A charter school is actively recruiting students for a possible September 2026 opening in New Rochelle although the school still does not have an approved building and despite a record of widespread community opposition here and poor academic outcomes in its other locations.

Capital Prep Charter School was approved to operate in New Rochelle by the SUNY Charter School Institute at an October 2024 meeting which has been criticized for its lack of attention to misrepresentations in the school’s application, unsubstantiated testimony from its supporters, and thousands of letters and petition signatures from local residents opposing its presence in the city.

The school was unable to find a suitable location in New Rochelle in time to open for its original target date of September 2025.  It is now advertising that it will open in September 2026 in an “official home” leased from The Church of the Blessed Sacrament at 24 Shea Place (between Centre and Maple Avenues in downtown New Rochelle).  But Capital Prep has still not received the Certificate of Occupancy it needs from the New York State Education Department’s Facilities Planning Unit in order to begin operations at that location.

A group of New Rochelle educators and parents has been monitoring Capital Prep’s efforts to open a school in New Rochelle using the Freedom of Information Law to obtain official documents from the New York State Education Department, the SUNY Charter Schools Institute, and Capital Prep itself. In addition to the lack of an approved site, the New Rochelle Community Committee for Our Public Schools has found problems with the proposed school’s lease agreement with the church, declining academic performance at its other sites, and a pattern of deceptive claims in its official documents and marketing materials.

The Community Committee issued a 100-page report in January 2025 detailing the misrepresentations in Capital Prep’s application to the Charter School Institute, its record of poor management and academic performance, and the Charter Institute’s deeply flawed review process.  In its more recent research, the Community Committee has uncovered a 2025 Evaluation Report by the Charter Schools Institute finding that Capital Prep has failed to provide high-quality instruction in most classrooms and has failed to meet its mathematics and high-school graduation goals at its current locations.

Further, the Community Committee’s review of the lease agreement between Capital Prep and Blessed Sacrament uncovered an agreement that Capital Prep’s curriculum will not include “any material which is not consistent with Roman Catholic teaching,” raising issues of separation of church and state.

And on June 22, after a member of the Community Committee noticed construction work in progress at the property at 24 Shea Place, the New Rochelle Department of Buildings placed a “Stop Work Order” on the property for construction work “being conducted without the required building permits.”

The Community Committee has concluded that Capital Prep is subjecting New Rochelle parents looking for an improved educational experience for their children to “false promises and deceptive recruitment practices” and risking their children’s academic futures in a program that will divert taxpayer funds “to support a disreputable enterprise.”

A detailed commentary by Dr. Alisse Waterston, co-chair of the New Rochelle Community Committee for Our Public Schools, appears below, along with links to supporting documentation.

The Lies They Tell Us: Steve Perry’s Capital Prep Charter Schools, Inc., Is Not To Be Believed

By Alisse Waterston, Ph.D.

Dr. Waterston is Presidential Scholar and Professor Emerita, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, and a 37 year resident of New Rochelle. Her children attended and graduated from the New Rochelle public schools and her grandchildren are currently enrolled at Webster Elementary.

Thousands of parents, parent-leaders, teachers and residents of New Rochelle are strongly and publicly opposed to Capital Prep’s designs to open a charter school in our city. Nearly two years ago, they came out strong against the charter school in a public forum, and wrote equally strong letters of objection to state authorities. Since then, a dedicated group of New Rochelleans have been monitoring Capital Prep’s claims as they attempt to weasel their way into our city. 

As co-chair of The New Rochelle Community Committee for our Public Schools, I report here on our revelations about Capital Prep that can best be described as alarming, distressing, chilling, and shocking.

Alarming for the consequences that will befall parents and guardians who are subject to false promises and deceptive recruitment practices by the charter school. 

Distressing for the consequences to students who, if any should attend the charter school, will likely fall behind in their schoolwork. They will have to play catch up when they find their way back to our public schools.

Chilling for the effect on our public school budgets, since the charter’s private management company would draw millions of dollars from our schools, resulting in cuts to programs and harm to our public school children.

Shocking to residents who find out that their taxpayer money is being diverted to support a disreputable enterprise when they believed these funds would support our public school students and their programs.

The adjectives I use here are designed to be clear and to the point: the proposed Capital Prep charter school is a threat to students, parents, our public schools, and the wider community. 

Readers do not need to take my word for it; these assertions are based on evidence gathered over the past two years, much of it by submitting Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests to the New York State Education Department, the SUNY Charter Schools Institute, and Capital Prep. FOIL enables individuals to get access to documents, data, reports, and even emails.

Capital Prep does not have an approved facility in New Rochelle

Fact: Capital Prep does not have an approved facility to open a school in New Rochelle according to the New York State Education Department’s Facilities Planning Unit. Capital Prep is required to get approval for any proposed location from the New York State Education Department, which is authorized to provide them a Certificate of Occupancy before they can claim they have an approved space.

