A national advocacy group that backs extending mayoral control of New York City schools has hired a former top aide to powerful Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver as its chief state lobbyist, The Post has learned.
Democrats for Education Reform has retained Patricia Lynch, Silver’s former communications director, to represent its interests in Albany.
The group’s executive director, Joe Williams, confirmed that DER has hired Lynch to lobby on school-budget issues and is also considering having the former Silver aide advocate for mayoral control.
The New York-based group supports charter schools nationwide, as well as putting mayors in charge of big-city schools like New York’s to bolster accountability.