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The Mayor was expected to talk mostly about tax cuts; instead he announced dramatic changes for schools.
AX:
First, we'll empower school principals to be true leaders. Second, we'll hold schools publicly accountable for student progress. Third, we'll reform our system of teacher tenure. And fourth, we'll bring fairness to our school funding system.
Bloomberg made his first round of changes in 2002. replacing school boards with 10 educational regions. The new plan eliminates those regions and instead give more power to principals.
AX:
The principals will be able to decide what's best for their students always.
It also makes principals more accountable; parents would give them grades. Tenure would be based on performance rather than seniority;school funding would be based on the needs of students rather than on their school.
While Bloomberg described the policy broadly, it was up to Klein to fill in the details. He tried to reassure the council that its opinion still mattered.
AX:
We do apologize if you feel you've been ignored.
Klein tried to reach out to council in the week after the plan was announced. But Education committee chairman Robert Jackson said it was too little too late.
AX:
You're basically saying the horse is out of the barn, so let's go catch it, instead of saying let's get ready and prepare this horse to leave this barn together, and that's the point I'm raising and when you're talking about these reforms. (applause).
The mayor has almost complete control over education; there's little the council can do to change the plans. But the mayor still needs its help in implanting the policy. In that sense, Jackson said the lack of consultation could have consequences.
AX:
What it does, it makes people go into their corners and start throwing rocks at each other.
Council members were pleased with a newly announced aspect of the plan: a CEO for parent involvement.
AX:
The new CEO would develop a strategy for helping us to engage and support parents in their efforts to help children succeed and to provide accessible and timely information to parents about the school system.
The new office wasn't touched on in the mayor's speech. Councilmen Jerry Fidler of Brooklyn hopes it's a sign the mayor's office is finally listening.
AX:
I hope that this element in this plan of creating parent offices is a recognition that you haven't done well enough in getting the community and parents involved in a meaningful way;in a meaningful way (applause). (15)
While more hearings are expected, the mayor is moving forward, hoping to have the plan in place by next fall.
For Columbia Radio News, I'm Chris Bragg.