Women’s City Club hosts a panel discussion that will delve into the rhetoric surrounding vouchers and charter schools to illuminate the landscape of school choice in New York, and the critical policy issues concerning government funding, regulation, and oversight of local schools.
The presenters will examine the costs and benefits of public funding for non-district schools, the legal and political parameters of the debate, and implications for education practice and equity. They will discuss potential City and State reforms, and opportunities for public engagement in ensuring that all publicly supported schools are capable of, and accountable for, providing a “sound basic education” to all students.
The national debate over the nomination of Betsy Devos as Secretary of Education turned up the heat on a long simmering national debate over “school choice,” particularly regarding vouchers and tax credits for families who choose private and parochial education for their children.
While proposals for education tax credits have been introduced in New York, they have not gained much traction. At present, publicly subsidized “choice” is primarily offered within the public school system and by independent public charter schools operated by non-profit or for-profit entities. Charter schools currently serve approximately 126,000 students statewide, including 105,000 of the 1.1 million public school students in New York City.
Keynote speaker: Michael Rebell, Professor and Executive Director, Campaign for Educational Equity, Teachers College, Columbia University
Panelists: Zakiyah Ansari, Advocacy Director, Alliance for Quality Education, Beverly Donohue, Senior Policy Advisor, New Visions for Public Schools, and James Merriman, CEO, New York City Charter School Center
Moderator: Shawn Morehead, Education Program Director, The New York Community Trust
What: Women’s City Club hosts panel discussion on public funding for school choice
Where: Wollman Hall, 65 W 11th Street, New York, NY 10011
When: Tuesday, May 23, 2017; 8:30 AM
RSVP: This event is FREE. To RSVP, visit http://www.wccny.org/calendar or call 212-353-8070. Events are open to the public. If you are interested in becoming a member, visit http://www.wccny.org/join.
FOR CALENDAR ENTRIES
Panel Discussion on Public Funding for School Choice in New York
Tuesday, May 23, 2017, 8:30 AM
Wollman Hall, 65 W 11th Street, New York, NY 10011
FREE
Women’s City Club of New York (WCC) hosts a panel discussion that will delve into the rhetoric surrounding vouchers and charter schools to illuminate the landscape of school choice in New York, and the critical policy issues concerning government funding, regulation, and oversight of local schools. Panelists include Zakiyah Ansari, Advocacy Director, Alliance for Quality Education, Beverly Donohue, Senior Policy Advisor, New Visions for Public Schools, and James Merriman, CEO, New York City Charter School Center. The event will begin with a keynote address from Michael Rebell, Professor and Executive Director, Campaign for Educational Equity, Teachers College, Columbia University and the panel will be moderated by Shawn Morehead, Education Program Director, The New York Community Trust.
About Women’s City Club of New York
Women’s City Club of New York (WCC) is a nonprofit, non-partisan, multi-issue activist organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for all New Yorkers. WCC shapes public policy through education, issues analysis, advocacy, and civic participation. As WCC enters its second century of activism, it continues to pursue economic, racial, and gender justice with the goal of dismantling the social inequities that deprive citizens of the opportunity to thrive. Through member-led Task Forces, WCC conducts research, publishes reports, fosters dialogue with public officials, and launches public education and multi-year advocacy campaigns in the following focus areas: Criminal Justice, The Environment, Good Government, Health, Housing and Homelessness, Income Inequality, and Public Education. For more information, visit http://www.wccny.org.
