Notice: Hearing on Co-locations in New York City Public Schools

Hearing on Co-locations in New York City Public Schools

The City Council’s Education Committee, chaired by Council Member Robert Jackson, will hold an oversight hearing on the Co-locations in New York City Public Schools.  Below is information regarding the upcoming hearing:

• Hearing title:   “Oversight: Co-locations in New York City Public Schools”   

• Date:              Thursday, April 19, 2012

• Time:              1:00 pm (*public testimony is estimated to begin after 2:30pm)

• Place:              250 Broadway - Committee Room, 16th Fl.

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One of the key education reforms adopted by the Bloomberg administration is the expansion of school choice options by opening charter schools and new traditional district-operated public schools.  Since 2002, the Department of Education (DOE) has opened more than 500 new schools. To accommodate the growing number of new schools, DOE has increasingly used the strategy of “co-location,” that is, siting multiple schools in a single building.  While some schools have shared buildings successfully for years, DOE’s increasing use of co-locations has become highly controversial.  In many school communities, parents, teachers, students and other stakeholders have objected to new schools being sited inside existing school buildings.  

Objections have centered on lack of adequate consultation with affected school communities as well potential overcrowding and difficulties inherent in sharing facilities.  The most contentious co-locations have involved charter schools sharing space in district school buildings.  In some cases, critics contend that the charters have enhanced facilities, smaller classes and other resources that the host school does not have, leading to conflicts among schools.

This hearing will focus on issues and concerns that have arisen from DOE’s efforts to co-locate multiple schools, whether district or charter, in a single facility.

We invite members of Community Education Councils, parents, students, educators, advocates, and all other stakeholders and interested members of the public to testify at this hearing.  Testimony will be limited to 2-3 minutes per person to allow as many as possible to testify.  Although the hearing starts at 1:00 pm, the Administration (Department of Education), as well as other witnesses (such as elected officials) have been invited to testify and answer questions from Council Members at the outset, so we do not expect to hear from others until sometime after 2:30pm.  

 Please make sure you fill out a witness slip on the desk of the Sergeant-at-arms if you wish to testify.  If you plan to bring written testimony, please bring at least 20 copies.  If you are unable to attend the hearing and wish to submit written testimony, please email your testimony to jatwell@council.nyc.gov.

Please share this information with any interested groups or individuals. Thank you for your assistance and we look forward to seeing you on April 19^th!

Please note - hearing dates and times are subject to change.  For information about hearings and other events, check the Council's website at http://council.nyc.gov/html/home/home.shtml or, if you'd like to receive email notices of upcoming hearings, you can sign up at the following link http://council.nyc.gov/html/action_center/signup.shtml.  All hearings are open to members of the public.