The Mayor convinced everyone, including myself, that his system of parent advocates and small academies would initiate a new era in New York City’s Education. Parents would have a voice in how their children were educated. We voted to give the Mayor control, but from where I sit good intentions are not enough.
I listened to parents tell firsthand about the essential need for smaller class sizes, full day pre-K and solutions to high drop out rates, lack of space and gang violence.
When it comes to funding for facilities, I think parents need to know that the more they are involved in the process, the more they will acquire for their school. For example, the legislature has provided $11.3 billion dollars for the New York City School Construction Authority.
Parents need to take an active role in how that money is spent. Parents need to ask the DOE’s Chancellor Klein about his plans for school modernization and improvement.
New York City receives most of the state’s pre-K funding. Once again, how the Department of Education chooses to utilize this money should reflect the desires of the parents in our districts.
