Demand as they grow: Buffalo charter schools

Buffalo, New York (WBEN) – Some Buffalo charter schools are growing, not necessarily just in class size, but also in space and resources. And while Buffalo’s population tends to decline, our charter schools continue to receive a fair number of inquiries from parents regarding possible enrollment.

A good example is the Buffalo Academy of Science (BuffSci), which is currently in the process of moving its high school operations to the former Medaille University campus located next to Delaware Park starting next school year, giving giving Buffalo high school students the opportunity to learn in a more university setting.

“Parents have a lot of choices and charter schools are one of the best. We receive continuous calls to our schools every day, asking about availability and how parents can enroll their students,” says Janine Tramont, director of development and capital. Campaigns for BuffSci. “We have certainly seen an increase in these calls and demand for charter schools in the city of Buffalo.”

“I think the demand continues to be strong,” adds Linda Marszalek, co-founder and director of REACH Academy Charter School. “I think across the population, though, in Buffalo we’re seeing a decline in the number of students actually available to go to kindergarten. So if you look at the records over the years, you can see the enrollment in the city of Buffalo as a whole, there just aren’t as many kids as there used to be, I think it has something to do with the baby boomer population and this bubble, and then when. their grandkids are leaving, and we’re kind of in the tail end, but charter schools are still an attractive option.”

Despite this particular decline, REACH Academy currently has 701 students enrolled in grades K-7. New York State allows them to enroll a maximum of 900 students, a number they hope to reach as soon as next school year when they introduce 8th grade.

In addition, the REACH Academy is also growing. Marszalek notes that they recently moved their middle school operations to a new property located at 266 Genesee Street, the property that formerly housed the WNY Maritime Charter School, directly across the street from their elementary school. The site is currently being renovated, and Marszalek notes that the second half of the property will be put into use for middle school students during the upcoming school year.

Marszalek estimates that about 30 percent of students eligible to attend a public school in the Buffalo Public Schools district actually attend a charter school. If two more charter schools opened and built in Buffalo tomorrow, she said she wouldn’t be surprised to see them filled.

“I think there are a lot of people who maybe aren’t aware of the opportunities that charters offer, and don’t really understand that they’re free, that they can take buses there. And “Until they have more opportunities to go visit and see schools, they don’t really know what it’s like and they’re all different,” Marszalek said. “What might be great for one child may not be great for another. I encourage parents to go out, take a look at the schools and take the time to visit them. And they will know when they see and experience each of the different cultures in schools.