Education

WCC members marched on Albany in April 2004 in support of fiscal equity in the funding of New York City public schools. Today, the WCC continues to advocate for the fair funding of public schools.

Public education in New York City has seen rapid, potentially transformational change in the 21st Century. Breaking a long-term precedent, New York State agreed to mayoral control of City schools early in the administration of Michael Bloomberg. Since then, many new and smaller schools have been created, and the City has claimed progress in raising student attendance and achievement from alarmingly low levels.

The Women’s City Club has long been committed to improving public education in New York City. Our priorities have included smaller class sizes and fair funding of public schools, opposition to tax-payer vouchers in non-public schools and monitoring the effects of the federal No Child Left Behind law. Our education programs examine the changing public school landscape; recently we’ve focused on charter schools and the small schools initiative. Currently we’re working to reinstitute physical education in every public school as a powerful deterrent to childhood obesity.

Recent Education News:

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  • New York Times Publishes WCC Letter on Physical Education November 2, 2011
    In response to a recent New York Times article on physical education, the WCC submitted the following letter, published in the October 28, 2011 edition.  The WCC’s Task Force on Physical Fitness advocates for the inclusion of comprehensive physical education in New York’s schools due to the myriad benefits it provides to students. Exercise in [...]
  • WCC Applauds Comptroller’s Audit of Physical Education in Schools October 4, 2011
    Today, City Comptroller John C. Liu announced that an audit of the Department of Education (DOE) found that many elementary schools do not meet state guidelines for physical education (PE) and, that despite documenting high rates of obese and overweight students, the DOE has not filed a PE plan with the state since 1982. According [...]
  • October 20 – Meeting NYC School Challenges in an Era of Depleted Resources September 15, 2011
    In this new school year, the New York City school system faces many challenges. Class sizes are expected to increase, along with expectations for higher graduation rates. New State Core Standards and criteria for evaluating teachers and students will be implemented. But perhaps the most significant strain will be the additional budget cuts to a [...]
  • WCC Pens Letter about Charter Schools July 13, 2011
    On July 6, 2011, the WCC submitted the following letter to the New York Times. To the Editor: We wish to validate what Diane Ravitch wrote about charter schools (letters to the Editor, The New York Times, July 6, 2011) “that they vary widely” and that “some are excellent, some are abysmal and most are [...]
  • Letter to the Editor Advocates for Physical Education in NYC Schools June 27, 2011
    On June 1, 2011, WCC President Ruth Acker submitted the following letter to the editor to The New York Times: June 1, 2011 To the Editor: One ingredient is missing from Diane Ravitch’s excellent op-ed piece, “Waiting for a School Miracle” (The New York Times, June 1, 2011). To be sure, schools need “stable, experienced [...]