Officials of the SUNY Charter School Institute have recommended an application from the New York City Charter School of the Arts to open on the Lower East Side next year. The SUNY board will vote on the proposal tomorrow. The story was first reported by Chalkbeat:
The City School of the Arts, whose three founders worked together on an arts education program in the Bronx, plans to open next August with about 100 sixth graders. The middle school will place a heavy emphasis on music, with new students spending nearly three hours on piano instruction and learning to read music every week, according to a summary of its application posted online.
According to the article, Community Education Council 1 opposes the application. The local parent panel submitted a 42-page memo detailing its concerns. Among other issues, they said proper procedures for public comment were not followed and they argued that there’s no need for the new school. While a location has not yet been announced, Chalkbeat reported:
The City School for the Arts plans to request space inside of a city-owned building in Manhattan’s districts 1 or 2. If denied, the city would have to reimburse the school for costs associated with operating in private space, which could reach $2,800 per student next year.
Here’s a link to the school’s website. You can read more about local opposition on the Community Education Council’s site.
