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Governor Eliot Spitzer's point man on education met with some school parent leaders in the city Thursday. NY1 Education reporter Michael Meenan was there and heard the concerns parents want passed on to the governor.Dr. Manuel Rivera is Governor Eliot Spitzer’s top adviser on education issues, named to the post right after Spitzer took office in January.
On Thursday the former chief of schools in Rochester, Boston and several other large cities came to town to meet with a citywide council of elected parent leaders to hear their concerns about this city's Department of Education.
"We need to have parent involvement in order to make this school system better. They might not think that, but that's the only way it’s going to be better because parents are the first teachers,” said parent leader Robert Reed.
But what was really on the minds of these parent leaders is how to spend a billion dollars in new aid, $700 million from the state, and $300 million from the city. The money is the first installment in what are being called "contracts for excellence” resulting from a court finding that the state has been under-funding city schools for decades.
"We just feel that the money came down and things just happened and the people that fought for it, really didn't participate in the reward and that's the part that is hurtful when our children are the consumers in the system and there's no accountability,” said parent leader Maria Daponte-Dougherty.
Of the billion dollars, the city DOE can spend three quarters any way it wants, without state approval. Rivera said that does not mean there should be no oversight.
"People want to know where that funding is going and to what extent is it going to the needs of the most needy students and is it in fact going to those programs and practices that yielding the best results?” said Rivera.
Rivera says when it comes to the spending, his boss the governor has one bottom line.
"These contracts for excellence are intended to get better results for children,” said Rivera.
Parents we spoke with said they thought they got a good hearing.
"I have that feeling that he's sincere and will take back our information to the governor,” said parent leader Muba Yarofulani.
It remains to be seen if Albany will take into account these concerns when deciding whether or not to approve the city's plan to spend this new state money.
– Michael Meenan
