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GOVERNOR SIGNS MAYORAL CONTROL OF NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS INTO LAW

It’s official. Mayor Bloomberg remains head master of New York City’s public school system.

Gov. Paterson signed legislation into law today extending mayoral control of the New York City school system through June 30, 2015. The bill signing was done in private without any ceremony.

The governor’s actions follows a three-month New York Post series touting the positive impact of mayoral control since 2002, articles that drew praise from the mayor, US Education Secretary Arne Duncan and politicians from both sides of the aisle, as well as from school administrators, teachers, parents and students.

The revised school governance law preserves the key elements of mayoral control with some changes to boost oversight, transparency and parental input. The details were largely hammered out by City Hall and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan).The mayor will continue to appoint the schools chancellor and set policy through the City Hall dominated Panel for Educational Policy. The mayor maintains eight of the 13 appointments to the board, and they will serve at his pleasure.

One difference is that two of the mayoral appointees must be public school parents.

The policy panel will review more matters — including no-bid contracts and other large procurements.

For the first time, the Independent Budget Office will have the authority to review performance data. Critics have long complained that Bloomberg’s Department of Education hypes the numbers to look good.

Public notification and hearings must be held six months prior to a school closing or other building changes. The new law also requires district superintendents to have staff to address parental concerns, and school leadership teams are strengthened.

The Senate last week approved mayoral control, in a 47 to 8 vote, following months of bickering. But in the end, senators admitted they couldn’t ignore the progress made in schools under Bloomberg’s authority.

The Democratic-led Assembly in June passed, by an overwhelming 129-18 vote, the measure to renew mayoral control.

But the Senate – deadlocked in a bitter leadership battle – failed to take up the bill at that time, allowing the 2002 law to lapse July 1.

The stalemate forced Bloomberg to hastily reconstitute the old seven-member Board of Education. It now disbands and the mayoral-dominated 13 member Panel For Educational Policy is revived.

Paterson yesterday did not act on four Senate amendments to the law, which must still be passed by the Assembly, possibly later this year, before reaching his desk .

They would create a parent-training center run by CUNY, set up an arts advisory council, clarify the role of superintendents in evaluating principals in their district, and require schools to hold meetings on safety.

Paterson said he would approve the amendments, if they pass the Assembly.