News

NEW YORK, NY September 19, 2007 —The City Council is taking a hard look at whether the mayor should keep running the schools. The state law granting the Mayor of New York City full control over the city's public schools will expire in 2009.

REPORTER: Bronx City Councilman James Vacca says he and other council members will be raising questions over the next year about whether that law should be renewed.

VACCA: The agenda is not that we're for or against mayoral control. I think the agenda is we want to listen to parents and listen to stakeholders who are active in our school system and we want their input on a variety of things that have taken place.

REPORTER: Vacca says the panel is concerned that parents don't have enough of a role in the schools. However, the council can only make recommendations to the state legislature, which will ultimately decide on the law. Mayor Bloomberg has often credited the rise in test scores to his control over the schools.