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Paterson wants lawmakers to pass a bill raising the cap on the number of charter schools in the state.

It's currently set at 200, but Paterson says it needs to be increased to 460 to qualify for federal funds.

Albany is rushing to beat Tuesday's deadline to apply for a share of $4 billion in federal funding in a competition known as Race to the Top. States are being judged on innovation in their proposals for reform.

But Mayor Michael Bloomberg says the legislation is counter-productive because it dramatically changes the way charters are regulated, including stripping the city schools chancellor of the ability to approve new schools.

"Unbelievably, our state Legislature may actually vote on a bill that would basically gut the law and make it harder to open charter schools," said the mayor. "And that's going to hurt our application for federal money and hurt our children, as well. [There are] tens of thousands of children on charter school waiting lists and their parents have every right to be furious. Dr. King told us that a right delayed is a right denied and this bill would continue to deny those children the quality school options they deserve."

The special session was set to get underway around 8 p.m. Monday.