Source: http://www.counsel.nysed.gov/Decisions/d17588
Timestamp: 2020-04-04 19:36:11
Document Index: 183489683

Matched Legal Cases: ['§2853', '§2853', '§2853', '§2853', '§2853', '§2853', '§2853', '§2853', '§2853', '§2853', '§2853', '§276']

Decision No. 17,588 | Office of Counsel
Decision No. 17,588
Appeal of BRONX ARTS AND SCIENCE CHARTER SCHOOL[1] from action of the New York City Department of Education regarding school utilization.
Cohen Schneider Law, P.C., attorneys for petitioner, Cliff S. Schneider, Nina D. Harris, and Cory S. Storch, Esqs., of counsel
Zachary W. Carter, Corporation Counsel, attorney for respondent, Copatrick Thomas, Esq., of counsel
ELIA., Commissioner.--Petitioner, Bronx Arts and Science Academy Charter School (“the school”), challenges the New York City Department of Education’s (“DOE” or “respondent”) failure to offer it a co-location site in a public school building or space in a privately-owned or other publicly-owned facility at DOE’s expense and at no cost to petitioner, as required by Education Law §2853(3)(e). The appeal must be sustained.
Petitioner is authorized by the Board of Regents (“Regents”) to serve students in kindergarten through grade 5. It is scheduled to commence instruction in the 2019-2020 school year. In its first year of operation, petitioner will serve students in kindergarten through grade 2, and will expand one grade level in each succeeding school year until it serves students in kindergarten through grade 5.[2]
On December 19, 2018, petitioner submitted a written request for co-location for its kindergarten through grade 5, pursuant to Education Law §2853(3)(e), using DOE’s online “Portal.”[3] By letter dated December 20, 2018, DOE acknowledged petitioner’s request, but stated that it would “not be extending an offer of space at this time.” This appeal ensued.
Petitioner asserts that DOE failed to offer it a co-location site in a public school building or space in a privately-owned or other publicly-owned facility, at no cost to petitioner, in violation of Education Law §2853(3)(e). As relief, it seeks an order directing DOE to pay, commencing with the 2019-2020 school year and continuing thereafter, rental assistance in accordance with Education Law §2853(3)(e)(5).
Here, on December 19, 2018, petitioner requested co-location space to serve kindergarten through grade 5. In its December 20, 2018 response to petitioner’s request, DOE stated that it would “not be extending an offer of space at this time.” However, in response to petitioner’s request, DOE was required by Education Law §2853(3)(e)(1) to offer petitioner space in a privately-owned or publicly-owned facility at the expense of the city school district and at no cost to petitioner. As DOE has not offered any facilities at the expense of the city school district and at no cost to petitioner, it failed to comply with the requirements of Education Law §2853(3)(e)(1).
In accordance with Education Law §2853(3)(e)(5), DOE is, therefore, required to pay petitioner rental assistance based on student enrollment in kindergarten through grade 5 - the grades for which the school has been approved to provide instruction - during its current charter term and any subsequent renewal term, provided that, in any such renewal term, the charter school serves the grades encompassed by the charter referenced herein[4] (see Appeal of Our World Neighborhood Charter School, 56 Ed Dept Rep, Decision No. 17,065; Appeal of Uncommon New York City Charter School, 56 id., Decision No. 17,010; Appeal of Rosalyn Yalow Charter School, 54 id., Decision No. 16,690). I note that Education Law §2853(3)(e)(5) provides for rental assistance based on current school year enrollment, not the enrollment projections set forth in the charter, for each year of the charter term. Specifically, with respect to a new charter school, “if the appeal results in a determination in favor of the charter school, the city school district shall pay the charter school an amount attributable to ... the formation of the new charter school ...” that is calculated in accordance with the formula set forth in Education Law §2853(3)(e)(5).
The record in this case indicates that petitioner will first commence instruction in the 2019-2020 school year, serving students in kindergarten through grade 2, and will expand one grade level in each succeeding school year until it serves students in kindergarten through grade 5.[5] Accordingly, pursuant to Education Law §2853(3)(e)(5), DOE must pay petitioner for the requested kindergarten through grade 5 in each year of the charter term and any subsequent renewal term, provided that, in any such renewal term, the charter school serves the grades encompassed by the charter referenced herein, an amount attributable to the formation of the new charter school that is calculated in accordance with the formula set forth in Education Law §2853(3)(e)(5). As noted above, DOE is obligated to pay for kindergarten through grade 5 in the newly-opened charter school in each year of the initial charter term and any subsequent renewal term, provided that, in any such renewal term, the charter school serves the grades encompassed by the charter referenced herein; the amount payable must be based on the charter school’s actual current year enrollment (see Appeal of Our World Neighborhood Charter School, 56 Ed Dept Rep, Decision No. 17,065; Appeal of Uncommon New York City Charter School, 56 id., Decision No. 17,010; Appeal of Rosalyn Yalow Charter School, 54 id., Decision No. 16,690).
[1] Although the school is referred to as “The Bronx Arts and Science Charter School” in the caption of petitioner’s pleadings, pursuant to §276.6 of the Commissioner’s regulations, I take administrative notice of records on file with the New York State Education Department indicating that the name of the school is “Bronx Arts and Science Charter School.”
[5] According to the school’s Director, as a result of DOE’s failure to offer space, petitioner will incur rental costs and expenses.