The Department of Education is proposing changes in existing policies, called Chancellor's Regulations, regarding promotion standards, and the way in which principals and assistant principals are chosen. It is also proposing a new regulation governing procedures for locating or closing schools or changing current building usage. The Panel for Educational Policy will vote on these measures at the Nov.12 meeting at PS 128 in Queens; in the meantime the public is invited to review the proposals and weigh in on them.

The revised state law governing NYC schools renewed mayoral control of the city school system, but modified it in an effort to increase parent input. The law explicitly requires announcement of PEP meeting agendas at least 10 days in advance. In this case, the DOE provided the information more than a month in advance. However, it is not clear how public comments (which are not actually being made public) will make a difference in the proposals or the outcome of the PEP vote.<!--more-->

Links to full texts of the proposals and information about how to submit your comments are on the Panel for Educational Policy website. The new law also calls for a guaranteed time for public comment at PEP meetings, so if you attend a meeting, there is a good chance your opinion can be heard directly. .

Here's a rundown of the proposed new regulation and the changes to existing regulations.

Changes in school building use

A-190 is a new regulation that lays out an elaborate process that must happen before a school can be closed, phased out, placed in an existing school building,or converted for different use. It specifies that six months before the proposed change, the DOE must post an "educational impact statement" detailing how the change would affect current students, the current academic status of the school, and costs involved. This is to be followed by a joint public hearing with the district's Community Education Council and the DOE.

The regulation follows a successful lawsuit by the New York Civil Liberties Union and other community groups to stop the DOE from unilaterally changing the nature of specific school buildings. For more, see Jennifer Freeman's post of Oct.1. Comment on Regulation A-190 by e-mail to Portfolio@schools.nyc.gov or by phone to (212) 374-0498.

Supervisor selection

The C-30 regulation governs the appointment of principals and assistant principals. One proposed change mandates consultation with the School Leadership Team before a principal or assistant principal is appointed. Timelines for consultation would be set by the "Talent Office", the department of the DOE that evaluates candidates and generally manages the selection process.

Another amendment to this regulation allows parents and staff to recommend candidates; however, the C-30 selection committee is still limited to rating the three to five candidates presented to it and its choices can be overruled by the Chancellor. The C-30 committee is chaired by the principal and includes parents, teachers, support staff, a representative from the school support organization, and the school partner, if there is one. The C-30 regulation specifically bars parent coordinators from serving on the hiring committee in the school where they work.

Other proposed changes: the district superintendent would have the authority to hire assistant principals although they would be able to delegate that authority to the principal. In addition, the proposed changes spell out what qualifications are needed to be an assistant principal. See C-30 Regulation Governing the Selection, Assignment and Appointment of Principals and Assistant Principals for more information. To comment, e-mail PrincipalPolicy@schools.nyc.gov or call (212) 374-6853

C-37 governs the appointment of community superintendents. The proposed change would require that Community Education Councils be consulted in the appointment of a community superintendent. Previously the CECs were informed of the appointment after the fact. Another change names the Division of School Support as the appropriate office to contact about C-37 issues.

The proposed changes are posted in Public Notice: C-37 Selection of Community Superintendents. To comment on Regulation C-37, e-mail Sarah Peterson Perloff at SuperintendentPolicy@schools.nyc.gov; call (212) 374-6754, or write to the Department of Education at: 52 Chambers Street, New York, NY 10007

Promotion Policy

A series of additions to the promotion policy A-501, are also up for approval by the PEP. Of specific interest to parents:

  • Across the grades, a 90 % attendance requirement has been modified to be a goal rather than an absolute standard for promotion.

  • At grades 3,4,5 and 6, principals can hold a student back based on student work, teacher observation, and grades even if the student scores at a passing level on the state standardized reading and math exams.

  • Definitions and requirements for English Language Learners have been rewritten to be clearer and more specific.

See A-501 Regulation on Promotion Standards for more information. To submit written or oral comment, email PromotionPolicy@schools.nyc.gov or call (212) 374 - 6104.