As the current Bloomberg/Klein school administration has silenced the parent voice, there is a critical need to ensure more vigorous parent input at the school and citywide levels. We propose that this occur in three ways: by clarifying and strengthening the role of the School Leadership Teams, reverting to the previous process for principal selection, and creating an independent citywide parent organization, to ensure that parents have the support and skills necessary to be equal partners in decision-making.
- Restore to School Leadership Teams the authority to develop an annual school Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP), including identifying annual goals and objectives, and to approve a school-based budget and staffing plan aligned with the CEP.
- Allow the members of a school-based committee of parents and staff to participate in the selection of the principal, similar to the previous C-30 process, whereby three candidates are submitted to the district superintendent for final approval. The SLT will also be responsible for performing an annual space assessment of the school, which will be made available online.
- Establish an Independent Parent Organization (IPO) and an ancillary Independent Parent Academy, professionally staffed, authorized by the state, and with dedicated funding from the education budget. The IPO will consist of individual parents as well as school-level PAs that choose to join, and will work to strengthen the parent voice at the school, district and citywide levels.
