After months of negotiation over expansion needs, a coalition of charter-school backers demanded concrete action from city leaders Thursday.
Gathering in front of City Hall, members of the Coalition for Educational Equality called for the addition of 50 new charter facilities in public-school spaces within the next two years.
Representatives of the group — which represents roughly 40,000 charter students across the city — said they have been in talks with de Blasio administration officials since June over expansion.
Arguing that a doubling of charter school seats to 200,000 by 2020 would shrink achievement gaps, backers have been pushing the Department of Education and de Blasio for timelines and commitments.
“We call on the city to respond to parent demand and help us provide 200,000 children with the world-class education they want, need and deserve,” said Dacia Toll, co-CEO of Achievement First.
In recent comments, de Blasio signaled a willingness to collaborate with charter schools but openly stated his primary commitment to public-school kids who still comprise 90 percent of the city’s student population.