Oppose Charter Schools in the Newburgh Enlarged City School District

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Update | Charter School Proposal Withdrawn

October 7, 2025

Greetings!

I am writing to share wonderful news! We have just received official notice from New York State that the application for New Dawn Charter School III has been withdrawn.

We believe that the strong and unified opposition voiced by our community played a critical role in this outcome. Your collective efforts through remarks, letters, and advocacy made a meaningful difference.

Please accept my sincere gratitude for your support in protecting our district from the financial strain, program duplication, and lowered professional standards that this proposed charter school would have introduced to our community. 

Together, we have demonstrated the power of our community when we work together to reach our goals, in addition to our commitment to high-quality public education. We each play a critical role in educating every Goldback, every day. 

Warm regards,

Dr. Jackie Manning Campbell

Superintendent of Schools

Public Hearing | Charter School Proposal

Dear NECSD students, families, faculty, staff, and greater community members,

I am affirming my strong opposition to the proposal of a charter school in our community. I echo the sentiments shared by Ms. Onyx Peterson, our Deputy Superintendent and I am grateful to our community for sharing their thoughts on this proposal. This is a topic on which we can all agree. 

You do not need to take my word for it. I invite you to listen and learn from those who took their time to speak out about this important topic during our public hearing. 

From our elected officials and leaders in our educational community, we have learned that the fiscal impact will negatively impact our community and could jeopardize the programs that we currently offer. 

We know that this effort has not worked in our community before. Despite the best efforts led by actual members of our community who had deep connections with our residents at that time, the previous charter school in Newburgh failed. The proposals between the previous charter school and today's proposal are almost identical. The comparison information is eye opening and speaks for itself. 

Our district offers robust opportunities to our students – all of which would be duplicated by this proposal. 

We already offer Career and Technical Education programs (CTE) that prepare our students for work immediately after graduation.

We already offer internship programs for students to learn valuable professional skills right here in our community, networking to develop opportunities for their future.

We already offer programs that specifically focus on under-credited and over-aged students. The charter school program will compete to take away funding to educate these same students. This year alone, we have seen success with 111 students from our evening school program walking across Academy Field. The program saw an attendance rate of 95% and an academic pass rate of 87%.

We know that our district is continuously working to improve; however, it will be very difficult to do so if this proposal is approved and removes an estimated $9.6 million in funding every year. Regardless of the actual financial impact, the district will have to budget for their projections, ultimately taking funding away from our teachers, reducing or eliminating programming, and our students. 

The final day to submit letters to the New York State Board of Regents is this Monday, September 22, 2025. A template and instructions are provided on our website dedicated to this topic. 

A Change.org petition has been set up as well to express your feedback. 

Charter School proposals are reviewed and approved by New York State. A district Superintendent and/or Board of Education cannot approve or deny this proposal, although our Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution opposing the proposal of this charter school. 

Please take a moment to understand the negative impact this will cause our entire community and share this information with your friends. We appreciate your involvement in helping to provide the best learning opportunities for every Goldback, every day. 

Message from the Acting Superintendent

August 29, 2025

Dear Students, Families, Faculty, and Staff,

I am writing to share important information regarding a proposal currently under consideration: the establishment of New Dawn Charter High School III within the Newburgh Enlarged City School District’s boundaries. After careful review, the District strongly opposes this proposal because of the harm it would cause to our students and schools. Charter School proposals are reviewed and approved by New York State. A district Superintendent and/or Board of Education cannot approve or deny this proposal. 

In the application, it has been portrayed that there is broad support for this proposed charter school. This is not accurate. The Newburgh Enlarged City School District remains committed to Every Goldback, Every Day, and we firmly believe in the value and strength of a Newburgh education. Our focus continues to be on providing equitable opportunities, supporting our students, and building on the progress we have made as a district.

Why We Oppose the Proposal

1. Financial Burden – At full enrollment, New Dawn would divert approximately $9.6 million per year from our schools. These funds support programs, services, and staff that directly benefit the more than 12,000 students we already serve. Additional costs such as transportation, special education, and instructional resources would further reduce the resources available for our students.

2. Duplication of Services – The proposed charter seeks to serve over-aged and under-credited students, but NECSD already offers comprehensive supports in this area. Our district provides career and technical education pathways, internships, work-based learning, evening school, credit recovery, college and career counseling, and alternative education options designed specifically to meet these needs.

3. Equity and Accountability Concerns – NECSD is committed to serving all students equitably, including English Language Learners and students with disabilities. Evidence shows that charter schools often serve fewer high-need students, leaving districts with greater responsibilities but fewer resources.

4. Lack of Proven Academic Benefit – Research shows no consistent evidence that charter schools outperform public schools. Many charters across New York have struggled academically, while NECSD continues to strengthen innovative programs and expand opportunities for all students.

5. Community Opposition – Our Board of Education, local elected officials, national teachers’ associations, and many community partners have already expressed strong opposition. Families in Newburgh have made clear that they want to see our district programs strengthened, not destabilized. Our collective opposition is something we can all agree on.

Our Commitment

Despite this challenge, NECSD remains dedicated to innovation, equity, and community partnership. We will continue to build programs that meet the needs of all learners and prepare our students for college, careers, and life.

How You Can Help

A second public hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at 6:00pm. All feedback provided will be recorded and shared with NYSED. The link to the recording of the first public hearing can be found by clicking this link. We extend our sincere gratitude to Assemblyman Christopher Eachus, members of the Board of Education, district administrators, and community members who took the time to voice their concerns regarding the proposed Charter School during the initial public hearing. We remain hopeful that additional members of our community will continue to speak out and submit written comments before the state’s final deadline.

The New York State Education Department is accepting public comments on this proposal until September 22, 2025. We encourage you to make your voice heard by submitting a letter to the Board of Regents. A template letter is available for your use if you would like guidance in drafting your response. 

We extend our sincere gratitude to Assemblyman Christopher Eachus, members of the Board of Education, district administrators, and community members who took the time to voice their concerns regarding the proposed Charter School during the initial public hearing. We remain hopeful that additional members of our community will continue to speak out and submit written comments before the state’s final deadline.

As the Acting Superintendent of Newburgh Schools, an alumna of our public school district, and a taxpayer in our community myself, I vehemently oppose the proposition by New Dawn Charter High School III. Together, we must protect the resources, programs, and opportunities that belong to the students of Newburgh.

Thank you for your continued commitment to our schools and our community.

Sincerely,

Onyx Peterson
Acting Superintendent
Newburgh Enlarged City School District

What Can You Do to Help?

ATTENTION: Are your scholars or colleagues doing something great? Please contact the district Communications Team at communications@necsd.net. We’d love to visit your class or event and/or post your pictures and recap to highlight the amazing accomplishments throughout our district!