Based on documents we have received from NY State, we know the existing space has  “technical deficiencies” and that construction will be required to occupy part of the building. 

Falsehood: Capital Prep falsely states that it will open at 24 Shea Place in the fall (2026); it goes so far as to declare that the location is its “official” home, conveying this false information to parents in their student recruitment efforts in various locations in New Rochelle. On 22 May, Capital Prep posted a statement and an image on public social media to that effect, providing evidence of deception.

Capital Prep announced its “official location” at. site lacking New York State Education Department Approval

Steve Perry, on behalf of Capital Prep Charter School NY, and Rev. Kareem R. Smith of The Church of the Blessed Sacrament, New Rochelle, have signed a rental lease agreement for the entire school building at 24 Shea Place in New Rochelle, the “demised premises,” at a cost of $1,313,632.50 over three years.

Note that the New Rochelle Department of Buildings gave Blessed Sacrament “a notice of violation in two parts” upon inspecting the building in early May of this year. The notice of violation also states that “failure to comply with the notice may result in a summons and legal action.” Subsequently, on 22 June, the New Rochelle Department of Buildings, having observed indication of another violation, placed a “Stop Work Order” on the property at 24 Shea Place for construction work “being conducted without the required building permits.”

Capital Prep’s lease requires curriculum “consistent with Roman Catholic teaching”

A careful read of the 53 page executed lease reveals a disturbing find. There are specific provisions that impermissibly allow the church to dictate, prohibit, or influence the non-sectarian public school curriculum that Capital Prep is obligated by law to provide. 

On page 5 of the executed lease, it is stated: 

·      “(v) Tenant covenants that its education curriculum shall not include any material which is not consistent with Roman Catholic teaching.” 

This provision and others about the education curriculum detailed in the lease violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, and violate the charter issued to Capital Prep New Rochelle, which requires the school to comply with all federal and state laws. 

Has Capital Prep revealed all this to prospective parents and students?

Capital Prep misrepresents its mediocre academic outcomes

Falsehood: Capital Prep promises to “bring high-quality, college preparatory, and social justice-focused education to the New Rochelle community.”

Facts: 

• Capital Prep has a long history of low graduation rates, underperforms on the New York State Regents Examinations and on standardized assessment tests as compared to students across New York.
• Capital Prep Harlem’s performance continues to worsen: Its 4-year graduation rate and its mathematics performance are markedly below that of the public schools.  A recent (2025) NY State SUNY Charter Schools Institute Evaluation Report finds of the management company’s Harlem charter school that Capital Prep “did not meet its mathematics or high school graduation goals for the second consecutive year.”
• Capital Prep has a track record of dysfunction. A recent assessment shows “persistent staffing turnover” and “declining enrollment” that results in Capital Prep’s poor academic performance. Capital Prep is not required to hire licensed teachers or teachers with any teaching experience; their teachers do not have a teacher union. The results are documented. As the 2025 NY State Evaluation Report finds, ““High quality instruction is not evident across most classrooms,” and “Teachers do not consistently deliver purposeful instruction.”

The pattern of deceptive claims and outright falsehoods has been evident from the time Capital Preparatory Schools, Inc. submitted a proposal to the SUNY Charter Schools Institute in June 2024 to the present. The New Rochelle Community Committee for our Public Schools, committed “to save the precious, delicate, deeply flawed public in public education,” issued a comprehensive, 100 page, rigorously researched report in January, 2025 titled “The Struggle for our Public Schools and Against the Charter Threat: The Case of New Rochelle.”  

The results of the research reveal the pattern of false claims that Capital Prep continues to perpetuate.

Overall, the results reveal that Capital Prep’s claims of success, self-described as “impressive,” “spectacular,” and “remarkable,” are unfounded and unsubstantiated by actual data. Capital Prep markets itself as a high-achieving network with a focus on college preparedness; the report’s findings reveal discrepancies in their claims. An example is their oft publicized claim that “100% of Capital Prep graduates have been accepted into four-year colleges,” which is unverifiable and misleading considering Capital Prep’s attrition rates mean struggling students are excluded from this statistic.

Historically, Capital Prep’s charter schools show underwhelming academic outcomes; at best their outcomes are mediocre. Based on New York State Education Department (NYSED) data, Capital Prep’s Harlem and Bronx charter schools underperform on key metrics, such as state standardized tests and Regents exam proficiency. Their academic performance is below state averages in most areas. Moreover, New Rochelle public schools overall outperform Capital Prep on standardized tests, and show higher graduation rates than Capital Prep (Capital Prep Harlem has a four-year graduation rate of only 57%, well below New Rochelle High School’s 83%).

In terms of reputation, Capital Prep has a track record of dysfunction (administrative instability, staffing issues, and chaotic school environment) and connection to scandal. In addition, Capital Prep’s financial model involves diverting public funds to private management with limited oversight. Previous reports of self-dealing and opaque practices at Capital Prep in Connecticut amplify concerns. In terms of accountability, Capital Prep is governed by a private Board of Trustees. Its meetings are private. In terms of teacher qualifications and stability, Capital Prep schools have a history of high teacher turnover, further reducing educational stability).

