Admissions Lottery Held For New York City Charter Schools
NEW YORK - APRIL 23: Pattie Jacobs (L) and her son Malik Sissoko (C), a current Harlem Success Academy student, watch with Pattie's sister Crystal Jacobs (L) to see if her son Ian will be awarded a coveted slot at the Harlem Success Academy charter school as well April 23, 2009 in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. Crystal's son was not chosen in the lottery in the end. Thousands of families applied for the positions in the Harlem Success Academy schools for 475 slots, with admissions being decided by a public random lottery. Students not chosen are put on waiting lists. President Obama recently called for a lifting of the caps currently in place that limit charter schools expansion, which in New York often share school building space with regular public schools. Currently 115 charter schools operate in the state of New York, over half of them in New York City, with 30 more approved to open in the next 18 months. (Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)
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