ALBANY -- Without the support of teachers unions, the Obama administration's Race to the Top education reform initiative would have struggled to get off the ground here in New York.  Which is why thanking New York State United Teachers was on the top of Arne Duncan's agenda Monday.  

Secretary Duncan stood with the Governor and the Speaker to applaud New York's winning application for federal Race to the Top money.  2nd stop?  NYSUT headquarters – a calculated move in a state with a powerful teachers union that opposes Charter Schools in their current form.  Race to the Top raises the cap on charters.  The Capitol Report asked Duncan for his view on the hedge fund executives who are emerging as supporters of charters in the state.  Duncan said,  “We want folks to invest in public education.  Charter schools are public schools, they’re accountable to us, they’re our children they're our tax dollars and if private money wants to invest in traditional schools or charter schools, whatever, we need to invest in our children.”

Charter schools receive taxpayer funds but are privately run.  Some teachers like Dawn Sherwood of Hempstead who say they are committed to reform, don't have a problem with charter schools if they play fair.  Said Sherwood, "We need a level playing field, that everyone must be held accountable by the same system and everyone must be teaching to the same standards".

In order to win $700 million in federal funding, New York State raised its cap on Charter Schools from 200 to 460.