Saturday, May 9, 2015

An open letter to CEC members in regards de Blasio's promises on co-locations



NYC KidsPAC is composed of a group of parent leaders and advocates, including several Community Education Council members.    A few weeks ago, NYC KidsPAC released an education report card for Mayor de Blasio, with grades ranging from “A” to “F” based on whether he’s lived up to his campaign promises after more than a year in office in many key areas such as class size, school overcrowding, co-locations and parent engagement. 

More specifically, de Blasio promised to have a moratorium on co-locations which never happened.  In response to the NYC KidsPAC candidate survey,  promised to ask Community Education Councils to cast advisory votes on all “major school utilization changes in their communities including proposed co-locations” and that “This vote will influence and provide insight to the Panel for Education Policy.”   

He added that he would “raise the level of significance of the CEC's. The Panel for Educational Policy must address the PEP's vote on major school utilization changes in their PEP meetings. They must state why they disagree with the local CEC and work with the local CEC for alternative solutions.” 

Yet this process has not yet occurred in the case of any co-location of which we are aware.  

We urge any and all CECs that are facing a proposed change in school utilization, including co-locations up for a vote this month and next (see list below), to consider passing a resolution, expressing your views on the proposal in detail – and then send your resolution to the Mayor’s office, the Chancellor and the members of the PEP, whose emails are here, with a cover letter, explaining that you expect the PEP to follow through on the Mayor’s campaign promises.  

Please copy KidsPAC and Class Size Matters in your emails at info@nyckidspac.org and info@classsizematters.org if you do. 

We have drafted a sample draft resolution below including some relevant bullet points.  Please feel free to alter the language and of course, you will have to add to it by explaining why your Council is taking this position on the proposed utilization change. 

Leonie Haimson, Executive Director, Class Size Matters 
Shino Tanikawa, President, NYC KidsPAC
·      
           Draft language for a resolution on co-locations 

       Whereas while campaigning to become Mayor, Bill de Blasio promised that he would be more collaborative and respectful of the input of parents and community members than the previous administration;

·         Whereas in his responses to the NYC KidsPAC candidate survey, in July 2013, he promised that Community Education Councils would be urged to vote on “major school utilization changes in their communities” and that “This vote will influence and provide insight to the Panel for Education Policy.” 

·         Whereas in the same survey, he pledged that as Mayor he would “raise the level of significance of the CEC's” and that “The Panel for Educational Policy must address the PEP's vote on major school utilization changes in their PEP meetings. They must state why they disagree with the local CEC and work with the local CEC for alternative solutions.”

·         Whereas the Community Education Council is [opposed or in favor of] the co-location of x school in the X building, to be voted on at the PEP meeting on x date for the following reasons….(add your reasons here)

·         Be it resolved that the CEC in District x is [opposed or in favor of] the co-location of x school for the reasons stated above;

·         Be it resolved that we will send this resolution to the Mayor, the Chancellor and to the members of the Panel for Educational Policy before their vote on this proposal on x date;

·         Be it resolved that if any PEP member should vote in contradiction to the CEC’s position , he or should be obligated to state why, as the Mayor promised would occur when he ran for office;

·         Finally, be it resolved that the PEP should work with the CEC on alternative solutions, as the Mayor also pledged.

May 20 vote

 

June 10 vote



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