Their assertion that the proposed charter school will serve the underserved, increase graduation rates, offer better curricular and extra-curricular offerings than are already provided in New Rochelle are simply untrue. 

 Has Capital Prep revealed any of this to prospective parents and students?

Capital Prep New Rochelle was approved through a flawed process

The two entities in New York State that have the authority to grant approval for a new charter school are The New York State Education Department Board of Regents and The SUNY Charter Schools Committee (the SUNY Committee). Based on observations by those familiar with these processes, the SUNY Committee is much less rigorous than the Board of Regents in reviewing and approving charter applications, leading organizations with the weakest applications to apply through SUNY.

Despite its responsibility to ensure that the proposed charter schools meet the necessary legal, educational, and operational standards, the SUNY Committee’s actions and decisions show it was far less than rigorous when it came to Capital Prep’s 1500 page application. In contrast, The Struggle for Our Public Schools and Against the Charter Threat conducted a deep dive into that application, analyzing Capital Prep’s claims against evidence that is based on research to secure reliable data sources. We did the homework that should have been performed by the SUNY Committee.

Of significant concern is the questionable handling of evidence by the SUNY Committee. It failed to scrutinize the flawed and contradictory data presented in Capital Prep’s application in all areas (from community demand for a charter school to Capital Prep’s performance metrics). It accepted unsubstantiated claims without question. Despite clear issues with Capital Prep’s outreach efforts, facility plans, and academic track record, the SUNY Committee did not rigorously challenge these deficiencies. Instead, it appeared lenient in its evaluation, not holding Capital Prep and its network to the higher accountability standards required by New York State law. 

The weak evidence Capital Prep presented throughout their application is complemented by an insidious, false, divisive, negative narrative about New Rochelle public schools and by unsubstantiated assertions—some are full out fabrications—made by Capital Prep representatives in the taped, in-person meeting with the SUNY Committee members held on 9 October 2024 at the SUNY Charter Schools Institute offices. The taped meeting is available on the SUNY system video system (the relevant portion begins at 52:20 and runs through 86:00). It is clear that the SUNY Committee engaged in “conduct unbecoming,” a failure of responsibility.

Further, the SUNY Committee failed to give serious consideration to stakeholder’s concerns in New Rochelle who oppose the charter school. It showed clear bias in mischaracterizing the letters of opposition (referring to them as “complaints”), and demonstrated preference for charter advocates. It failed to prioritize the community’s voice, as required under New York State law for charter school approvals. It even ignored the public statements of opposition by important political leaders, including New York State Senator Shelley Mayer who chairs the NY State’s Education Committee.

We are not alone. A Long Island community also experienced the effects of the SUNY Committee’s failure to acknowledge community opposition and have turned to the courts for redress. For ignoring community voices and other failures, the SUNY Institute now faces two lawsuits: one by New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) and one by the Brentwood/Central Islip school districts. 

Conclusions

There is a great deal more that is uncovered in our report. It behooves every parent or guardian to get the information they need to make an informed decision before considering enrolling their child or children in Capital Prep’s proposed New Rochelle charter school. A parent might ask themselves, “Do I really want my child to be Capital Prep’s guinea pig?”

On the basis of its history and poor performance, it is clear that Capital Prep New Rochelle does not have the expertise, capacity, skills, resources, equipment, space, and qualified personnel to provide the “spectacular” education it promises to deliver. 

In contrast, the New Rochelle Public School District has the infrastructure, the expertise, the capacity, the skills, the programs, resources, equipment, space, and qualified personnel to serve New Rochelle students, even as there is always room for improvement, particularly on behalf of those children who need more support to thrive and succeed.

As a parent and grandparent, and upon learning about Capital Prep, its poor performance and untrustworthy practices, I have come to see that Capital Prep’s actual promise will be the disruption of student lives and education, disappointed parents/guardians, and a weakening of our public schools when we need them to be stronger. 

The way forward is to support the public schools, not work against them. 

The way forward in New Rochelle, is to join with public school students, their parents, their teachers, the administrators and community members to support the District of New Rochelle and its array of schools, programs, and services to better ensure that all students may fulfill their individual potentials. 

Let us heed the call of Carla Woolbright, EdD, LCSW, educator, past president of the New Rochelle NAACP, New Rochelle resident, and parent, grandmother and great grandmother of children who are in and/or have graduated from the New Rochelle public schools. Dr. Woolbright writes,

‘Let’s come together to strengthen our current public educational system, not decimate it by diverting funds away from it. We all know that it takes a village. We should combine our efforts and focus on making educational opportunities better for all our children and address the root causes of disparities. There is no one-size-fits-all quick fix, but if we approach remedies from a holistic and mindful approach, no doubt we will be successful. ‘