News » Director of Education Services at The Door Discusses Plans for New Charter School

Jeremy Kaplan, director of education services at University Settlement's affiliate agency, The Door, recently spoke with the New York City Charter School Center to discuss plans for a new charter school that would be affiliated with The Door.  Click here or see below for the full story.

New school would widen youth services at The Door

As New York lawmakers debate whether to raise the statewide cap on charter schools, which is nearly maxed out, dozens of teams of educators are planning new charter schools to serve New York City children—and keeping their fingers crossed. Here's the story of one such prospective school.

Jeremy Kaplan wants the chance to teach what he calls "a completely forgotten population in education"—students who are homeless or part of the foster care system. Kaplan is Director of Education Services at The Door, a lower Manhattan nonprofit that provides support and social services to thousands of at-risk teens. Now, the Door wants to expand its reach by opening a public charter high school called Broome Street Academy.

"At The Door, we see 16- and 17-year-olds seeking GEDs and younger students teetering on the edge," Kaplan explains. "They can’t navigate a traditional path to success because there are so many restrictions and regulations that are simply prohibitive given the other stuff going on in their lives. These kids literally have nowhere to go."

Many services under one roof

Broome Street Academy would offer these students a rigorous curriculum aimed at preparing them to graduate with Regents Diplomas. At the same time, students would be provided with essential social services and programs through The Door, including health care, tutoring and homework help, college preparation, job placement, legal and counseling services, arts, daily meals, sports, and recreational activities. In other words, the school would remove many of the barriers that have made it difficult for students to stay in school and be engaged.

"We felt we needed to build on what The Door has done so well, and take it one step further, adding the school structure and academic rigor starting with 13- or 14-year-old kids to prevent them from dropping out," Kaplan says. "To the extent that we can simplify things for them, we must do it."

As leader of the planning team,  Kaplan, a former teacher and charter school leader, has shepherded the project from conceptualization to the submission of the final proposal to SUNY's Charter Schools Institute this spring. If and when a charter is granted, Kaplan would serve as principal. The Door, as a partnering agency, would not only house the Broome Street Academy, it would support the school's start-up and ongoing operations.

No charter, no school

But the future of Broome Street Academy could be riding on legislation to raise the statewide cap on charter schools. SUNY only has a dozen charters left to award under the current cap and there are many promising schools vying for those remaining slots.

"Allowing more people to have the opportunity I've had in the past and hope to have again at Broome Street would benefit more students," Kaplan says. "But in the current climate if there is one slot left for a school opening in 2011, we're going for it. No one knows this population of disconnected young people like we do, and no one is doing more to address their needs."