CUNY
& BOE Chancellors Propose K-16 System
By
Sybil Maimin
Appearing
together to tout a K-16 system that would blend their respective
institutions, New York City Schools Chancellor Harold Levy and
CUNY Chancellor Matthew Goldstein spoke of the mutual advantages
of a partnership. The University has the strength to help public
school teachers and students, and the schools are a natural feeding
ground for the University. In the College Now program which is
currently in 150 high schools but will eventually reach 45,000
students in 230 schools, students are prepared for college admissions
tests and the realities of higher education. Participants do better
and graduate from college in greater numbers than non-participants.
In the Teachers Opportunity Program, individuals who feel a calling
to teach but do not have proper education credits are offered
an alternative certification program at CUNY. This year, 1300
people, including accountants, doctors, and lawyers, were certified.
CUNY offers professional development to upgrade instruction, and
the all-important administrative and management skills needed
by principals and others in school leadership positions.
Most of CUNY’s 400,000 students are from the broad spectrum that
is New York City, and many city teachers are CUNY graduates. Determined
to build distinguished academic programs that attract top city
students, last year CUNY launched its first ever Honors College,
which attracted 1600 applicants, most with SATs over 1300. Two
hundred and fourteen were admitted; with support from major foundations,
future numbers will be larger. Overall admission standards have
been raised. Management is being improved with a performance-based
system for all executives, and greater efforts are being made
to gain alumni support so that the university can fulfill its
revolutionary goal of self-generating 50 percent of the funds
in its budget.
Citing the “natural alliance” between the Board of Education and
CUNY, Chancellor Levy stressed the need for better recruitment
and professional development so that instructional standards are
upgraded and the best CUNY graduates become teachers in New York
public schools. “The budget is not pretty throughout the city,”
explained Chancellor Levy, “but children must be educated and
we will make do with limited resources.”
The chancellors’ joint appearance was before the Board of the
New York Chapter of the American Jewish Committee, which presented
$50,000 from its 9/11 Fund to the Board of Education’s Twin Towers
Fund. In accepting the gift, Chancellor Levy noted that the school
system “had been through a lot,” and “the contribution is recognition
of the work critical to the city that has to be done.” #
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