Charter-District School Collaboration
“District-charter collaboration is one of the most uniquely powerful opportunities that I’ve had as an educator.”
NYC charter and district schools work together to provide quality educational options for the children in their communities. Learn more about NYCDOE’s District-Charter Partnerships.
“My school not only prepared me for college; it prepared me for the real world.”
Charter schools prepare students for college and careers. After 20 years in New York City, charter schools have supported student success from kindergarten through high school graduation. Hear how Eyana, Lamont, and Elisa’s charter school experiences played key roles in their developing stories.
Charter School Teachers
“We will do anything necessary to make sure a student learns.”
Over 9,000 charter school teachers impact NYC students every day. Meet some of the teachers committed to giving students every opportunity to learn and hear how schools equip, develop and support teachers along the way.
Priscilla
Stewart
Kipp Academy
Middle School
“Having a school in my community is a great source of pride for me. It’s representative of the great things happening in my neighborhood.”
Bronx native and Teaching Fellowship recipient, Priscilla Stewart has been teaching at KIPP Academy Middle School for six years. Originally a district middle school teacher for three years, Priscilla attended a charter school job fair in search of a new way of educating students. She grew up just five blocks from KIPP Academy middle school and soon joined the staff.
Renee
Edwards
Family Life
Academy Charter
School
“They invest in their teachers, provide a service to communities they represent and stress a collaborative learning environment.”
As a child of immigrants, Renee Edwards was inspired from an early age to be an educator. Renee has worked tirelessly to educate her students from first grade through fifth grade and has focused her energy on developing the Academic Intervention Program at her school. She attended Manhattan College in the Bronx where she earned her B.S. in Education, as well as an M.S. in Education from Lehman College. As a former district teacher, Renee appreciates charter values.
Crystal
Lane
Ascend Brooklyn
Middle School
“When I joined Ascend, I immediately noticed that I was a part of a team where everyone’s missions were aligned. And so you had many minds working toward one vision.”
Crystal started her career as a NYCDOE teacher and later joined Ascend Brooklyn Middle School to teach Humanities. She credits much of her success to mentoring and coaching at her charter school. Crystal has served as Associate Dean of Instruction and most recently, School Director. She graduated from Villanova University and earned Masters degrees in Education Policy and Social Analysis, and Teaching from Columbia Teachers College and Relay Graduate School of Education, respectively.
Rachelle
Caiazzo
Neighborhood
Charter School
“At Neighborhood Charter, our mission and vision is to provide an academically rigorous environment with classroom instruction that meets the needs of all of our students.”
Rachelle Caiazzo is a member of the Neighborhood Charter School founding team fulfilling her lifelong dream of becoming an entrepreneurial educator. Mrs. Caiazzo earned a Master’s degree in Elementary Inclusive Education from Teachers College at Columbia University. She’s taught kindergarten for the past 6 years and recently transitioned into coaching other ELA teachers. As a founding teacher, Ms. Caiazzo has impacted both students in her classroom and throughout the school.
20 Years of Charter Schools
“Charter schools bring a richness to the educational landscape of New York City.”
New York City’s public education system was forever changed with the passage of New York’s Charter Schools Act 20 years ago. Watch as community leaders, educators and families talk about the many opportunities charter schools provide as well as the impact they are having on their students and communities.
Basil
Smikle
Former Director,
NYS Democratic Party
“Tens of thousands of kids have opportunities that I didn’t have – opportunities that otherwise families would have to pay for. It’s been a source of pride for me to be able to be a part of this movement.”
Basil Smikle Jr., former Executive Director of the NYS Democratic Party and current Distinguished Lecturer of Politics and Public Policy at CUNY, is committed to ensuring high quality public schools for all children.
Mark
Dunetz
President, New Visions
for Public Schools
“New York City has a particularly diverse and rich charter sector. Together charter and district schools work toward the same goal, ensuring that all students have access to high quality schools.”
Dr. Mark Dunetz is committed to fostering collaborations – including data sharing, professional development opportunities, and operational support – between the charter and district schools in the New Visions network.
Francina
Genao
Kipp Charter
Alumna
“My teachers at KIPP taught me that learning is about being uncomfortable and pushing through whatever frustrations you encounter in that. They constantly reminded us that we’re capable of growing into who we want to be, which is most important, and enabling our abilities and pushing us further.”
Francina Genao graduated from KIPP Academy Charter School in the Bronx and graduated from City College in 2018. She is currently a first-year law student at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and continues to volunteer at KIPP Infinity in Harlem.
Vasthi R.
Acosta
Executive Director
Amber Charter School
“One of the things I love about charter schools is the ability to say, ‘this is not working for my kids,’ and then being able to change things right then and there. That freedom to support children is really powerful.”
A former district educator, Dr. Vasthi Reyes Acosta is currently the Executive Director of Amber Charter Schools in East Harlem and Riverdale and founding convener of the Latino Charter Leaders Roundtable.