By a 2-1 margin, SUNY's Charter School Committee effectively voted to close Albany's Brighter Choice Middle Schools for boys and girls. Geoff Redick reports.
ALBANY, N.Y. — The SUNY Trustees' Charter School Committee voted Friday to revoke the charters for both of Albany's Brighter Choice Charter Middle Schools.
The three-member committee, authorized to act on behalf of all the SUNY trustees, voted by a 2-1 margin that both the Brighter Choice boys and girls middle schools should not have their charters renewed, effectively announcing the schools closure.
Barring a successful appeal, the Elk Street Brighter Choice complex will close at the conclusion of the current school year, after a five-year period which officials described as inadequate.
"Brighter Choice leaders have failed to identify or effectively address their endemic problems," stated the presentation Friday from SUNY's Charter School Institute, the group tasked with oversight and evaluation of all New York's charter schools. The presentation identified major deficiencies in student performance, disciplinary procedures, administrative structure and financial condition at Brighter Choice Middle Schools. Officials said that during visits to the two middle schools, auditors noticed students sleeping in class and failing to open textbooks, actions which went unchallenged by teachers.
The Institute also noted that Brighter Choice is financially unstable, and has never met its enrollment goals during its first five years.
"These schools are not fiscally sound, and there is no reasonable or feasible plan for their future," stated the presentation, which went on for roughly 45 scathing minutes.
"It is difficult to look into the faces of the parents and students here today, and consider closing their school," said the Institute's Executive Director, Susan Miller-Barker, to the assembled crowd in support of Brighter Choice.
"It's even more difficult," she continued, "to imagine the students who might enroll in this school in the future, and who will also be unprepared to succeed in the eighth grade — and not be ready to succeed in high school."
Brighter Choice officials remarked only briefly following Friday's decision.
"We will consider all options on the table," said board chairwoman Martha Snyder. When asked if Brighter Choice would consider appealing the vote, Snyder repeated: "We will consider all options on the table."
All other officials declined comment, including the CEO of the parent Albany Charter School Network, Mubuso Zamchiya. "Maybe another time," he said, when asked for comment.
Brighter Choice operates several other schools in Albany, including elementary schools which are not affected by Friday's decision.
Also during Friday's committee meeting, the Albany Leadership Charter High School for Girls was approved for charter renewal, ensuring that school will remain open.