Neighborhood Action Flyer on School Governance
January 2000

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GREAT SCHOOLS FOR A GREAT CITY:
Mayor Williams’ Proposal For Our School Board

At the Citizen Summit, more than 3,000 residents came together from across the city and sent a clear message that education must be one of our most urgent priorities. In response, the Mayor has stepped forward with a bold initiative to reform our struggling schools, from top to bottom. Today, he is asking to be held accountable for improving our schools.

THE NEED FOR CHANGE

Who's in charge? Responsibility is divided among the Superintendent, the Board of Education, the Board of Trustees, the Congress, the Control Board, the Mayor, and the Council.
There is not enough cooperation between schools and other agencies.
The School Board has become politicized and divided.
The bottom line: our kids are not being served well and are not being prepared for the 21st Century. This is unacceptable.

THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL

Hold the elected Mayor responsible for improving schools.
Create a five-member Board of Education appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Council. Names would come from a nominating committee representative of the city.
Make the Superintendent a member of the Mayor's cabinet, chosen by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council.
Focus the Board on goal-setting and policymaking, not politicking.
Limit pay for Board members to per diem and business-related expenses.
Let the voters decide on these changes through a referendum in May. Hold another referendum in four years, so that voters can reevaluate this new system if it doesn't produce real results.

WHY THIS SYSTEM IS BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS

Putting responsibility and accountability for schools clearly and fully under the mayor would enable the entire government to work together to ensure that students get the best education and services possible.
Schools would become part of the city's "Safe Passages" initiative, to develop a comprehensive network of services to support young people, from birth to adulthood. The city is spending $21 million on early childhood services and $15 million on afterschool programs. We need to ensure that what comes in between is working well for students.
In Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, and elsewhere, mayoral leadership of the schools has helped to boost student achievement and attract the investment of business and other partners.
School boards tend to be more effective when they are smaller, policy-focused and composed of individuals with particular skills and expertise needed to guide a school system.
This proposal would not undermine democracy. Our popularly elected leaders would be clearly accountable for schools. Furthermore, democracy depends on providing the best education to the next generation of leaders and citizens.

Neighborhood Action Flyer on School Governance January 2000

GREAT SCHOOLS FOR A GREAT CITY: Mayor Williams’ Proposal For Our School Board

THE NEED FOR CHANGE

THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL

WHY THIS SYSTEM IS BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS

If you support strong and clear accountability for our schools, let your Councilmember know. Let your voice be heard.

Neighborhood Action Flyer on School Governance
January 2000

GREAT SCHOOLS FOR A GREAT CITY:
Mayor Williams’ Proposal For Our School Board