NEW YORK (PIX11) — A nearly 300-page report examining New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ control of city schools was released Tuesday by the state Department of Education.
Adams’ current control of schools will expire June 30, and state lawmakers are set to decide whether to extend that power. The report commissioned by the DOE was meant to provide clarity about the upcoming decision, but the final recommendation was more an examination of the city’s school governance structure.
If Adams were to lose control, each school administration would need to install its own leadership, which could affect programming in the nation’s largest school system. The report noted as much, saying programs started with one mayor could be discontinued even when successful.
Adams blasted the report, pointing to graduation rates rising 25% and drop-out rates having been slashed in half.
“Back when we started under Bloomberg, we had a 50-something percent graduation rate; we now have over 80% graduation rate. I think we should be comparing the two about mayoral accountability versus non-mayoral accountability across the entire country,” he said.
While efficiency was found under Adams’ control, some parents expressed concern about a lack of checks and balances.
Michael Mulgrew, the president of the United Federation of Teachers, said in a statement, “Once the budget is done, we look forward to an in-depth discussion about adding more checks and balances to New York City’s system of mayoral control. We thank the state Education Department for the work it put into this report as well as to all the New Yorkers who participated in the process to have their voices heard.”