In a somewhat embarrassing experience for the teachers union, nearly 700 students are scrambling to find a new place to learn beginning next fall after the union said that it was closing its charter school for poor performance. NY1's Lindsey Christ filed this report.

Candace goes to kindergarten at the United Federation of Teachers' Charter School. She'll have to attend first grade somewhere else. 

"It took her some time to get warmed up to the school when she started, and now for her to start another school, it's very outrageous for me. I was tearful when I heard the news," says parent Sunita Ramdath.

The union sees charter schools as a threat because most charters operate without strict union rules.

When the UFT found this school a decade ago, it was determined to show how a unionized charter could thrive. Union leaders promised high test scores, but just the opposite happened. 

Plagued by some of the lowest test scores in the city, and high staff turnover...the union is being forced to close its elementary and middle school charter. Now UFT leadership says test scores don't matter. 

"We're not pushing any kids out, and if that means we don't meet the bar that they set for charter schools, then so be it," says UFT president Michael Mulgrew.

Parents say they're frustrated they didn't have any say in the matter, and are now left with limited options.   

"At this point, I feel like they're not just closing the school, they're evicting my kids from their home," says parent Alida Ramirez.

Seven of Ramirez's children attend the school. She says she's very worried. 

"That's a lot of people to relocate," she says. 

Most of the parents we spoke with say they're hoping to get their children into other charter schools. The lottery deadline for charter schools is April 1 and parents say the UFT school is helping them get applications together.

The UFT announced the shutdown on a Friday afternoon, traditionally the time to release bad news. It came as the union fights Governor Andrew Cuomo's call for more charters—but parents say their concern is not politics, but finding new schools for their kids. 

"It's kind of difficult because it's last minute, so she might be going to public school, but hopefully I get her back into another charter school," says parent Jason Mejia.

"When we go to the second grade, we are going to go to another school," says student Kalvin Uroing.