Some state lawmakers who proposed legislation to gut mayoral control of schools are changing their tune after seeing a significant boost in the number of kids in their districts passing state math exams.
“The mayor is going to maintain a majority” of the Panel for Educational Policy, predicted Sen. Diane Savino (D-Brooklyn/SI), a co-sponsor of the proposal to do just the opposite.
The mayor now appoints a majority of the panel, the oversight group that replaced the independent Board of Education in 2002.
The number of students who met or exceeded the math standards in the South Brooklyn section of Savino’s district jumped 4.4 percentage points this year to 88.6 percent.
“That’s great. A lot of the changes that happened under mayoral control have been very good,” she said. “There isn’t any doubt that mayoral control will be extended. It’s about how the current system can be improved.”
She added, “Some people have said mayoral control hasn’t worked. The statistics don’t bear that out.”
Sen. Kevin Parker (D-Brooklyn), the chief sponsor of the bill to end the mayor’s panel majority, softened his tone yesterday.
“No one is saying ‘end mayoral control,’ ” he said.
“I’m saying the critical issue is that the board — in whatever form that we choose that it be — has meaningful determinative policy-making ability. That’s the important part. The number and who has the majority is less important than things like fixed terms and what the roles and responsibilities are.”
The number of kids meeting math standards in Brooklyn School District 18 — part of Parker’s constituency — increased 9.4 points, to 80.2 percent.
Harlem Assemblyman Keith Wright said he was “very happy” with the math-score improvement in his district.
“This proves that all children can learn. For years, this proves they’ve probably been miseducated,” Wright said.
Still, he said he wants Mayor Bloomberg to share power and be more open.
“It’s been rule by executive fiat,” he said, “with no involvement or intervention from anyone.”