Requires the state comptroller and the comptroller of the city of New York to coordinate the scheduling and performance of audits of charter schools in the city of New York.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A4514
SPONSOR: Benedetto TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to charter schools in
cities with a population of one million or more
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To authorize the New York State Comptroller to conduct audits of charter
schools in New York City.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
This proposal provides that charter schools located in New York City
shall be subject to the financial audits, the audit procedures, and the
audit requirements set forth in their charters, and shall be subject to
audits of the Comptroller of the City of New York and the Comptroller of
the State of New York, at his or her discretion, with respect to the
school's financial operations.
JUSTIFICATION:
Under current law, charter schools located in the City of New York may
only be audited by the New York City Comptroller. This bill would add
the New York State Comptroller.
Of the 267 charter schools in the city, 85% are chartered by the state
(either by SUNY or the Board of Regents), and over a third. of the
city's $34 billion education budget comes from state taxpayers.In fiscal
year 2020-21 New York City spent•approximately $2.5 billion, nearly $500
million more than in fiscal year 2018-19, for students in charter
schools operating in the city. This amounts to roughly 7 percent of
DOE's total budget. Charter schools in the city, which increased by 34
over the past two years, received approximately $17,000 per student for
the 2020-21 school year, nearly $1,300 more per student than in 2018-19.
The mission and responsibility of the state comptroller is to ensure
that state and local resources are used effectively and efficiently to
promote the common good. Given the significant amount of state and local
funding provided to charter schools in New York City, audit authority
for the state comptroller is warranted.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2020 - 2019A.7766 Referred to Education
02/11/21 referred to education
05/20/21 amend and recommit to education
05/20/21 print number 5118a
05/24/21 reported referred to ways and means
06/01/21 reported referred to rules
8/11/2021 Revised
01/05/22 referred to ways and means
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately
