Who Will Run Our Schools?
By JILL LEVY

Once again, we are engaged in a debate over control and accountability of New York City’s public schools. Even State Assembly Speak Sheldon Silver has joined the fray by appointing a task force to make recommendations for the governance of our city public schools. As we tackle this important issue, we must remain focused on the real challenge before us: developing and sustaining the finest public education system for our children.

Since public education began in New York City in 1805, our children have experienced private and public oversight, appointed borough boards, elected district boards, advisory boards and central boards, boards appointed solely by the mayor, and boards appointed in part by the mayor and the borough presidents. What they haven’t had is a public school system that is fiscally and governmentally independent.

Unlike suburban and rural school districts across the state, New York City’s public school system is one of five that operates under a different set of rules. At it’s best it is a quasi-independent board that is responsible only to the people who appointed its members - the borough presidents and the mayor. Even then, because of the budget process, the power ultimately rests with the Mayor.

Thinking outside of the box, perhaps we should focus on what differentiates New York City from its suburban and rural counterparts? Perhaps, we should be considering the possibility of legislation that would make NYC more like its neighbors—giving it an independently elected school board. Such a new governance could include an elected, full-time school board representing the taxpayers in each borough with two members at large elected by all the taxpayers. In addition, one mayoral and one city council appointee would round out the board.

In addition to governance changes, funding issues should also be considered. Currently, education funds, regardless if they are local, state, or federal are deposited directly into city coffers. Wouldn’t there be more accountability if a school board representing the interests of parents and taxpayers knew that there was a consistent source of city income earmarked for education, instead of relying on the Mayor’s funding decisions?

Regardless of the type of governance, current literature tells us that reform efforts take place at the local level. Such reforms include:

Greater autonomy at the school level: principals working with parents and teachers need to have the authority and freedom to determine how their schools should be run. Clearly stated, rigorous academic standards. Everyone needs to understand where a school is, where it should be and the goals it has set to get there.

Mayoral control, expanded boards of education, borough boards or no boards are all ways of tinkering around the edges of school reform. But, real reform and achievement rest with principals and teachers who are appropriately supported to get the job done. Urban school systems must pay competitive salaries to principals and teachers if they are to insist upon hiring and retraining the best. Achievement and accountability happen in the classroom, not the school board room.

Jill Levy is the President of the Council of Supervisors and Administrators which represents the principals, assistant principals, supervisors, and administrators in NYC public schools and day care directors.