Guest Editor: Councilman Robert Jackson

New York City’s public education system is currently being re-invented from the top down. Many aspects of our school system are in real need of reform and I have been an activist pushing for change. I have been involved in education first as a student, then as a parent. My involvement in the Parents’ Association of my children’s public school led me to become a community school board member, a plaintiff in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit. Now I serve as a member of the Education Committee of the New York City Council. My involvement seems to grow deeper with age, rather than the more traditional progression away from schools in adulthood! I constantly reassess the reasons for this tie. Inevitably I come back to the certainty that education has been the path of opportunity for me personally – my life would have been significantly different if I had ignored or not taken advantage of the educational choices I was given. I continue to believe that good education is the most sound social investment we can make in our present and our future, whether we are speaking in terms of individuals or communities.

The challenge of structuring educational reform in New York City is one of enormous proportions. With over one million children in the city’s public school system, the numbers alone are a major obstacle to meeting individual student needs. A plethora of other social factors that are known to negatively affect educational outcomes are also wide-spread in the city. On the one hand, under-funding is a major issue for New York City schools; on the other hand, the system is perennially described as a bloated, inefficient, wasteful bureaucracy. As this issue of nynonprofit documents, a number of specialized not-for-profits have arisen to address these various aspects of our education system, to meet needs or advocate for specific groups. Even though their respective focuses may differ, it is important to recognize that their common interest in public education links them and, potentially, gives them extraordinary power in the public arena.
Now is the time to harness that power.

Because many students in NYC schools come from families without access to the inter-net, parent advocacy groups and some educational not-for-profits have been a little behind the curve in utilizing on-line communication for organizing purposes. That is changing as technology becomes more affordable. The ability to organize parents will be key to ensuring that parent and community participation remain critical components in the reforms taking place today.

There has been a decided lack of openness in the restructuring process. Decisions are made and announced without any consultation with various educational constituencies. For example, the Chancellor engaged parents in a number of well publicized and well attended parent forums during the fall and early winter month. The format involved larger meetings for greetings and introductions, followed by small “focus group” discussions. While this was an ideal way to encourage participation, at no point were the results of these focus groups shared. There has been absolutely no feedback from these earnest discussions. Unlike a meeting or hearing, there is no public record of the contents.

It is not all that difficult to compile the results of these focus groups, to make them available to the public and to establish the accountability to which the public is entitled. Every stakeholder in the public schools needs to demand feedback and access, open discussion and “sunshine”. This would be a significant step toward making change a bottom up proposition. There is too much at risk here to let decisions be made in anything than a less than open manor, with documented input and feedback from all constituencies. I encourage New York non-profits to join with me in taking a lead role in pressing for open reform.

Councilman Robert Jackson - 7th Council District

The Campaign for Fiscal Equity, Inc.(CFE)

The Campaign for Fiscal Equity, Inc.,(CFE) a not-for-profit corporation, is a coalition of parent organizations, community school boards, concerned citizens and advocacy groups.
CFE seeks to reform New York State's school finance system to ensure adequate resources and the opportunity for a sound basic education for all students in New York City.

This right to a sound basic education is at the center of CFE v. State of New York.
 

NYC is the largest school district in the US - serving over 1 million children.
In 1998-99, NYC spent $9,623 per pupil - $694 less that the state average of $10,317.
NYC has 7.4 computers per 100 students, while the average district with low student needs has 21.7.
NYC has 8.3 library books per student, while the average low-need district has 21.9.
In 2000, only 55% of NYC's high school students tested passed the Regents Math 1 Exam. 91% passed in low-need districts and 76% passed statewide.

In a June 1995 landmark decision, the New York State Court of Appeals gave CFE the green light to pursue a constitutional challenge to the New York’s education finance system on the grounds that it denies thousands of students, both in New York City and across the state, the opportunity to a “sound basic education.”

On January 10, 2001, the State Supreme Court ruled in favor of CFE, declaring that:
New York State has over the course of many years consistently violated the State Constitution by failing to provide the opportunity for a sound basic education to New York City public school students.

The court ordered the State to reform the school funding system by September 15, 2001. In its remedial order, the Court gave the State guiding parameters to ensure that all public schools have the ability to provide the opportunity to a sound basic education.

United Parents Associations of NYC

Founded in 1921, the United Parents Associations of NYC, Inc. is a federation of Parent Associations in NYC public schools. UPA believes that parent involvement is critical to improving student performance and that parents must be included as partners at every level of decision making that affects our children's education.

UPA's mission is to help secure the best possible education for public school students by providing parents with the information and skill needed to navigate the system effectively on behalf of their individual children and that of their wider school community.

UPA's Executive Council is made up of parents of children currently in public schools. It's positions, policies and programs are determined by Delegates from member Parent Associations.

UPA is committed to uniting the parent voice by organizing informed Parent Associations beyond the 'bake sale' to the 'bargaining table' level of parent involvement. Through participation on commissions, task forces and public testimony, UPA carries the parent message from the classroom to the board rooms of the public and private sectors.