New Report: An Educational Plan for NYC's New Mayor

With financial distress and tanking parental trust in the school system, NYC must urgently prioritize growth over redistributionism  

NEW YORK, NY – Richard Carranza's abrupt decision last week to step away from his role as schools chancellor of the New York City Department of Education introduces fresh turbulence into what's already been a bumpy year for the Big Apple's schoolchildren. With a new mayoral administration slated to take office in the early weeks of next year, will new leadership be able to right a sinking ship?

A new Manhattan Institute issue brief from education policy director and senior fellow Ray Domanico analyzes the state of disarray which plagues the current school system, and offers recommendations for urgent improvement. Namely, he suggests that in order to accommodate the diverse array of students who depend on New York City schools, the nation’s largest school system must replace its redistributive approach to education policy with a growth-oriented agenda. 

His recommendations for growth distill into five policy suggestions. The city should:

• Embrace educational pluralism;
• Focus on performance;
• Demand flexibility from unions;
• Review existing contracts and emphasize transparency; and
• Prioritize real improvement over virtue signaling.

About New York City: Reborn

New York City: Reborn is a Manhattan Institute project that encompasses research, journalism, and event programming. Through this initiative, the institute convenes business, civic, academic, and civil-society leaders from around the city with MI scholars to discuss issues key to the city’s recovery. Post-coronavirus, MI envisions a growing New York City with a thriving economy, healthy finances, accessible housing, effective infrastructure, flourishing education, safe streets, and increasing competitiveness. New York City: Reborn will help turn that vision into reality. Click here to learn more.

Click here to read the full report.