NEW ROCHELLE, NY (May 3, 2025) — Capital Preparatory Charter Schools will not open a new charter school in New Rochelle for the 2025-2026 school year, postponing its plans until September 2026, the City School District of New Rochelle announced. The charter school had initially planned to enroll students in kindergarten, grade 6, and grade 7 this September.
“Capital Preparatory New Rochelle Charter School will be taking a planning year for 2025-2026 and will open for the 2026-2027 school year,” Mr. Kashani Stokley, Executive Director of Network Operations, informed the district’s Assistant Superintendent for Business.
The delay allows the district to reallocate $1.2 million of the $1.9 million originally set aside for charter school funding, preventing the layoff of 7 positions. The remaining $700,000 will be reserved for future budget needs related to potential charter school enrollment. The district noted that state funding of over $19,000 per student would have been transferred for any resident attending a charter school.
While the news eases immediate budget concerns, the district anticipates challenges for the 2026-2027 school year if Capital Prep opens and expands to additional grades.
A public hearing on the proposed 2025-2026 budget is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6, at 7:00 p.m. in the Whitney M. Young Auditorium at New Rochelle High School, moved from the library to accommodate students’ needs.
By the Superintendent’s math, it costs $171,429 to restore a position! He did not explain why he did not restore any positions and set aside an additional $1.900,000 reserved for future budget needs related to potential charter school enrollment. He also did not explain why he did not use all the money to restore 11 positions. PTA members, parents, taxpayers and FUSE Leadership will likely want a coherent explanation.
The school district and public library budget votes, along with elections for two Board of Education members and one New Rochelle Public Library Trustee, will occur on May 20.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.
