tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586988941850907367.post7100895587060337672..comments2024-03-24T11:39:28.574-04:00Comments on NYC Public School Parents: My comments last night on the sham C4E process and proposed "plan", and what Lindsey Oates of DOE said in response Patrick Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10631038958645725010noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586988941850907367.post-14319379336951159452021-08-09T00:27:20.365-04:002021-08-09T00:27:20.365-04:00At the Bronx hearing, Tom Sheppard and I were the ...At the Bronx hearing, Tom Sheppard and I were the only attendees. <br /><br />I only knew about the hearing because of a Class Size Matters email. <br /><br />Lindsay was very nice to hear out all of our comments, but the presentation seemed like there wasn't much the public could say or do since the C4E money sent from Albany was finite and the DOE's tiny class reduction pilot was already allocated. <br /><br />Tom made the point that space is at a premium in the Bronx and so adding teachers without adding space actually makes the classrooms more crowded. When I asked about new or expanded facilities, Lindsay referred us to the construction authority. <br /><br />If adding space isn't a component part of C4E, I don't see how it can work. We had overcrowded classes before the pandemic, and now have federal and state money in the pipeline, but it's not being deployed even though decreasing room density is one of the most essential virus mitigation strategies. <br /><br />I also mentioned the stark differences between NYC and Westchester schools, especially as it pertains to special ed services. We have a teacher shortage and particularly in special ed. It seems that this results in understaffed schools discouraging families from seeking classification in the Bronx. <br /><br />I also suggested the city expand screenings and services for autism, dyslexia and other common disabilities the city currently reimburses families private school tuition for. It could even make financial sense to open dedicated schools for them because there is an enormous backlog for these "Carter cases", and they sometimes require students to travel long distances, yet reimbursement is only available to affluent parents, so the actual need is probably many times higher and diagnoses swept under the rug.<br /><br />I told them that Joan of Arc, my old Junior High in Manhattan had a full band program, separate orchestra and chorus programs, visual art, ceramics studio, a full shop class, a dance program, PE, French and Spanish all in one school, but that building today is broken up into six different schools and one is a charter. My old school launched the careers of chart-topping musicians and singers. The middle school I currently teach in only offers students one marking period of art per year (which amounts to about 16 class periods) and PE 2-3 times a week. <br /><br />Why are today's kids shortchanged? If small schools were recombined, there would not just be more programming options and more flexibility for scheduling (including special ed placements) there would be less administrators, freeing up budget and office space.<br /><br />jake jacobsnoreply@blogger.com