Critics blast Gov. Hochul for not mentioning charter schools in state speech

Gov. Kathy Hochul failed to give one mention of charter schools during her State of the State speech — prompting parents of kids in the privately managed public schools of throwing them “under the bus.”

Charter schools also didn’t get a mention in her 276-page policy booklet she put out Tuesday –despite pledging during the campaign that she supports lifting the state-imposed cap that is blocking more charter schools from opening in New York City.

Hochul still has time to address the charter school cap in her executive budget plan to be released later this month — but school choice advocates said the governor’s refusal to address the issue in her policy address is not a good sign she will fight for the change.

“Hochul is throwing New York City children under the bus. She is putting the interests of the teachers’ union over the future of students,” said Mona Davids, founder of the NYC Parents Union.

There are now 275 charter schools that enroll 142,500 students in New York City, about one in 7 pupils. But New York City has hit the cap and new charter licenses cannot be issued without a change in state law, with a dozen proposed schools and thousands of students stranded on waiting lists.

Davids noted that Hochul signed a flawed law to lower class sizes at the behest of the teachers union. The city United Federation of Teachers, and its state affiliate, New York State United Teachers — who endorsed Hochul’s bid to serve as a full-time as governor last year — also oppose expansion of publicly funded charter schools — which are privately managed and mostly have non-union staff.

“The demand for charter schools among parents and lifting the cap is clear. The consequences of not raising the cap are more New York City families are going to move to the suburbs or out of state to get a better education,” Davids said.

James Merriman, head of the NYC Charter School Center, said he will hold the governor to her word.

“Governor Hochul has been clear in her support to lift the arbitrary cap on public charter schools. We look forward to continuing to work with her administration to ensure that schools are funded fairly and that more great schools are allowed to open in New York City,” Merriman said.

Every governor since Republican George Pataki has championed charter schools.

Pataki forced a recalcitrant legislature to approve the initial charter school law and expansion in 1998 by linking it to a pay raise sought by legislators.

“It’s very disappointing. I hoped that Gov. Hochul meant what she said when backed lifting the cap on charter schools,” Pataki told The Post on Wednesday.

“The experiment is over. Charter schools work!,” the former three-term governor said.

“Charter schools have provided opportunities to mostly low-income, minority students who were not being educated by the broader public school system.”

Former Gov. David Paterson, a Democrat, also pushed through a charter school expansion, with the backing of then-President Barack Obama.

Meanwhile disgraced ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, stood up for the charter school sector when former city Mayor Bill de Blasio, vowed to stop or limit co-locations of charter schools in public school buildings.

Cuomo responded by approving a law that required the city to provide charter schools free space in city-run school buildings, or pay for their rent in private buildings.

Hochul’s office had no immediate comment.

Her 2023 State of the State policy booklet on education proposes another boost in funding to schools, including $250 million in tutoring to aid students impacted by learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She also proposed giving SUNY and CUNY the authority to boost tuition by up to 3% a year over five years. SUNY’s flagship research colleges such as Stony Brooklyn and Buffalo could boost tuition by up to 6% a year under the governor’s plan.