CM James Joins Parents, School Advocates In Rally Against DOE Co-location of Success-Academy Charter School Brooklyn 5

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

October 10, 2012

CONTACT: Barbara Sherman (718) 260-9191 /bsherman@council.nyc.gov

NYC COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA JAMES, COMMUNITY EDUCATION COUNCIL 13, PARENTS, STUDENTS, AND ADVOCATES RALLY AGAINST DOE’S PROPOSAL TO CO-LOCATE SUCCESS ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL BROOKLYN 5 AT SUSAN MCKINNEY SCHOOL K265 

(Brooklyn, NY)-- Please join Council Member Letitia James Thursday, October 11th at 4:00pm at a press conference opposing Eva Moskowitz’s Success-Academy Charter School Brooklyn 5 that will serve K through fifth grade to be co-located with Susan McKinney K265 and P369@265, a secondary school, sixth through twelfth grades in school District 13. The District 13 School Field Office (KN13) and a community based organization Partnership with Children is also located in K265. 

The co -location of Success Academy School Brooklyn 5 will compromise and or eliminate the mandated services for District 75 students and students with an Individualized Education Plan (“IEP”). In addition, the co-location will diminish the educational mandate of Susan McKinney Secondary School of the Arts ability to offer classes in drama, chorus, dance, and visual arts to students in grades 6 to 12. 

DOE’s Educational Impact Study purports that the school will operate at 102%. Operating at above capacity will endanger students, compromise education, and eliminate state mandated resource rooms for children who attend P369@k265 and students with IEP’s. 

DOE’s expansion of charter schools has led to greater inequities, and a higher concentration of need in our district public schools at the same time they have taken up increased amounts of critical space from the district schools that educate the neediest students, including in many cases libraries, classrooms, and intervention spaces leading to unacceptable conditions. 

WHO: NYC Council Member Letitia James 

WHAT: The New York Department of Education Office of Portfolio proposal to co-locate Success Academy Charter School Brooklyn 5 at Susan McKinney K265 and P369@265 

WHEN: Thursday October 11, 2012 4:00PM EST 

WHERE: 101 PARK AVENUE BROOKLYN NY 11205