EDUCATION
As a product of New York City public schools, a former paraprofessional for
the Board of Education, and former Assistant Commissioner in the New York City
Department of Youth and Community Development, I know firsthand the difference
a quality education and quality teachers can make for students. I know that
education is the fundamental building block on which a civilized society is
founded.
For
far too long, our city schools -- with 1.1 million students and a $12-billion
budget, the largest in the nation -- have been neglected by Albany and Washington,
D.C. For parents, students and educators, enough is enough.
A philosophy of success must be the core principle of our public school system. These principles
are (a) that all students can learn; (b) that all students are equal;
and (c) that it is the job of the school system to foster equality and learning for all.
As Manhattan Borough President, I will work with appointees to the Community Education Council,
with the Department of Education, with parents, advocates, and concerned citizens to create
an education initiative that will focus on the following:
Smaller Schools and Charter Schools
New York suffers a crisis of scale. Many of our students attend schools
with thousands of other students. Study after study shows that smaller class
size and intimate environments are the most conducive for learning. As Borough
President I will focus on urging our city to allow the creation of as many
reduced-size schools as possible. Schools such as The School of the Future
in Gramercy, the Upper West Side’s Beacon School, or The New York City
Museum School in Chelsea have been shining successes. None of them has an
enrollment over 1,000 students. Our elected officials, community leaders,
parents, and businesses must unite to extend these opportunities to as many
city students as possible.
Student-Parent Choice
To the greatest extent possible, the school system must promote the principle
of student and parent choice. This extends to the right to leave failing schools
and to choose schools that are more compatible with the needs of the individual
student. This is similar to the consumer choice that we all exercise. Students
deserve options in their education.
Better Pay For Teachers & Staff Development
Teacher compensation is a complex issue, but there is no doubt that our educators
are underpaid for what they contribute. Staff development
and certification are essential. Teachers are made, not born, and they deserve
ongoing
education,
too. Investing in teacher training will reap tremendous rewards.
Civics
Historically, the United States has been a civic-minded society.
Not until the 1960s was the civics curriculum removed from our New York City
Public School System. I strongly believe in civics and as Borough President
will work with the United Federation
of Teachers (UFT), the mayor, parents, advocates and concerned citizens
to re-introduce this curriculum to our school system, starting with elementary
school all the way through high school.
After School Programs
During my tenure at the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development,
I managed the Beacons program and its $32 million budget. It provides after-school
programs for youth and adults in 80 schools.
I saw
firsthand
the
joy that
program participants had in the availability of the Beacons. We must carefully
review and continue to support all after school programs in Manhattan and encourage
those that provide safe spaces and quality activities. It’s a good investment
in our communities.
Maintain Funding for CUNY
I am a proud graduate of Queens College, a CUNY school. CUNY campuses in Manhattan
and across the city have educated an extraordinary number of students. Sixty
percent of our public school teachers are products of CUNY colleges. In recent
years, funding has often been threatened. We must maintain support for CUNY
and monitor standards so that quality higher education remains available to
the highest number of New Yorkers as possible.
Quality partnerships
As a key component to my public/private partnerships initiative, I will help
find quality corporate sponsors, especially from the technology sector, for
community-based education programs through Fund For Public Schools and other
existing programs. Corporate partnerships can work in a responsible manner
and must not always be geared toward marketing and selling to our youth.
Libraries
New York’s public libraries are world renowned. The four major research libraries
-- Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture; The Humanities & Social
Sciences Library; NY Public Library for the Performing Arts; and The Science
Industry & Business
Library – plus the 39 Manhattan public library branches have changed the lives
of students from around the world. These places offer a wealth of knowledge,
opportunity for literacy and quality after-school programs. Libraries are
a cornerstone of success for our students, and they preserve our literary
heritage
for the future. They must be given
the resources
they need so that today’s elementary students become tomorrow’s PhD candidates.
Accountability
As with any “industry,” there must be constant re-examination
of workers. The city should work with teacher unions to find the best ways
to encourage and attract talent, while always demanding excellence in the
classroom. Measures of accountability must be the real basis for administrative
decision
making. The system must use data and use it as the basis for the way it
measures success. This allows a realistic reward system to be put in place
for both
students and staff. Plus, it reduces charges of subjectivity
in the allocation of benefits.
