StudentsFirstNY Responds to SUNY Authorization of Nine New Downstate Charters
NEW YORK–StudentsFirstNY today responded to SUNY’s authorization of nine new downstate charter schools. These new schools were approved after StudentsFirstNY fought in Albany for a deal, passed in 2023, to reopen ‘zombie’ charters in New York City.
Crystal McQueen-Taylor, Executive Director of StudentsFirstNY: “Nine new charter schools will make all the difference for the families who have been waiting for a school that meets their child’s needs in their community. But this authorization will leave talented, innovative, diverse operators who are ready to serve families on the outside looking in. In New York City, supply and demand are still tragically mismatched. And I will not rest until all students have the great public education they deserve and that parents demand.”
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StudentsFirstNY is a grassroots education advocacy organization dedicated to improving public school options throughout New York State.
In Tight Democratic Primaries, New Yorkers for a Balanced Albany Delivers Huge Wins in Crucial Legislative Races
Group activates New Yorkers to turn out for champions of parent choice
NEW YORK—New Yorkers for a Balanced Albany’s involvement delivered huge wins in crucial legislative races during last night’s primary election, highlighted by a win for Assembly Member Stefani Zinerman in District 56. The victories meant four champions of parent choice - three incumbents and one challenger in an open seat - will be sent to Albany ahead of the 2025 legislative session.
“Parent power is unstoppable in New York,” said Crystal McQueen-Taylor, Executive Director of StudentsFirstNY, which is affiliated with New Yorkers for a Balanced Albany. “We out-worked, out-organized, and out-messaged the opposition because this crop of candidates believes in a great public education for every student. They earned New York parents’ trust, and we’re proud to give them the support they need to fight for us in Albany.”
No outside group in the state did more to win these four races than New Yorkers for a Balanced Albany. Their action for these champions included:
Read moreICYMI: StudentsFirstNY Executive Director Crystal McQueen-Taylor Talks 2024 Primary Wins and the Future of Parent Choice in Albany on The Capitol Pressroom
New York–In case you missed it, StudentsFirstNY Executive Director Crystal McQueen-Taylor joined WCNY’s The Capitol Pressroom yesterday to discuss wins for parent choice in the 2024 Democratic primary elections, the future of pro-charter legislation in Albany, and more.
New Yorkers for a Balanced Albany, which is affiliated with StudentsFirstNY, delivered huge wins in crucial legislative races, highlighted by a win for Assembly Member Stefani Zinerman in District 56. The victories meant four champions of parent choice - three incumbents and one challenger in an open seat - will be sent to Albany ahead of the 2025 legislative session.
Listen to the full interview here.
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StudentsFirstNY is a grassroots education advocacy organization dedicated to improving public school options throughout New York State.
StudentsFirstNY Applauds Agreement to Extend Mayoral Accountability in New York City Public Schools
NEW YORK–StudentsFirstNY thanked Governor Hochul, Mayor Adams and the State Legislature today for standing with New York City public school students by agreeing to extend mayoral accountability.
Earlier this month, StudentsFirstNY announced a seven-figure public campaign to encourage Albany to extend mayoral accountability this year. You can watch StudentsFirstNY’s ad here.
This week, over 100 parents and students rallied in Albany to demand mayoral accountability appear in the final budget agreement.
In March, StudentsFirstNY released “Dysfunction Junction: A History of NYC Schools Before Mayoral Accountability,” a landmark report outlining the history of New York City’s failed experiment with decentralized leadership of its schools. That experiment - which began in 1969 and ended in 2002 - saw corruption and incompetence flourish under the Board of Education’s leadership. It delivered a system where no single person could be held accountable for failures in public schools.
Crystal McQueen-Taylor, Executive Director of StudentsFirstNY: "The Governor and the Mayor deserve immense credit for brokering a deal that extends the best governance structure for New York City's public school students. Mayoral accountability gives parents a voice - all while delivering better results than any alternative. We're thrilled to have played a part in this agreement, and we’re more energized than ever to fight for a great public education for every student in New York.”
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StudentsFirstNY is a grassroots education advocacy organization dedicated to improving public school options throughout New York State.
Over 100 Public School Parents Rally in Albany to Demand Extension of Mayoral Accountability in New York City Schools
NEW YORK–StudentsFirstNY today joined legislators and over 100 public school parents to rally in the Capitol for an extension of mayoral accountability of New York City schools. Parents from across the city spoke movingly about the increased role their voices play in decision making under the current system, and urged Albany not to take schools back to the failed policies of the School Board era.
Early this month, StudentsFirst announced a seven-figure public campaign to encourage Albany to extend mayoral accountability this year. The group will run ads, mobilize concerned parents at rallies like today’s, and talk directly with elected officials to demand an extension of the current system. You can watch StudentsFirstNY’s first ad here.
