The new election season for local and citywide education councils kicked off Monday with important changes that open the door for greater participation by parents of children with severe disabilities.
Parents of children who attend schools collectively known as District 75 can now apply to local boards of education as well as citywide. The change was mandated by the state legislature as part of the latest extension of mayoral control over city schools.
District 75 is a network of public schools for approximately 26,000 students with complex disabilities, including severe autism and physical and developmental disabilities such as traumatic brain injury and cerebral palsy. While the program may serve as a lifeline for students with special needs, the district often serves only as a staging ground for more than 8,000 children with emotional disorders. Interviews with multiple current and former families and staff in the district revealed this summer.
District 75’s student graduation rate is very low, with less than 1 in 10 children achieving a diploma within six years, according to the Independent Budget Office, a financial watchdog, while the city’s More than half of public school students with disabilities do not.
“This change will ensure that the voices of families of students with disabilities are heard in all local councils,” said school principal David Banks at a news conference Monday at Public Schools Headquarters in Tweed Court. said.
Gloria Corsino, parent of two autistic students who served in District 75, served on both councils and used these positions to set up separate counseling rooms in schools. advocated that
Corsino, who was in office from 2008 to 2021, said, “Previously, due to lack of space, students received treatment in the hallway. We are proud to be a part of this important change. increase.”
The comments were made at an event marking the official kickoff of the election cycle for city council seats across the city.
The Community Committee includes 10 elected members and 2 borough chief appointees who provide feedback to the superintendent on classroom and school policies and advocate changes to school zoning and use. We approve and provide a forum for parents to raise issues at the local level.
The once tedious biennial election process saw increased interest in the last cycle as school boards across the country became political hotbeds for issues related to COVID-19 protocols and diversity initiatives in schools. A record 1,785 parents applied in 2021. That’s a 70% increase for him from the previous cycle in 2019, reports Chalkbeat, a non-profit educational organization.
Parents can sign up by February 13 to join 32 geographically limited councils representing parents in pre-kindergarten through 8th grade, plus high school, English learners, special education, and District 75. You may run for four citywide subgroup councils on: Voting will begin in the spring.
“If you want to really change this education system, you need new ideas, fresh ideas, fresh thinking. You can’t do that by just listening to the same people over and over again,” Banks said. .
The press conference comes just weeks after the department faced criticism from some parent leaders criticizing how it handled the election of new district-based family representatives to the education policy panel. Done. Nearly 19% of the school district did not vote. This includes a qualified City Council Speaker who reported a tech issue without knowing Election Day, and his one parent who died in a family whose surrogate was barred from voting.
Department spokesman Nathaniel Styre declined to mention possible changes to community and citywide council elections in response to parent feedback after the panel controversy, saying they called “two separate processes”.
He previously said the election was held according to city and state laws.
Officials will host a candidate forum from the end of February through April 20. Voting will begin the following day and will continue for over two weeks until May 9th.
Results will be announced in June and members will be seated on July 1st.
