Representatives from Long Island Against Charter Schools, a community advocacy group based on Long Island, spoke before the 2026 NYSUT Representative Assembly to call on NYSUT members to support local control over charter schools opening in communities.
Alison Chaplar, president of the Uniondale Teachers Association, and Greg Wallace, president of the Riverhead Central Faculty Association, told NYSUT delegates about the effects that charter schools are having on their districts.
“We set out to inform the public about how charter schools are funded and the impact on public school growth,” said Chaplar.
In Uniondale, $27 million goes to charter school payments, contributing to the loss of more than 30 teaching positions next year. In Riverhead, $16.5 million went to charter schools last year, a $2.7 million increase over last school year. This increase sucked up 55 percent of the district’s Foundation Aid increase, and the district has lost 62 teaching positions over the last three years.
Long Island Against Charter Schools is calling for local communities to be able to vote on the opening, renewal, or expansion of charter schools in their communities.
“If a charter school is coming into that community and drawing funds from that community, then people living there should have a say,” said Wallace. “This is not controversial, this is democracy.”
To let your legislator know you want local communities to have a voice in charter school decisions, click this link.