WHEREAS, the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) has notified the school communities of the Springfield Gardens Educational Campus in District 29 (Queens) of its proposal to open and co-locate a new elementary Success Academy Charter School (84QTBD), referred to as New SA Elementary, in building Q420 to serve K-4 grades beginning in the 2023-2024 school year; and

WHEREAS, building Q420 already houses four schools in the co-location known as the Springfield Gardens Campus: Preparatory Academy for Writers: A College Board School (29Q283), referred to as PAW, an existing district secondary school serving students in grades 6-12, and three existing district high schools serving students in grades 9-12: Queens Preparatory Academy (29Q248), referred to as Queens Prep; Excelsior Preparatory High School (29Q265), referred to as Excelsior; and George Washington Carver High School for the Sciences (29Q272), referred to as Carver; and

WHEREAS, Success Academy, a charter management organization that currently operates elementary, middle, and high schools in New York City, has already announced on its website that “pending government approval” the proposed school in building Q420 will be called SA Springfield Gardens South, an extension of SA Springfield Gardens. Plans for this “South” location as opening in 2023-2024 school year serving approximately 270-300 students in kindergarten through second grade, with additions of one grade level each year until it reaches full scale, serving approximately 450-500 students in kindergarten through 4th grade in the 2025-2026 school year; and

WHEREAS, Success Academy, is currently accepting enrollment requests for SA “Springfield Gardens South;” and

WHEREAS, NYC DOE has also notified the school communities of building K495 in District 22 (Brooklyn) of its proposal to open and co-locate a new elementary Success Academy Charter School (84QTBD), referred to as New SA Elementary, in building K495 to serve K-4 grades beginning in the 2023-2024 school year; and

WHEREAS, building K495 (Sheepshead Bay Campus) already houses three schools in the co-location: Origins High School (22K611), referred to as Origins, an existing district high school serving students in grades 9-12; Professional Pathways High School (22K630), referred to as Professional Pathways, an existing transfer high school serving students in grades 9-12; and New Visions Charter High School for Advanced Math and Science III (84K738), referred to as New Visions AMS, an existing charter high school serving students in grades 9-12; and

WHEREAS, Success Academy, has already announced on its website that “pending government approval” the proposed school in building K495 will be called SA Sheepshead Bay. Plans for this “Sheepshead Bay” opening in 2023-2024 school year serving approximately 205-225 kindergarten and first grade students, with additions of one grade level each year until it reaches full scale in grade span and enrollment in the 2026-2027school year, at which point it will serve approximately 490-540 students in kindergarten through 4th grade; and

WHEREAS, Success Academy, is currently accepting enrollment requests for SA “Sheepshead Bay;” and

WHEREAS, NYC DOE has notified the school communities of the schools at the 11X113 campus in District 11 (Bronx) of its proposal to open and co-locate a new elementary Success Academy Charter School (84XTBD), referred to as New SA Elementary, in building X113 to serve K-4 grades beginning in the 2023-2024 school year; and

WHEREAS, the 11X113 building already houses two schools in the co-location: North Bronx School of Empowerment (11X287), an existing district middle school serving grades 6-8, and 11X370, an existing district middle school serving grades 6-8; and

WHEREAS, Success Academy, a charter management organization that currently operates elementary, middle, and high schools in New York City, has already announced on its website that “pending government approval” the proposed school in building X113 will be called "Success Academy Williamsbridge." Plans propose its opening in 2023-2024 school year serving approximately 270-300 students in kindergarten through second grade, with additions of one grade level each year until it reaches full scale, serving approximately 450-500 students in kindergarten through 4th grade in the 2025-2026 school year; and

WHEREAS, Success Academy, is currently accepting enrollment requests for SA "Williamsbridge," and

WHEREAS, the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) has notified the school communities of the 28Q072 Campus in District 28 (Queens) of its proposal to open and co-locate a new elementary Success Academy Charter School (84QTBD), referred to as New SA Elementary, in building Q072 to serve K-4 grades beginning in the 2023-2024 school year; and

WHEREAS, building Q072 already houses three schools in the co-location: Catherine & Count Basie Middle School 72 (28Q072), referred to as M.S. 72, and Redwood Middle School (28Q332), referred to as Redwood, both existing district middle schools serving students in grades 6-8; and also houses one site of a multi-sited District 75 school, P.S. Q993 (75Q993), referred to as P993Q@Q072, which serves students in grades 6-8.

