By Alex Davidson
Schools Chancellor Joel Klein admitted to borough officials Monday night that the city should have had better communication with educators and parents in announcing reforms to the city’s education system.
Klein, speaking at the regular meeting of Borough President Helen Marshall’s Borough Board, which includes community board chairmen and managers, said he intends to continue with the reorganization plan that will take effect July 1.
“I realize it’s been somewhat bumpy. I realize there have been times where there’s been a lack of information,” Klein said. “I do think some tough medicine was in order here, but we should have done a better job.”
Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced his reorganization plans for the city’s education system in January after winning control from the state.
His plan includes the consolidation of the city’s 32 individual school districts under the administration of 10 regional instruction zones. The mayor also called for the creation of city-run academies to improve administrators and parents’ skills, and vowed to work with the state Legislature to draft alternatives to community school boards.
In his fourth visit to Queens since he was named schools Chancellor in August, Klein addressed questions about bilingual education and the future of local school districts from City Councilmen John Liu (D-Flushing), David Weprin (D-Hollis) and Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Astoria).
Marshall asked Klein questions about how the 32 superintendents, doubling as local instructional supervisors, will supervise high school instruction.
But the tone of the meeting was one more of reconciliation than attack, which was the theme at several previous meetings in the borough at which city Department of Education officials presented plans about the reorganization of city schools. The meeting room at Borough Hall, which months ago would likely have been filled with angry parents occupying standing-room-only quarters, was now half empty.
Marshall, thanking Klein for coming out to Queens, made a pledge to work with the chancellor on getting more money to build and renovate borough schools, which seemed to be a public acknowledgment that the city reorganization will take effect in less than a month — like it or not.
“This is a major change,” Marshall said.
Klein went on to detail the savings he claims the reorganization of city schools has yielded. He said the city will now funnel $250 million from district offices into classrooms by eliminating the infrastructure of the 32 individual school districts.
Late Tuesday afternoon, Klein and Bloomberg announced their plans for reforms to bilingual education, which includes the infusion of $20 million in new city funds into a range of programs targeted at English Language Learners.
The chancellor answered one question from a borough board member who suggested that the reorganization of city schools is maintaining the current bureaucracy but just giving it another name.
“It’s not a question of renaming, it’s a question of what the focus is,” Klein said. “It is a change in focus and a culture, and it is going to take some time.”
Klein said he hopes the reforms, which include the introduction of 10 regional instructional zones to manage the 32 individual school districts, will allow for a greater focus on the instruction of students and accountability in school administrators.
He said, however, that results from the changes will not be immediate.
“The truth of the matter is we have a long, long way to go,” Klein said.
Reach reporter Alex Davidson by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156
