FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PR- 116-09 March 12, 2009 MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND CHANCELLOR KLEIN DISCUSS HOW NEW YORK CITY’S CHILDREN FIRST INTITIATIVES ARE REFLECTED IN PRESIDENT OBAMA’S NEW EDUCATION REFORM AGENDA Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein today described how the Administration’s core education reforms are reflected in the agenda advanced by President Barack Obama in his first major education address, which he delivered on Tuesday before the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Washington. President Obama challenged states and school districts to create improved standards and assessments, reward outstanding teachers, reduce student dropout rates, and promote innovation through initiatives such as charter schools. All of these have been critical goals for New York City public schools under the Mayor and Chancellor. The Mayor and Chancellor were joined at the Harlem Village Academy High School in East Harlem by school founder and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Deborah Kenny, Principal Nick Timpone, and Social Studies students to discuss how the City’s education reform initiatives that they have been a part of since 2002 reflect and align with President Obama’s own education reform priorities. "President Obama hit the mark earlier this week when he said that economic progress and educational achievement are linked,” said Mayor Bloomberg. "In New York we know that the students of today are the workforce of tomorrow. This is why we challenged the status quo on education in New York City, which for decades was a broken public school system. Today, we offer parents more choices, hold schools accountable for results, and reward excellence. It’s working—our students are doing better in reading and math, and graduation rates are at historic highs." " Our successes in New York City illustrate how important it is that schools embrace the innovations championed by President Obama," said Chancellor Klein. "Today, more than 50 years after we banned unequal schools, African-American and Hispanic students are still far too likely to be deprived of the education they deserve. Education is our foremost civil rights issue and a fundamental economic issue. No one knows that better than the President, who wouldn’t be where he is today without his first-rate education." Developing Standards and Giving Teachers the Information They Need President Obama called on states to develop standards that will prepare
students for college and successful careers and to give teachers the information
they need to ensure their students are on track to meet these standards. In
New York City
schools:
Rewarding Effective Teachers President Obama also stressed the importance of rewarding effective teachers. In New York City schools:
Turning Around the Worst Schools Also in his speech earlier this week, the President called on students to stay in school, and stressed to lawmakers, parents, and teachers that turning around the worst schools is critical to reducing dropout rates. In New York City:
Increasing Parents’ Choices and Schools’ Autonomy, and Trying Other Innovations Like many school reformers, President Obama highlighted innovations—like school autonomy and longer instructional days—and the choice provided by charter schools. In New York City:
MEDIA CONTACT: Stu Loeser/Dawn Walker (212) 788-2958 David Cantor (Education) (212) 374-5141 |
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