Public Education

Effective public education, in elementary, middle and high school, is essential to preparing our children for success. The schools of the 39th Council District have some of the city's best teachers, principals and parent leaders, and we need to do everything we can to make sure they are supported in the crucial work that they do.

A city budget we can be proud of

Posted on June 28, 2012

The City Council and Mayor Bloomberg reached an agreement this week on New York City’s Fiscal Year 2013 budget – one that invests in our kids and preserves funding for vital public services.

The City’s $68.7 billion budget is a statement of our priorities, and I am proud that those priorities reflect a deep belief in education (public schools continue to be the largest item by far), in core public services and infrastructure that make sure we have safe and vibrant communities, and in a strong safety net for those who need it (young, old, and in-between).

I’m also excited that, for the first time, the City’s budget includes items that you selected, through participatory budgeting. The seven items – totaling $1 million – that more than 2,200 of you voted for in March are being officially adopted as part of the City’s capital budget this week … and we’re launching a new webpage to keep you posted on their progress. Read more »

Salmon BLT? PS 230 students made it delicious

Brooklyn Daily
06/26/2012

The foodie craze has finally infiltrated the most reluctant of groups: teenagers.

Kensington elementary school PS 230 was transformed into an epicurean battleground on Saturday, as teams of teenagers duked it out in a chef battle, cooking things that had even the seasoned chefs in attendance blinking their eyes.

“I was a little concerned when they told me they wanted to make salmon sandwiches with turkey bacon and truffle oil,” said chef and organizer Veronica Guzman of the winning dish. “But the way that they cooked it I was like, ‘Oh my god, it’s really good!’ ” Read more »

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Even more tests?

Posted on June 4, 2012

After many of our kids spent too many hours, days, and weeks of this school year prepping for and taking high-stakes tests (and then having their teachers out-of-class to grade them), this week they are being asked to sacrifice even more class time this month to state tests.

Pearson Publishing, a for-profit corporation with a $32 million contract from New York State will be giving students additional testing with “field questions,” to help develop next year’s tests. The tests won’t impact students, teachers, or schools’ records – but they will take even more class time. Read more »

Running (and organizing) for our schools

Posted on May 4, 2012

What a blast! Last Sunday, hundreds of kids, parents, and teachers from more than three dozen schools came out for the Fifth Annual Brooklyn PTA 5k Run for Schools. Donations are still coming in, but we already know that the race raised more than $10,000 for the first time! Read more »

Response to Mayor's Budget

Posted on May 3, 2012

Mayor Bloomberg’s FY13 Executive Budget:
Some Good News for Our Classrooms, Bad News for Just About Everything Else

City Councilmember Brad Lander had the following statement in response to Mayor Bloomberg’s Executive Budget:

"Mayor Bloomberg presented his FY2013 Executive Budget proposal this morning. There was some good news for our public schools, but bad news for just about everything else.

"For the first time in five years, there will not be cuts to our teaching force through attrition. Earlier this spring, my office released a report highlighting the painful impact of the loss of teachers in recent years: the number of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders in general education classrooms of 30 or more students has grown tenfold during this period (and overall class sizes are up significantly). The Mayor’s Preliminary Budget in February proposed to continue teacher attrition, projecting a loss of 2,570 teachers, which would have resulted in thousands more young kids in very large classes. I am pleased that the Mayor and the Department of Education recognized this problem, and took these cuts to our classrooms off the table. It will make a real difference in our schools.

"Unfortunately, the Mayor’s Executive Budget continues to propose devastating cuts to child care and after school programs, to our public libraries, to 20 fire companies, to senior services, and to shelter beds for runaway homeless youth. The cuts to child care and after-school are particular unacceptable: 47,000 kids will no longer have somewhere safe to go after school, on top of more than 40,000 childcare slots that have been lost in recent years (more than 60% of the slots that existed in 2009). Read more »

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Put safety first at PS 29

Posted on April 23, 2012

Councilmember Brad Lander's letter to the NYC School Construction Authority regarding asbestos abatement work planned while school is in session.

Ms. Lorraine Grillo
President and Chief Executive Officer
New York City School Construction Authority
3030 Thomson Avenue
Long Island City, NY 11101

Dear President Grillo:

I am writing to strongly urge the School Construction Authority to suspend asbestos abatement work (and other work affecting air quality) at P.S. 29 in Brooklyn until the 2011-2012 school year is over. Asbestos is a known carcinogen, and the lack of clarity, transparency, and discussion about asbestos abatement at P.S. 29 is of great concern. Read more »

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What does it mean to put students first?

Posted on April 17, 2012

Sign up for the PTA 5k and help fundraise for Brooklyn PTAs.

 

More than just about anything else we do in New York City government, our public schools reflect a shared commitment to our city’s future. For me, our schools are a place of real civic magic, where our kids learn to be tomorrow’s innovators, leaders, writers, engineers, teachers, and citizens. I love spending time in classrooms, at after-school arts programs, and at PTA meetings.

So I’m proud to again be a sponsor of the Brooklyn PTA 5k run, on Sunday, April 29th at 9 AM, in which students, parents, teachers, principals, and friends come together to raise money collectively for our schools. I hope you’ll register now to join us this year. This is one of the few events I’m aware of anywhere in the city where PTAs raise money together, across schools, with an eye toward equity.

Please sign-up today. Read more »

Apply for Teen Battle Chef 2012

Posted on April 5, 2012

This summer (2012), the Office of Councilmember Brad Lander and Family Cook Productions will once again be bringing the Teen Battle Chef program to the Kensington/Windsor Terrace area. Over eight training sessions, the students in the program will learn food preparation and cooking, with an emphasis healthy, nutritious food. This hands-on culinary training program empowers youth to challenge themselves and develop leadership, teamwork, and culinary skills as well as gain nutrition knowledge and a new appreciation for diverse, healthy and sustainably-produced food. Read more »

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Audio: Participatory Budgeting Winners

The Brian Lehrer Show
04/03/2012

Four city council districts let constituents decide how to allocate some funds. Brad Lander, Brooklyn City Councilman (D 39), and Alexa Kasdan, director of research and policy for the Community Development Project at the Urban Justice Center, review the results. Plus Christine Petro, Windsor Terrace resident, and George Sanchez, Cobble Hill resident, talk about their projects that received funding.  Read more »

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