NY Politics Putting NYC Students at a Disadvantage

Despite the completion of New York’s state budget being marked with smiles and backslapping, a provision included in it weakens a crucial law for New York City’s future: mayoral control of the school system.

Even more concerning is that this new provision hands more control to the United Federation of Teachers, a group long known for influencing the Legislature.

This is a betrayal of the city’s nearly 1 million students, jeopardizing the progress made by the city’s schools and hindering the next generation’s ability to succeed in their future careers, potentially leaving many trapped in poverty and exposed to crime.

Back in 2002, the New York City Board of Education was abolished by the Legislature, and control of the school system was handed over to the mayor, a change that our administration strongly pushed for and which resulted in significant improvements over the following 12 years.

During our time in office, graduation rates increased by 42%, 654 new schools were opened, the racial achievement gap was reduced by almost a quarter, and the college-readiness rate nearly doubled.

When we began implementing mayoral control, none of the top 25 elementary or middle schools in the state were in New York City. By the time we left office, 22 of the top 25 were in the city.

Even my successor in City Hall and I, who rarely agreed on anything, both strongly supported mayoral control due to the need for accountability in overseeing the city’s schools, regardless of the mayor’s political leanings.

Unfortunately, the Legislature and governor have continuously failed to make mayoral control a permanent measure, steadily weakening it by making it subject to reauthorization every few years.

Under the latest revisions, the mayor’s authority to appoint the chair of the Panel for Educational Policy, which approves the mayor’s policies, has been eliminated, with lawmakers and the Board of Regents now providing a list of candidates for the mayor to choose from.

This move essentially gives the Legislature control over the selection of the chair, diminishing the mayor’s influence over the direction of the school system.

Despite Governor Hochul’s initial support for mayoral control and her attempts to reauthorize it, she ultimately allowed for more political involvement in the process, undermining the original intent of the law.

The focus should be on advocating for the children, not navigating political dynamics between the city and the union.

Parents rightfully question how this situation unfolded, especially considering the impact on their children who are still recovering from learning setbacks during the pandemic.

It’s concerning that rather than taking steps to support students, such as expanding summer school programs or creating more charter schools, the state chose to prioritize politics.

This has led to a decline in student enrollment in the school system, with nearly 200,000 students lost in recent years as families seek alternative educational options.

Parents, students, and education advocates should raise concerns and demand that the Legislature address this issue before the end of the school year. If legislators fail to act, voters can support challengers and vote for change in the upcoming November elections.

Michael R. Bloomberg served as mayor of New York from 2002-2013. Adapted from Bloomberg.com.