Call Albany today! Tell your legislators no more charters, zombie or otherwise!

It’s crunch time for the budget. We are now getting word from insiders that a budget deal may be finalized soon that would include allowing 22 more “zombie” charter schools above the cap, the number of charters which closed or never opened, which could turn into 66 more charters, due to a loophole in the law. This could divert another billion dollars or more from our public school budgets — already cut to the bone — as well as precious space needed to lower class size. In the last five years, 72% of the increase in state foundation aid to our schools was spent on charter school expansion; statewide the figure is 61%.

Please call your legislators TODAY! Tell them NO MORE charter schools, Zombie or otherwise! You can find your Assembly Member’s phone no. here; your State Senator’s phone no. here. Call first to their Albany office; if you can’t get through, then their district office. If you leave a message be sure to say you’re a constituent, and leave your address and phone no. and ask them to call you back.

A short script is below.   thanks, Leonie

My name is ____, and I’m a constituent of [Assembly Member or Senator ___].  I’m calling to urge him/her to oppose allowing any more charter schools to open, either in NYC or statewide, whether zombie or otherwise, that could cost our public schools another billion dollars or more. I know my child’s public school does not have a penny to spare.

If speaking to a staffer: Do you know if s/he will fight to block any more charter schools?  

If leaving a message: My address is ____, my phone # is ____, and I’d appreciate a call back to let me know his/her position on this issue.   Thanks!