Charter School Submits Application For Utica Academy

Utica, NY (WIBX) - After their last application was denied due to a technical error, members behind the Syracuse Academy of Science are re-submitting their application to start a school in Utica.
The proposed Utica Academy of Science would start with 176 students, in grades six through nine. Each year a grade would be added, until after five years the school would have 462 students.

Tolga Hayali, director of the Syracuse Academy of Science, says he believes Utica is ready for a public school based on science, technology, math and engineering.

"We compete in this global world and we need our own students... we need to expose them in those areas," Hayali said. "We need to get them ready for the 21st century, and I think that's a niche and we can prepare and we are preparing. We think we can do the same thing in Utica as we are doing in Syracuse."

If the New York State Education Department approves the application, the Utica charter school could open in the fall of 2013.