- Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Twenty-five of the city’s 91 failing schools are in Brooklyn, according to a shocking report Gov. Andrew Cuomo‘s office put out yesterday.
The report comes as Cuomo and the legislature are locked in a budget battle on how to fund public education in the coming year.
Cuomo proposes more than a $1 billion increase over last years budget contingent on stronger teacher evaluations and allowing charter schools to take over long-time failing schools. Many Brooklyn lawmakers and the powerful teacher’s union says Cuomo is underfunding schools and scapegoating teachers.
The report notes that statewide there are 109,000 students currently enrolled in New York’s 178 failing schools, and that 77 of these schools have been failing for 10 years. It also notes that 9 out of 10 students in failing schools are minority or poor.
“This analysis clearly shows that the current education system in New York is failing our most vulnerable children. When a poor child is twice as likely to be taught by teacher who isn’t effective, bold action is needed to reform the system,” said Tenicka Boyd of StudentsFirstNY, an organization advocating more parental choice on their children attending charter or regular public school. “Governor Cuomo is fighting to make sure that these children have the same opportunities as kids in wealthier districts.”