“Mayoral accountability has produced higher test scores, more resources, and better governance than the catastrophic School Board era ever did. Today, parents sent Albany a message they couldn’t ignore: it’s time to extend it and stop playing political games with students’ futures,” said StudentsFirstNY Executive Director Crystal McQueen-Taylor.
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StudentsFirstNY Launches Seven-Figure Campaign to Extend Mayoral Accountability in New York City Schools
NEW YORK–Amid reckless, dire threats to school governance from Albany politicians, StudentsFirstNY today announced a seven-figure campaign to extend mayoral accountability in New York City’s public schools. The group will run ads, mobilize concerned parents, and talk directly with elected officials for the rest of this year’s legislative session to demand a four-year extension of the current system. You can watch StudentsFirstNY’s first ad here.
Last week, StudentsFirstNY released “Dysfunction Junction: A History of NYC Schools Before Mayoral Accountability.” The landmark report outlined the history of New York City’s failed experiment with decentralized leadership of its schools - a failure that Albany’s inaction risks revisiting upon New York City’s public school students.
“Albany is sleepwalking into a disaster for over one million New York City students. We’re going to wake them up,” said Crystal McQueen-Taylor, Executive Director of StudentsFirstNY. “Mayoral accountability has produced higher test scores, more resources, and better governance than the catastrophic School Board era ever did. Albany should extend it - not play political games with students’ futures.”
Decentralized leadership created a slide in student performance that was arrested when mayoral accountability, also known as mayoral control, was restored under then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The end of this experiment created bottom-line accountability in New York City’s public schools, and allowed mayors and chancellors to take direct responsibility for improving performance - instead of 32 separate, uncoordinated entities. Mayoral accountability is set to expire this June.
Full text of StudentsFirstNY’s first ad is below:
As Mayoral Accountability Battle Rages in Albany, StudentsFirstNY Releases Landmark Report on Board of Education’s Sordid Legacy in New York City
As Mayoral Accountability Battle Rages in Albany, StudentsFirstNY Releases Landmark Report on Board of Education’s Sordid Legacy in New York City
NEW YORK–StudentsFirstNY today released “Dysfunction Junction: A History of NYC Schools Before Mayoral Accountability,” a landmark report outlining the history of New York City’s failed experiment with decentralized leadership of its schools. That experiment - which began in 1969 and ended in 2002 - saw corruption and incompetence flourish under the Board of Education’s leadership. It delivered a system where no single person could be held accountable for failures in public schools.
Decentralized leadership created a slide in student performance that was arrested when mayoral accountability, also known as mayoral control, was restored under then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The end of this experiment created bottom-line accountability in New York City’s public schools, and allowed mayors and chancellors to take direct responsibility for improving performance - instead of 32 separate, uncoordinated entities.
The report comes as the State Legislature debates a four-year extension of mayoral accountability of City schools. The expiration of mayoral accountability could trigger a return to a Board of Education-style governance for New York City’s public school students.
Click here to read the full report.
Read moreStudentsFirstNY Responds to Mayor Adams’ State of the City Address
NEW YORK–StudentsFirstNY today responded to Mayor Adams’ State of the City address, which emphatically called for a four-year extension of mayoral control of city schools.
Please attribute this statement to Crystal McQueen-Taylor, Executive Director of StudentsFirstNY:
“Public schools aren’t political bargaining chips, and the Mayor is right to insist that he remain accountable for their performance. Mayoral control has produced better academic performance, higher graduation rates, and richer student programming than school boards did. We’re not going back. It’s time to take politics out of the equation and give the mayor the chance his predecessors had to give every student a great public education.”
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StudentsFirstNY is a grassroots education advocacy organization dedicated to improving public school options throughout New York State.
StudentsFirstNY Thanks Governor Hochul for Bold Plan to Improve Reading Proficiency in State of the State Address
NEW YORK–StudentsFirstNY thanked Governor Hochul today for unveiling a bold, ambitious plan to improve students’ reading proficiency in today’s State of the State address.
Governor Hochul’s ‘Back to Basics’ plan will:
- Introduce legislation to ensure evidence-based best practices are used throughout New York;
- Propose $10 million in state investments to train 20,000 teachers in Science of Reading instruction
- Expand SUNY and CUNY’s microcredentialing programs for teachers focused on the Science of Reading
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StudentsFirstNY Responds to 2022-23 State Test Scores
NEW YORK–StudentsFirstNY today responded to the release of New York City’s math and ELA test scores for grades 3-8. The results revealed shocking racial disparities in our city’s school system; while over 75% of Asian American students, and 70% of white students passed their math exams, only 34% of Black students and 36% of Latino students did the same. The results for reading were similar; 72% of Asian students and 70% of white students passed, compared to 40% of Black students and 39% of Latino students.
Last month, StudentsFirstNY Executive Director Crystal McQueen-Taylor and Bronx parent Unique Jackson co-wrote an op-ed that highlighted the power and promise of NYC Public Schools’s new reading approach, New York City Reads.
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