The 23-24 school year is the last year of the Biden COVID dollars, the dollars paid for addtional counselors and social workers as well as not cutting school budgets to reflect losses in enrollment and 3K and preK expansion.
As the year began Mayor Adams announced substantial PEG budget cuts, an acronym , the Program to Eliminate the Gap, cuts that cut deeply into programs, Adams and unions clashed, more than clashed, the UFT filed a lawsuit claiming the city had the dollars and cuts were not required. The city frequently used state education dollars for non education purposes, a process not prohibited by statute.
As the year progressed the Mayor began to back away and the current City budget fight is over 3-K and PreK, the budget must be passed by June 30th and a late budget has not happened in decades.
At the state level the Governor made no mention of charter schools, the previous year she delayed the budget for weeks trying to get the NYC charter cap lifted. Mirroring NYC the Governor is requiring that school districts implement a Science of Reading curriculum and is talking about a statewide ban on cell phones in schools.
Legislation passed matching the computation of retirement allowances with Tier 4. Moving the Tier 6 retirement age from the 63 to 55 is a heavy lift, it’s very expensive and local school districts must bear the cost, that means taxpayers, and with the exception of the Big Five voters would have to approve the local school budget. Pension costs have increased threefold over the last twenty years. Watch an excellent teacher pension presentation here and read a detailed explanation of NYC teacher pensions here.
What appeared to be a major issue, mayoral control fizzled, while opposition to mayoral control was widespread there was no consensus on a replacement, the legislature extended mayoral control.
Schools are implementing a Science of Reading curriculum, whether a magic bullet or a blank only time will tell.
The UFT and Chancellor seem have a pretty good relationship, some bumps to be expected, superintendents and UFT District Reps, in most cases work together.
Implementation of the Class Size Reduction law remains contentious, the City and the UFT are working on compliance school by school.
All in all a year that began with a host of dangling threats is ending on a positive note, drastic budget cuts averted, the Charter School cap no longer an issue, legislation to prevent the city from diverting education dollars passed,
The shadow hanging over next year, the presidential election, whoever controls the White House and the Congress controls purse strings.
A June, 2025 mayoral primary will choose the next mayor, with Ranked Choice Voting and host of candidates the election will suck up the electoral air: will the UFT make an endorsement? And, if the Union does, they better get it right, and, under the radar, the City Charter Revision Commission could place a resolution on the November ballot to eliminate RCV.
And, UFT elections in the spring, probably contentious with a lengthy campaign at the same time the UFT is considering a mayoral endorsement and maybe a hostile administration in Washington.
And as the song says, “No more pencils, no more books, no more principal dirty looks …,” enjoy a restful summer.
Ed in the Apple: Blogging on the Intersection of Education and Politics Title 