New York City is facing a public schooling crisis as parents abandon the city’s troubled Department of Education, causing record declines in several age groups, specifically kindergarten.
“Parents don’t think a general-ed public school will meet their child’s needs,” said Alina Adams, author of Getting Into NY Kindergarten.
“The fact is, the bar in New York is so low, all children could do a higher level of work.”
With a disappearing middle class and a large divide between students of higher socioeconomic status and those struggling to find resources, many parents see turning away from traditional public education as the only way to even the playing field.
“The same opportunities just aren’t there,” said Donald Niang, a father of two, who chose Global Community Charter School in Harlem over a school in his district for his kindergarten student this year. “These charter schools, they introduce kids to things that broaden their horizons and open their minds, and that means a lot to me.”
Plummeting test scores, neglected buildings, and overcrowded classrooms have also been deciding factors for parents looking to set their children up for a brighter educational future. “I made the switch, and I’m glad that I did. I have not regretted my decision,” said Harlem mom Marsha Taylor, who enrolled her two kids into a local charter school.
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Source: Black Enterprise
