By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – There is a rallying cry for more charter schools in New York State, especially in Buffalo.
Outside the Tapestry Charter School at Franklin at North Street in Buffalo, students enjoyed recess Monday afternoon. It was the setting for a rally in support of more charter schools.
Advocates are calling on the State Legislature to raise the charter school cap. Governor Pataki has proposed an increase in the number of charter schools from 100 to 250. Efrain Martinez is with the Charter School of Applied Technologies in Buffalo. Martinez questions why a cap is even needed. He says it curtails the growth of the charter school movement.
"Why is it that we require an artificial cap?" Martinez asked. "Charter schools are needed for all children, not only those who will come to our schools, but also those attending traditional district schools."
Charter school leaders say overall, most of the area charter schools are performing well. However, the state has ordered the Stepping Stone Academy in Buffalo to close this Jinedue to poor student performance. Parent Kinzer Pointer doesn't believe the closing will hurt the credibility of local charter schools.
"You have to be honest about what you are doing. You have to work intelligently and smartly so that kids are actually improving," Pointer said. "If they are not, then your school should rightly close."
Pointer says there is a demand for more charter schools and claims there are about 5,000 children on waiting lists in Buffalo.
Sixteen-year-old Laduke Tate is a former Buffalo public school student. He now attends the Buffalo Academy of Science charter school. Tate says he now wears a uniform and is paying attention to his school work.
"I came straight from grammar school to the charter school. I think it has increased my learning ability," Tate said. "When I was in grade school, I only worried about wearing the latest clothes. But now we all wear the same thing so now I can worry about my school and my grades."
Charter school supporters are asking that the Legislature approve changes to the charter school cap.