Kellner to DOE: PS 66 is the Solution to School Overcrowding on the UES
August 1, 2008
One of the problems I hear about almost more than almost any other is overcrowding in our public schools.
On the Upper East Side, 5 out of 6 elementary schools were over capacity during the previous school year. This problem is further reflected by the fact that 3 of the most overcrowded schools are located near the former PS 151, which was closed in 2000 without an appropriate plan to relocate its students.
Students in the PS 151 zone still do not have a zoned school, making the surrounding schools, which are already bursting at the seams, even more overcrowded. The families of these students are also placed in the unfair and stressful position of not knowing where their children would be placed until late May.
Community School District 2, which includes the Upper East Side, must be rezoned (see the June 4th NY Sun article on the subject: “Klein Eyes the Rezoning of City School Districts,” ) so that the New York City Department of Education (DOE) can get a clearer picture of the needs of Upper East Side students and families.
Rezoning District 2 will enable the DOE to redraw the map—thereby creating school zones which reflect the growth in student populations. Students in the PS 151 zone will no longer be left hanging at the end of the school year while they wait to find out where in New York City they were placed. Students in zones that already have schools will be redistributed more evenly so that existing schools can better handle class sizes. Rezoning would also force the DOE to take a hard look at District 2 and see where new schools are best utilized. However, rezoning by itself will not be effective without creating more elementary and middle schools to respond to capacity needs. As more and more people move to New York City, the needs of their children and the children who already reside here are being overlooked. A plan must be formulated that relieves existing school overcrowding while simultaneously planning for the future.
One specific way to solve the problems facing District 2 is to reclaim PS 66, presently housing Richard Green High School. The high school could be moved to another location. When this is completed, PS 66 could then be rezoned to accommodate the students who formerly attended PS 151, while relieving overcrowding from our other neighborhood elementary schools. This solution has the potential to be implemented quickly and with little interruption to Richard Green’s students and those being relocated to PS 66 if done in a transparent and coordinated manner. I have repeatedly called on the DOE to look into this scenario as a possibility, most recently at a meeting with Chancellor Joel Klein in August, and I believe he recognizes this as a serious possibility for a long-term solution.
We should also be looking for creative opportunities to build new schools. For instance, when the City negotiates with developers who are seeking zoning variances for a more lucrative development, these developers should be asked to provide classroom space in their buildings. For example, in recent dealings with New York Presbyterian Hospital, I have urged the City to negotiate to win two floors dedicated to a new public elementary school in the their proposed development on East 69th Street.
In July and August, I, along with other East Side elected officials, met with the DOE to stress the importance of reducing overcrowding in District 2 on both an immediate and long-term basis. I will continue to press the DOE for a rezoning and a plan to add additional classroom seats to our district.
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