NEW YORK – Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza today announced the first 50 schools accepted to the Bronx Plan, which was launched in October as part of the UFT contract agreement. The Bronx Plan will support 180 historically underserved schools citywide over the next three years. Through collaborative decision-making, teachers and principals will also create specific solutions tailored to the needs of their school communities to increase student achievement.
«For far too long the New York City school system did not deliver for every zip code. Schools in the Bronx were often the victims of that inequality,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “This initiative will help over a hundred schools attract and retain talented teachers crucial to creating a successful schools and paths for kids of every background.»
It is named to reflect the challenges many Bronx schools face, and adds resources to improve teacher retention, reduce teacher vacancies and teacher turnover.
“The Bronx Plan is grounded in our fundamental belief of investing in our schools, our students and our communities,» said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. “I couldn’t be more excited to kick off this innovative, collaborative model for improvement with these 50 schools. Through the Bronx Plan, the right people will be together at the table working to increase teacher retention and drive student progress.”
“The Bronx Plan empowers educators and school communities to come together to decide what their students need to succeed, and then provides the resources to help make that happen. It moves decision-making powers and resources inside schools. And it focuses on schools that historically have not gotten their fair share,” said Michael Mulgrew, President of the United Federation of Teachers.
“The Bronx Plan initiative is a great opportunity for the NYC Department of Education to address one of the many difficulties we face here in our Bronx schools – retention of great teachers,” said New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. “Our students need consistency and educators who are able to provide a stable learning environment that encourages academic growth. This initiative will assist underserved schools in reaching their full potential, outfitting them with the tools necessary for our children to succeed.”
“As a Bronx native and longtime Bronx educator, keeping great teachers and working together to improve schools in the borough and citywide is an issue close to my heart,” said Roberto Hernandez, Chief Administrator for the Bronx Collaborative Schools Model. “Thank you to the schools who took advantage of the opportunity to be a part of the Bronx Plan. Through collaboration among every part of the school community, we can create better systems and achieve better outcomes for our students.”
Schools were invited to apply to the Bronx Plan based on their location in the city, staff turnover, student performance, and current trust levels among staff as measured by the NYC School Survey. The first cohort of schools, all accepted into the Collaborative Schools part of the plan, includes 32 from the Bronx, 11 from East New York and Brownsville and 7 from the Rockaways. Both the principal and the UFT chapter leader jointly signed on for the school’s application.