Perhaps Albany was just taking their bizarre spending cues from the state's charter schools. Amid the debates over raising the cap on charter schools in order to be eligible for federal education funding, the NY Times reports that some of the state's charters haven't been using their public funding too well. Niagara Charter School reportedly spent $100,000 on consulting contracts, but had to hold a fundraiser to buy new playground equipment.
The Bronx's Family Life Charter School pays $400,000 to founder Rev. Raymond Rivera to rent classroom space from his Latino Pastoral Action Center. Charter critic State Senator Bill Perkins said, “I’m not suggesting that this is rampant, but it undermines the integrity of the public’s faith in charters."
An audit of 18 state charter schools showed many questionable spending figures, such as one school that spent $67,951 on staff trips to the Caribbean. Schools Chancellor Joel Klein has even ordered the closing of East New York Preparatory Charter School after the principal decided to name herself the superintendent and gave herself a $60,000 raise. But the state has little power to control spending at the privately run schools, which teachers' unions have been warning against in the state's bid for Race to the Top funding. New York State United Teachers president Richard C. Iannuzzi said, "There’s clearly a double standard in the way the law is written. It clearly points to a lack of transparency." The deadline for the funding application is June 1st, and at this rate it looks like the state might have to hold out for the third round.
