DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Friday, April 20th 2007
Mayor Bloomberg has backed off the most contentious part of his school funding plan and is now assuring richer schools that they will not lose any money.
After listening to critics, Bloomberg said yesterday he will still direct new state education dollars to poor schools - those deemed to have a lower-than-average share of the city's education budget.
But he assured that he would not take away money from richer schools and give them to more unfortunate schools.
"We're trying to get as close to fair funding as we possibly can, taking into account that different schools, because of their student body, have different needs," the mayor said.
Under the new plan, all schools will start out with a base funding amount. Schools that have numerous students in need - of special services or of money - would get more aid.
But no school will receive less money than it got this year, as Bloomberg said he will "hold harmless" rich schools.
The changes come out of a deal this week with the city teachers union and other critics of the school reforms - many of whom stood cheerily behind the mayor as he announced the changes yesterday.
Notably absent were representatives of the Chancellor's Parent Advisory Council.
The group's president, Tim Johnson, said parents still hadn't been consulted.
