by Jonas S. Chartock 2012
The treatise “The Politics of Charter School Authorizing: The Case of New York State” by Jonas S. Chartock (2012) explores how multiple statewide charter school authorizers were created in New York through the New York State Charter Schools Act of 1998. The study applies Kingdon’s Multiple Streams Model to analyze the policy process, focusing on the role of political actors, policy entrepreneurs, and key political opportunities.
Key findings:
- Governor George Pataki played a central role in advancing charter school policy as part of broader legislative negotiations.
- The creation of multiple authorizers (SUNY Trustees and the NYS Board of Regents) was a political strategy to balance interests and protect charter school autonomy.
- The study highlights political independence, access to resources, and commitment to authorizing as key factors influencing charter school oversight.
The research provides insights into how political forces shape education policy, offering lessons for other states considering similar authorization structures.