WHEREAS, Success Academy, a charter management organization that currently operates elementary, middle, and high schools in New York City, has already announced on its website that “pending government approval” the proposed school in building Q072 will be called SA "Rochdale." Plans for this location as opening in 2023-2024 school year serving approximately 270-300 students in kindergarten through second grade, with additions of one grade level each year until it reaches full scale, serving approximately 450-500 students in kindergarten through 4th grade in the 2025-2026 school year; and

WHEREAS, Success Academy, is currently accepting enrollment requests for SA “Rochdale;” and

WHEREAS, members of these communities have stated that the DOE’s assessment underestimates the actual building utilization of the existing schools at the campus and what future utilization will be due to the recently signed class size reduction law and expansion of campus programs; and  

WHEREAS, members of the community voiced concerns regarding the impact on equity and safety inside and outside of the campus that the addition of the elementary schools would cause; undoubtedly hindering and lessening the overall academic, social and emotional experience of the current students at the campus by taking space and limiting existing programs as well as the expansion of the existing schools already underway involving the addition of new programs; and

WHEREAS, the currently seated schools at these campuses are consistently showing progress in the academic achievements and socio-emotional growth of their students, and the addition of K-4 charter schools will most certainly limit the growth and expansion of any existing schools, particularly the high schools, as they seek to develop their specific career programs in pursuit of college and career readiness as designed to lead to opportunities and technical experiences to enter the workforce; and

WHEREAS, despite the complexity of sharing space, the co-located schools in Springfield Gardens Campus Q420, the building K495 Sheepshead Bay Campus, the 11X113 Campus and the 28Q072 Campus have successfully achieved protocols that allow their students to maximize their educational experiences; and

WHEREAS, the resident schools have serviced, and continue to service, all diverse learners in their respective communities, and to foster respect for all schools and D75 and D79 students on campus; and

WHEREAS, members of these school communities have voiced their concerns about the negative impact of both proposed co-location on safety, continuation of existing programs, and expansion of CTE programs at every DOE engagement meeting, and

WHEREAS, these communities have mounted a vigorous resistance to the proposed co-location that includes creating and approving SLT resolutions from schools involved, lobbying of local elected leaders, reaching out to PEP members, contacting the Chancellor and Mayor, building coalitions with the involved CECs, leafleting, and rallying, be it

RESOLVED, that the UFT opposes the proposals to open and co-locate Success Academy Charter Schools in the Springfield Gardens Campus Q420, the K495 Sheepshead Bay Campus, in the X113 Campus, and the Q072 Campus; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the UFT calls on the NYC DOE to protect and further support our public schools in District 11, District 22, District 28 and District 29 by investing in them rather than diverting resources to charter schools; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the United Federation of Teachers supports the will of these school communities by lobbying at all levels against the proposed co-location by lobbying at all levels against the proposed co-locations in District 11, District 22, District 28 and District 29 in the New York Assembly and New York Senate to explore possible legislation to:

• cut public funding for charters who simply manage their populations to include higher achieving students, have high attrition rates, or have a reputation for intentionally counseling families to depart, instead of a charter school statistically demonstrating improved educational outcomes for all students who enroll, including the most disadvantaged students in particular; and
• focus on older charter school chains and condition the renewal of public funding upon negotiating collective bargaining agreements with its workforce after a charter chain has been established for a certain amount of time; and
• alternatively, remove state mandates that force the NYC Department of Education to cut public school budgets in order to pay rent for charter schools that are not co-located in DOE schools.

RESOLVED, that the Delegate Assembly of the United Federation of Teachers stands in support of these school communities fighting against the co-location of Success Academy schools at the Q420 Springfield Gardens Campus, the K495 Sheepshead Bay Campus, the X113 Campus and the Q072 Campus; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the United Federation of Teachers continues to support the will of these school communities by lobbying at all levels including the PEP members against the proposed co-locations; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the United Federation of Teachers will mobilize members and parents to lobby against co-locations at the PEP.