Report of Regents P-12 Education Committee to The Board of Regents

Regents Committee on P-12 Education Members

Vice Chancellor Chin, Chair, Regent Tilles, Regent Cea, Regent Norwood, Regent Wills, Regent Ferrer, Regent Tanikawa, Regent Catania, and Regent Rivera

The P-12 Education Committee held its scheduled meeting on April 7, 2025. All members were present. Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr., Regent Susan W. Mittler, Regent Hasoni L. Pratts, Regent Brian Krist, Regent Keith B. Wiley, and Regent Felicia Thomas-Williams also attended the meeting but did not vote on any action.

ACTION ITEMS

Revision to a Charter Authorized by the Board of Regents  [P12 (A) 1] -  Department staff presented a recommendation for a charter revision for a Board of Regents-authorized charter school.

The Commissioner of Education recommends the following charter school revision for a charter school authorized by the Board of Regents:

• American Dream Charter School II (NYC CSD 6): Revision to change its grade span from K – Grade 5 to Grades 9 – 12

The Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that (1) American Dream Charter School II meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules, and regulations; (2) the charter school can demonstrate the ability to operate in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the request to amend the charter is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of section twenty-eight hundred fifty of Article 56 of the Education Law; and (4) granting the request to amend the charter will have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents, therefore, approves the charter revision for American Dream Charter School II and amends the provisional charter accordingly.

The motion passed unanimously.

Renewal Recommendations for Charter Schools Authorized by the Board of Regents [P12 (A) 2] - Department staff presented recommendations for charter renewals and renewal revisions for Board of Regents-authorized charter schools.

The Commissioner of Education recommends the following charter school renewals and renewal revisions for charter schools authorized by the Board of Regents:

Bronx (2):

• Mott Hall Charter School (NYC CSD 9): Two-year renewal;
• South Bronx Classical Charter School III (NYC CSD 9): Five-year renewal;

Brooklyn (1):

• Hebrew Language Academy Charter School 2 (NYC CSD 21): Five-year renewal with a revision to increase its grade span to add Grades 6 – 8 to its current K – Grade 5 configuration;

Buffalo City School District (1):

• Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School II (Buffalo CSD): Five-year renewal with a revision to increase its grade span to add Grades 6 – 8 to its current K – Grade 5, Grade 9 – 12 configuration;

Kenmore-Tonawanda Union Free School District (1):

• Charter School for Applied Technologies (Buffalo CSD): Four-year renewal;

Manhattan (1):

• Great Oaks Charter School (NYC CSD 2): Three-year renewal with a revision to amend its Key Design Elements;

Queens (2):

• Growing Up Green Charter School II (NYC CSD 28): Four-year renewal; and
• Renaissance Charter School 2 (The) (NYC CSD 24): Five-year renewal with a revision to increase its grade span to add Grades 7 – 8 to its current K – Grade 6, Grade 9 – 12 configuration; and a corresponding increase to its authorized enrollment from 837 to 1053 students.

The Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that Mott Hall Charter School: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) the applicant can demonstrate the ability to operate the school in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the application is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of Section twenty-eight hundred fifty of this article; and (4) granting the application would have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the renewal application of Mott Hall Charter School and that a renewal charter be issued, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2027.

The Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that South Bronx Classical Charter School III: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) the applicant can demonstrate the ability to operate the school in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the application is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of Section twenty-eight hundred fifty of this article; and (4) granting the application would have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the renewal application of South Bronx Classical Charter School III and that a renewal charter be issued, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2030.

The Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that Hebrew Language Academy Charter School 2: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) the applicant can demonstrate the ability to operate the school in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the application is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of Section twenty-eight hundred fifty of this article; and (4) granting the application would have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the renewal application for Hebrew Language Academy Charter School 2 and that a renewal charter be issued, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2030.

The Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School II: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) the applicant can demonstrate the ability to operate the school in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the application is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of Section twenty-eight hundred fifty of this article; and (4) granting the application would have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the renewal application of Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School II and that a renewal charter be issued, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2030.

The Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that Charter School for Applied Technologies: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) the applicant can demonstrate the ability to operate the school in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the application is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of Section twenty-eight hundred fifty of this article; and (4) granting the application would have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the renewal application of Charter School for Applied Technologies and that a renewal charter be issued, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2029.

The Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that Great Oaks Kathleen Sherry Charter School: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) the applicant can demonstrate the ability to operate the school in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the application is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of Section twenty-eight hundred fifty of this article; and (4) granting the application would have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the renewal application of Great Oaks Kathleen Sherry Charter School and that a renewal charter be issued, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2028.

The Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that Growing Up Green Charter School II: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules, and regulations; (2) the applicant can demonstrate the ability to operate the school in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the application is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of Section twenty-eight hundred fifty of this article; and (4) granting the application would have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents, therefore, approves the renewal application of Growing Up Green Charter School II and that a renewal charter be issued, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2029.

The Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that Renaissance Charter School 2 (The): (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) the applicant can demonstrate the ability to operate the school in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the application is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of Section twenty-eight hundred fifty of this article; and (4) granting the application would have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the renewal application of Renaissance Charter School 2 (The) and that a renewal charter be issued, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2030.

The motion passed unanimously.

MOTION FOR ACTION BY FULL BOARD

The P-12 Education Committee recommends, and we move, that the Board of Regents act affirmatively upon each recommendation in the written report of the Committee’s deliberations at its meeting on April 8, 2025, copies of which have been distributed to each Regent.

Deputy Commissioner Jason Harmon reviewed the items on the Consent Agenda.