Commission on School Governance Recommends Strengthening School Leadership Teams

The final report of the Commission on School Governance to the Public Advocate recommends strengthening School Leadership Teams as one of the checks on Mayoral control to ensure parent, staff and community participation in school decisions. The findings and recommendations will be presented to Cathy Nolan, the Chair of the Education Committee of the State Assembly.The report can be accessed under "links" on this page.

Concerning School Leadership Teams, it states:

1) "Existing law needs to be revised to guarantee that there is more opportunities for meaningful input by parents and communities in the decision making process and the education of their children" (p.25).

2) "School Leadership Teams must be invigorated at the school level to serve as a voice for parents and a resource for principals, teachers and administration in the development of a Comprehensive Educational Plan tied to a school budget" (p.9).

3) "School Leadership Teams have not functioned adequately since the implementation of mayoral control" (p.26)

4) "The legislature must reaffirm the role of SLT's to serve as a voice for parents and a resource for principals,teachers and staff in developing a Comprehensive Educational Plan aligned with the school budget" (p.34)

5) "To enable parents and other SLT members to perform their duties ably, relevant training must be provided regularly".

State Education Law on SLT's as well as Mayoral control sunsets in June 2009.

Jacob Morris and I, representing the School Leadership Team Empowerment Alliance, testified before the Commission on April 3, 2008.

We recommend that certain parts of State Education Law (2590-h(15) and 2590-r) be re-written to strengthen the law, clearing up any ambiguities concerning the role of School Leadership Teams. Please read the post on that subject to view our suggestions for re-writing the law.