Dumbo School Rezoning Talks Didn’t Include Us, Say Some Parents

When New York City education officials said they would convene small-group meetings to discuss a school rezoning proposal for two Brooklyn schools, many parents applauded. But now, a few weeks later, some of those same people said they felt excluded. 

Matt Cowley, whose daughter will enter kindergarten next year, said he and other Dumbo parents, who are the families being shifted from one school zone to another, have not yet had their own forum to discuss the plan for P.S. 8 Robert Fulton in Brooklyn Heights and P.S. 307 Daniel Hale Williams in Vinegar Hill with Department of Education officials.

"Unfortunately, we haven’t really had much outreach from the D.O.E. I wanted to participate in some of these focus groups and try to get invited," he said. "But it wasn’t open for your average parent."

Since taking the unusual step of postponing a vote on the issue, city education officials said they have met with community members from neighborhood associations; PTAs; Farragut Houses and the Church of the Open Door; school leadership teams at the two schools; and existing parents enrolled at P.S. 8 and P.S. 307. 

A handful of Dumbo parents were able to join a couple of the meetings through an invitation by the Dumbo Neighborhood Alliance. But, in general, Dumbo parents pointed out that they were not affiliated with either school yet and therefore felt in limbo. 

Deputy Chancellor Dorita Gibson said in a written statement that she wanted to support both school communities.

"While I listen to the concerns of parents, I am also encouraged by the optimism and collaboration I'm seeing," Gibson said. "I've met with both principals, the school leadership teams, parents and other community members. There are great programs at both schools and I encourage parents to continue to visit P.S. 307 and to come to the table for meaningful discussions."

Families in Dumbo said they wanted to talk about school quality; the quickness of the rezoning proposal; how the city would help blend two communities with vast differences in wealth; and continued funding of P.S. 307 after the school's magnet grant for math and science ran out and if the school lost its Title I status.

"I think the only common opinion among parents at 307 and Dumbo and Vinegar Hill is that this is happening awfully fast without a lot of answers to our questions and we’re not entirely convinced that there’s a plan to make this successful," said Cowley. "Our definitions of success may vary, and our specific concerns may vary, but we all seem to agree on that."

The rezoning plan has raised sensitive issues of race and class as well as differing opinions of what makes a school "good."

Cowley moved to Dumbo expecting to be in the P.S. 8 zone, he said. The school enrolls mostly well-off students and has high standardized test scores. According to the rezoning proposal, his child would attend P.S. 307 in the fall. It's also a beloved school with a strong history tied to Farragut Houses, the public housing apartments across the street.

P.S. 307 enrolls almost all students of color, who come from mostly low-income families. Test scores are far below the citywide average. The school also had a high proportion of students who were chronically absent last year, at 35 percent. 

Doreen Gallo, who heads the Dumbo Neighborhood Alliance, said parents wanted to know more about these numbers and the proposed plans to improve them.

"And it's hard to move forward when the neighborhood feels like it's uncomfortable for them to talk about test scores," she said.

City education officials said they would continue the small-group talks. They held a meeting for parents in Vinegar Hill this week; one is planned for Dumbo parents in early December, after school planners present their rezoning proposal next week.