#Success Academy says DOE blocked request to use building for SAT exam

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s war with the Success Academy escalated Wednesday, as the charter school said that the Department of Education has barred them from using a city building to conduct the SAT.

The academy — which on Tuesday said the DOE blocked them from using their athletic fields — said it had scheduled students to take the college entrance test at their high school building next month.

But they got an email from the city saying they couldn’t use the site because they were fully remote, and that only kids who attend in person classes can use school building after hours, according to a copy of the letter.

The city used the same excuse to bar Success Academy from using city sports fields for their charter students.

The worsening impasse prompted CEO Eva Moskowitz to blast de Blasio Wednesday.

“He is going out of his way to disrupt the futures of poor kids of color — kids who have spent the past several months preparing and want to excel,” she said.

But a Department of Education spokeswoman later insisted that the charter network was mistaken and can use the building for the weekend exam — if they paid a fee.

Success Academy, however, said they have not been told by the DOE that they can use the facility for the SAT.

The city’s largest charter operator said that roughly 170 of its high school juniors and 125 external students — from both district and charter schools — were scheduled to take the test on November 7 at its co-located high school building.

But they said the DOE denied a permit request in an email to the school’s principal this week and said that remote only students can’t use DOE facilities for extracurricular events.

“Success Academy is currently fully remote, and therefore Success Academy may not use DOE school building premises, including fields, for after-school and extracurricular student activities at this time,” the notice stated.

Success junior Fervelyn Nunez accused City Hall of obstructionism.

“It feels like I’ve been fighting with the mayor my whole life,” she said. “I remember waking up early and getting on buses to go to Albany. I really don’t understand why he is doing this. Doing well on the SAT is important for minority kids like me.”

Asked for comment Wednesday, DOE spokeswoman Danielle Filson said that Success Academy can use the space for test administration and that they misunderstood the DOE’s communication.

“Our state-approved education plan applies to all DOE buildings, and limits in-person after-school activity to students in attendance in a building on that school day, and does not apply to a weekend test administration,” she said. “We are supporting any sites that are interested in administering the SAT on the weekend and that are able to adhere to the safety guidelines.”

Filson said that all schools have to pay permit fees for weekend facility use.

But the charter said it wasn’t buying the DOE’s position.

“We have no indication that anything has changed,” spokesperson Ann Powell said.

“We have a written communication from DOE to our high school that ‘Your application for an extended use permit has not been approved” because “Success Academy may not use DOE school building premises, including fields, for after-school and extracurricular student activities at this time.’ If the DOE plans to change its regulations, they should send us something in writing.”

Success said it would sue the DOE to force access to the athletic fields and the SAT site.

Initially, the DOE wanted $500,000 in permits to allow use of seven fields, asserting that they had to cover maintenance fees.

But they later reversed course, saying the charter could not use them outright because of their remote only status.