De Blasio unveils plan for NYC’s troubled schools
Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled his plan to help some of New York City’s struggling public schools on Monday, pledging to lengthen school days, conduct more training for teachers and create more parental involvement.
De Blasio, in what aides billed as a significant education speech, announced that he is earmarking $150 million over the next two years for the effort to save 94 struggling schools. But de Blasio, who spent much of last year’s campaign criticizing his predecessor Michael Bloomberg’s policy of closing failing schools, left the door open that he too would close schools if they failed to improve.
“We will move heaven and earth to help them succeed but we will not wait forever,” de Blasio said in an hour-long speech at a school in Manhattan’s East Harlem neighborhood. “Holding schools accountable is critical — because all of the reform plans in the world will make little difference if there are no consequences for failing.”