Fight Over Charter Cap Erupts in Empire State

Even though the American Federation of Teachers’ largest local affiliate has opened its own charter school in New York City, the state affiliate is firmly opposed to plans by the governor and legislators to raise the statewide cap on how many charters are permitted in the Empire State.

Following up on unsuccessful efforts last year, Gov. George E. Pataki of New York is seeking legislation to allow 200 new charters to open in the state, including 50 that would be approved by the 1.1 million-student city school system itself.

“Charter schools work,” the Republican governor told members of the Senate and the Assembly, the legislature’s lower house, in his Jan. 17 budget address. “The entire 100 charters have now been used. So...