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Another charter school’s teachers have voted to join the city teachers union, bringing the number of charter schools represented by the union to 15. Teachers at Opportunity Charter School in Harlem, which serves a unique blend of special education and general education students, made their announcement through the United Federation of Teachers today.

The union has been actively recruiting charter school educators to join its ranks for several years, part of a strategy to embrace charter schools into the union fold.

Some schools’ management teams — including the prominent KIPP schools’ New York branch — have resisted the idea, arguing that the absence of union representation is a key tool that helps charter schools have more flexibility over hiring and firing.

Opportunity struggled to get its charter renewed after posting disappointing student test score results. City officials who authorize the school finally recommended a renewal on a shortened two-year timeline, adding a list of steps the school must take as conditions. The state approved that proposal last July. The renewal lasts through June 2012.

A year ago, investigators accused teachers at Opportunity of abusing unruly students. The school’s city authorizer officials said concerns about abuse had alleviated since the report was released.

UPDATE: In a statement, Opportunity CEO Leonard Goldberg and board chairman Philip Pallone said, ”We have received notification from the UFT and are in the process of reviewing it.”

Here’s the union’s press release: (more…)