The Mayor is officially back in control of city schools.
Governor David Paterson signed legislation on Tuesday morning, August 11, which reauthorized Mayoral Control of city public school for the next six years.
After a month of delays, counter proposals and negotiations, the New York State Senate voted to extend Mayoral Control and they also passed amendments that Senators say give parents more access to the school system. The State Senate returned to Albany on Thursday, August 6, and voted 47 to 8 in favor of the Mayoral Control legislation.
“The State Senate today took a major step that will benefit millions of public school children for years to come: it preserved a system of clear accountability for our schools that has produced clear and dramatic results for our students,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Thursday, August 6. “With the governance question resolved, we can now move full steam ahead with efforts to ensure that this school year is marked by more great progress.”
The chaos in the State Senate during its June leadership standoff and its action on the issue before leaving session in July, led the city to reauthorize the old Board of Education when the legislation expired. The Assembly passed the bill with overwhelming support in June.
When the Senators returned to their districts, they began negotiating with members of Bloomberg’s administration and reached an agreement to add four amendments – establishing parent training centers throughout the city, requiring schools to hold at least annual meetings for parents to discuss safety concerns, creating an arts advisory council and strengthening the role of the district superintendents.
“Establishing greater avenues for parental input will better prepare students to contribute as our next generation of thinkers, workers and leaders,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Malcolm Smith, who represents portions of southeast Queens. “And strengthening measures for transparency and fiscal accountability ensures a sound return on our most important investment- the education of our children.”
Although Paterson signed the bill reauthorizing Mayoral Control on August 11, he did not sign the amendments to the legislation because the Assembly still needed act on the amendments. Paterson has indicated that he would sign the amendments if the Assembly passes them when they return to session.
Queens Republican Senator Frank Padavan sponsored the bill to extend Mayoral Control in the Senate, and he praised its recent passage.
“This legislation builds upon the progress of the past seven years and will help ensure future success in educating our children throughout the five boroughs,” Padavan said.
