By Bill Parry
The city Panel for Educational Policy decided to delay a final vote on the controversial plan by the city Department of Education to bus 250 children from PS 11 in Woodside to another school 3 miles away while a construction project gets under way.
The DOE had told elected officials that the incoming kindergarten class would be sent to PS 171 in Astoria every day so work on a $70 million annex, to relieve chronic overcrowding, could begin.
The PEP voted in Brooklyn Tuesday to move the decision on the plan to April 11, allowing more time for a compromise.
“The decision to delay the vote was a bit of a surprise. You could tell the new de Blasio appointments to the panel had something to do with it,” a source with knowledge of the process said.
City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) said, “It’s a positive sign from the administration. They’ve told us that they will keep looking at all options to keep the students closer to home so it’s not the end.”
Last month, Van Bramer devised a compromise plan that would send the children across Queens Boulevard and use space in PS 313, currently in the late stages of construction, at 45-46 42nd St. in Sunnyside, and scheduled to open in the fall.
Van Bramer admitted that there was resistance to his plan because the new school is in CEC District 24 while PS 11 and PS 171 are in CEC District 30.
Van Bramer has been in talks with the mayor’s office exploring more options and he joined several other elected officials, including U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Jackson Heights), state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) and Borough President Melinda Katz, in drafting a letter to send to city Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña.
The letter urged the DOE to consider busing the children from PS 11 to the St. Teresa School, at 50-20 45th St. in Woodside, instead of PS 171 in Astoria.
“This option would be much closer to PS 11 and would provide the adequate space needed for a safe and positive learning environment, as well as address the concerns of the parents that have communicated with our offices,” the officials wrote in the letter.
PS 199, another chronically overcrowded school, rents the first floor of St. Teresa’s for its kindergarten class. The second and third floors are unoccupied.
“We feel that this is a reasonable proposal that will lessen the burden placed on children and their parents,” the officials concluded.
Fariña declined to comment for this story while attending an event at IS 141 in Astoria.
While Van Bramer signed off on the St. Teresa’s proposal, he did not abandon his plan to send the children to the new PS 313.
“I never give up, but it is incumbent on all of us to think outside the box and find a good solution for the good of the children and their parents,” he said.
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4538.
