population it wants to serve than the DOE can provide, i would think the funders would see the value in that. i’d also think that any funder who actually cares about urban education (and not just about his own super special school for musical theater-inclined gardening geniuses, or whatever) would also not mind supporting rent that allows a school to avoid a co-locations that degrade the quality of pre-existing community schools. if it is truly “children first,” then a funder should care equally about a child who doesn’t get into his school as one who does.
Point taken, i disagree. But my guess is a private funder is going to be less likely to give money to a charter when its donation is being used to plug a budget hole that exists because the charter elected to have a new building instead of being housed in an existing public school.
Thanks rob, your post is what inspired me. I don’t disagree with “i disagree,” terminology is key here, but that’s precisely what is clouding the issue and allowing these faux-progressives to have their cake and eat it too. Public hospitals are a telling analogy, but there the issue is how a class system undermines access to quality care. In the case of the charter school movement, we’ve abandoned a commitment to public education and shifted instead to a consumerist model. It’s interesting to me that this conversation occurs on Brownstoner, b/c, of course, the gentrifying neighborhoods of Brownstone Brooklyn was the material basis for the rising quality of the schools.