Public Education

The goal of a robust educational system is to provide our young people access to a high-quality, rigorous, and engaging learning experience that prepares them for demands in their work or as active participants in our democracy. Having been an educator and designer of educational programs for many years, I will prioritize funding for programs that teach the whole child and encourage their creativity and curiosity.

 

As your City Council Member, I will:

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• Funds schools directly. I will introduce legislation and use budget negotiations to require more transparency in central office spending, reduce non school staff and contractors, and use the resulting savings to provide more funding directly to schools for direct student services and reducing class size.

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• Prioritize funding for enrichment programs. Many learners benefit from programs beyond regular school hours, like after school programs during the academic year and summer programming or youth employment. This not only enhances opportunities for deeper learning, but also allows working parents comfort knowing that their children are in a safe environment.

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• Provide funding for Social Emotional Learning counseling. The current crises have inflicted serious trauma on students and their families yet many schools lack full-time counselors. Trained counselors address issues head on, using restorative practices that not only heal but help reduce disciplinary issues and suspensions. I am firmly committed to the resources needed to provide counseling staff to all schools.

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• Expand Career and Technical Education. Research shows that CTE programs decrease students’ risk of dropping out of high school and creates a direct pipeline to good-paying, often union, jobs. My plan calls for increased funding for teacher recruitment, training, and the infrastructure needed to expand these programs, with focus on the jobs the clean energy economy will create.

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• Fully fund CUNY Community Colleges. Especially the Accelerated Study in Associate Programs, which provides remediation and academic advising for new students, resulting in higher completion rates. I also pledge to work with state colleagues for funding that keeps tuition affordable, allowing CUNY to continue its long history of providing upward social mobility for all New Yorkers.