Don’t charter a course without them.

New York’s charter school educators say they’re being frozen out of Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul’s big new universal childcare expansion.

The pair’s lofty, $4.5 billion plan to beef up pre-K and 3-K programs — in addition to providing universal daycare for the city’s 2-year-olds — awaits final approval in the state’s upcoming budget.

But charter school advocates warned Hochul and Mamdani in a letter this week that the expansion would fall short of being truly “universal” if those institutions’ pre-K programs continue to receive $20,000 less per child than those in traditional public schools.

Charter schools should receive full funding in the recent push for universal childcare, advocates argued at a Friday rally. Paul Martinka for New York Post

“This is a direct divestment in the 1-in-6 public school families who rely on publicly funded options like charter schools,” the letter argued. “All public school children are entitled to equal treatment and funding, regardless of what public school they attend.”

The advocates coupled their emphatic letter with a rally Friday on City Hall’s steps calling for local and state leaders to close the funding gap and fully fold charters into the early childhood education and care push.

They carried signs declaring “Don’t discriminate against charter kids” and “Treat my child equally.”

The rally comes amid an uncertain time for New York City’s charter schools — privately managed, publicly funded alternative schools that enroll 150,000 students citywide.

Mamdani kept charter schools at arm’s length — and opposed expanding them — amid his improbable rise from little-known democratic socialist state Assembly member to mayor of the largest city in the nation.

His seemingly hostile stance toward charters leaves it an open question how they’ll fit into the wider push for universal childcare, which likely would involve expanding early education programs.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul have teamed up on an expansion of pre-K and 3-K programs. Matthew McDermott for NY Post

Advocates argued charter schools should be part of the expansion, noting they account for 50% of the top performing public schools in the city, “proving daily that zip codes need not, and should not, determine academic destiny,” their letter to states.

Pass rates for pupils in Success Academy Charter schools — the largest block of charters in the city — were nearly double those in city schools last year.

“Imagine if they educated one-in-six 3- and 4-year olds,” said Eva Moskowitz, the founder and CEO of Success Academies, about charter schools at the rally.

“What an incredible start to their educational lives they would have. And as was mentioned, in order to do that, the $20,000 gap has to be eliminated.”

More than 80% of the city’s charter school students come from economically disadvantaged families and over 90% are children of color, advocates contended.

Zeta charter school parent Solange Lopez said during the rally that charter schools offered her family opportunities that normally wouldn’t be available.

“Childcare is simply not affordable for many families with only one paycheck. So, for families like mine, a school like Zeta can make a real difference,” she said. 

Charter school advocates rallied at City Hall. Paul Martinka for New York Post

City Hall officials said that they would be meeting with charter providers in the coming days.

“As we roll out universal child care, we’re focused on providing access to every New Yorker, regardless of income,” Deputy Press Secretary for Education and Child Care Jenna Lyle said in a statement. 

“That includes access to a range of programs, including home-based care, center-based care, or in-school programs for three- and four-year-olds.”

Hochul’s camp seemingly left it open whether charters could receive the full funding.

“The Governor will negotiate with the legislature in the coming weeks to finalize the budget,” her spokeswoman Emma Wallner said.