NYC’s Mayoral Control Hearing Still Not Set; Testy Issue May Hinge on Lifting Charter Cap
New York City
Exactly one year ago today, lawmakers in New York state had just concluded a lengthy hearing that set the stage for their decision on extending Mayor Bill de Blasio’s jurisdiction over the city’s schools. Ultimately, they granted him a one-year extension, contrary to his desire for a longer term.
Now, 12 months later, the mayor’s spokesperson has confirmed that de Blasio is once again seeking a "multi-year" extension. However, no hearings for this year’s mayoral control issue have been scheduled as of Thursday. The final month of the legislative session, which comes to a close on June 21, is likely to be dominated by another contentious battle.
For the past two years, the Republican-led Senate has been reluctant to grant de Blasio more than a one-year renewal. The comprehensive hearings that took place in 2016, held in Albany on May 4 and in New York City on May 19, witnessed de Blasio’s absence from the latter event. This decision garnered criticism from senators and advocates for charter schools.
The upcoming debate on mayoral control is set to be even more complex due to the state Senate’s connection of the issue with another point of disagreement with de Blasio: the cap on the number of charter schools permitted in New York City. Although both issues were expected to be addressed in the state budget, they were excluded from the final deal approved in April. Shortly thereafter, Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, a Republican from Suffolk, declared that there would be no extension of mayoral control without loosening the charter school limit.
Flanagan stated in early May, "One of the things the city continues to do is disregard the law and make it extremely difficult for charter schools to secure space," adding, "I’d rather stop playing around."
At the end of April, City Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña appeared before the legislature and commended the administration for its major achievements, which included the implementation of free, universal pre-kindergarten for 4-year-olds, an increase in high school graduation rates, and a reduction in the dropout rate.
However, the top Republican legislators who have led the hearings in the past are currently silent about whether or not they expect a formal progress report on education from the Democratic mayor himself, who is seeking re-election without any prominent challengers.
Despite this, de Blasio has expressed his opposition to lifting the cap on charter schools. His aides have vehemently opposed attempts to link this issue to the renewal of mayoral control. De Blasio’s spokesperson, Freddi Goldstein, stated, "Mayoral control is an effective governance model that stands on its own, and we will not allow it to be held hostage," emphasizing that the progress made under de Blasio’s leadership of the city’s 1,800 public schools and 1.1 million students should not be compromised.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, a Democrat from the Bronx, shared a similar sentiment, stating, "We are not interested in adding any other criteria to extend the governance of schools."
In 2015, de Blasio initially sought a seven-year extension, but Senate Republicans only granted him one additional year. Mayor Michael Bloomberg was the first to gain control over the schools in 2002, shortly after assuming office. His control was renewed in 2009 for a period of six years.
