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(TJV) NYS Senator John Liu, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on NYC Education, stated the following about today’s agreement to extend mayoral control of NYC public schools by two years with accountability measures for reducing class sizes, maintaining school funding and adding more voices to the Panel for Education Policy.
State Senator John Liu stated, “For the next two years, New Yorkers can expect mayoral accountability to include a funded and actionable plan to reduce class sizes. This two year extension grants the mayor the accountability he’s been asking for, and we are pleased to note our agreement includes a significant commitment to expanding the NYC capital plan by $2 billion in order to provide our school kids a sound, basic education and reduce class sizes.
“To avoid more unnecessary school budget reductions as we’ve seen in recent years, this extension also enshrines the principle of maintenance of effort, which states that the city must use state funding to supplement, not supplant its own education funding. Of note, this year’s budget builds on last year’s historic fully funded Foundation Aid investment, increasing school funding by an additional $934 million, the highest in state history.
“Finally, to add more voices to the Panel for Education Policy, this agreement adds an independent chair, increasing the number of members from 23 to 24. The Senate, Assembly and Board of Regents will submit three nominations for the chair from which the mayor may choose.
“Principles of good governance dictate that control of NYC schools not be based on the actions of any one particular mayor, which is why we will revisit the issue of mayoral control in another two years. Moving forward, we will continue dissecting the recent State Education Department report on mayoral control and engage with all stakeholders on how to best achieve long-term success for NYC public schools.
“Thank you to my colleagues in the legislature, the Adams administration, the Governor, and all the students, parents, educators, and advocates who have weighed in on the state of our school governance system, and offered insights as to how to ensure it works for the best interests of our school kids.”
