Relates to the New York city community school district system

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1 and 2: Extends mayoral control in New York City and other current sections of Article 52-A of the Education Law for one year to June 30, 2016.

Section 3: Allows charter schools that are currently authorized by the New York City Department of Education to a different charter authorizing entity.

Section 4: Removes regional caps placed on charters granted, and returns charters that were previously granted but not currently being used to the pool of available charters.

Section 5: Requires the New York City Department of Education to report on the distribution of specific types of funding by individual school and per pupil.

Section 6: Makes budget and expenditure reports of New York City Department of Education schools more readily available by placing them on the department's website.

Section 7: Requires the Department of Education to maintain certain information to be made available to members and officers of the Executive and Legislature.

Section 8: Provides for an enrollment preference for children of charter school employees accounting for up twenty percent of newly admitted students.

Section 9: Allows charter schools to employ individuals, up to the greater of thirty percent of total teaching staff or five, that meet certain exceptional statutory criteria, but lack teaching certification.

Section 10: Requires the mayor of New York City to submit an education budget plan to the Director of the budget, the temporary president of the Senate, and the speaker of the Assembly for approval.

Justification

The current system of mayoral control in New York City is set to expire June 30, 2015. A one year extension of such control will ensure progress is made, especially for New York City's most neediest schools, and allow the Legislature to adequately re-examine the issue of extending mayoral control after such progress has been demonstrated.

In the 2015 enacted budget alone New York City received a total of $9.2 billion in state aid for the 2015-16 school year. It is critical that city and state stakeholders have access to the distribution of state aid by the Department of Education to the 32 community school districts, approximately 1,650 schools and one million students. State aid to New York City schools has increased by an average of over eight percent annually since 2012 while the New York City local contribution to its schools has increased an average of five percent since 2012. While there have been gains made under mayoral control, there is a need for greater transparency in relation to the distribution of state, local and federal funding. Across the State, the distribution of funding by individual schools is maintained in an open and accessible manner. This transparency provides a level of accountability that ensures New York State's struggling schools are adequately funded. The 2015 enacted budget specifically identified and addressed 178 struggling schools of which there are 91 in New York City. A more targeted understanding of where state, local, and federal resources are allocated is necessary in addressing the issues these individual schools face. Extending transparency to New York City schools will provide the same kind of accountability that exists in the rest of the state.

Eliminating the arbitrary regional caps placed on the locating of charter schools will further school choice for students within New York City, and across the State. These schools help to provide quality access to education, not only in New York City, but in areas across the State. Increasing access to charter schools, that are held accountable by the charter renewal process, will allow students the opportunity to attend some of the most successful and highest achieving schools in the State.

Prior legislative history

New Bill.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately, provided that sections four, five, and six shall be deemed to have been in full force and effect since January 1, 2012.