In the paper, DFER presents a 10-point approach for reducing income inequality and improving educational opportunities that focus on the following four issue areas:
Developing High-Quality Pre-Kindergarten: “Although it may be easier to stretch the city’s available funds in a rush to make pre-kindergarten universal, we urge Mayor de Blasio to maintain a careful focus on ensuring that every seat open to our youngest students is of the highest quality.”
Improving the Open Enrollment System For High Schools: “Although New York City officials are quick to claim to low-income families that open enrollment provides equal access to the city’s finest public schools, today’s complicated and unfair system erects barriers between high- and low-income neighborhoods and offers fewer choices to those who have been previously given fewer opportunities.”
Ensuring the Equitable Distribution of Effective Teachers: “When low-income students are disproportionately paired with low-impact teachers, the education system exacerbates the income inequality that already plagues New York City.”
Promoting Collaboration Between Charters and Traditional Public Schools: Cooperation, rather than combat, between the country’s largest traditional public school system and one of its largest and most successful charter school systems offers exciting possibilities for educators to learn from and build upon the valuable experiences of each other.”
Read “Ten Essential Policy Changes for a Truly Progressive Education System in New York City” here.