§ 2850. Short title; purpose. 1. This article shall be known and may
be cited as the "New York charter schools act of nineteen hundred
ninety-eight".

2. The purpose of this article is to authorize a system of charter
schools to provide opportunities for teachers, parents, and community
members to establish and maintain schools that operate independently of
existing schools and school districts in order to accomplish the
following objectives:

(a) Improve student learning and achievement;

(b) Increase learning opportunities for all students, with special
emphasis on expanded learning experiences for students who are at-risk
of academic failure;

(c) Encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods;

(d) Create new professional opportunities for teachers, school
administrators and other school personnel;

(e) Provide parents and students with expanded choices in the types of
educational opportunities that are available within the public school
system; and

(f) Provide schools with a method to change from rule-based to
performance-based accountability systems by holding the schools
established under this article accountable for meeting measurable
student achievement results.