State Senate GOP Pushes a 'Buffet' of Bills to Extend City's Mayoral Control of Schools

The more you give, the more you get.

That's the message of New York State Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan (R-Smithtown) to Senate and Assembly Democrats, going into the end of the 2017 legislative session. The biggest item remaining is whether to extend mayoral control of city schools, and, if so, for how long.

Democrats and Mayor Bill de Blasio have complained about coming to Albany annually to plead for one-year extensions. When Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2002 assumed control of city schools from a central school board and far-flung network of district boards, he received a six-year grant, which state government extended for six more years in 2009.

Flanagan said he supports extending de Blasio's control, but only with a number of conditions. He proposed, and the Senate passed, three bills that he called a "buffet." All of them require Democrats to authorize more charter schools — something Democrats generally oppose — and the more generous the concession, the longer the extension of mayoral control. There are one-, two- and five-year versions.

"There's over 100,000 students in charter schools and more than 40,000 on waiting lists," Flanagan said. "We want to make sure we provide the ultimate amount of flexibility and options for parents who are trying to do the best by their children."

The Republicans will now use this trio of bills to negotiate with Governor Andrew Cuomo, who hasn't commented on them, and with Democratic Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, who staunchly opposes more charter schools.

For Republicans to grant the five-year mayoral control extension, Democrats would have to allow a generous new tax break for people who donate money to public, private, charter and religious schools — a proposal even more toxic to Democrats and their supporters in the teachers unions than expanding charter schools.

Senator Daniel Squadron (D-Brooklyn) said Republicans are holding city schools hostage to a conservative policy agenda on education. 

"Mayoral control is not an issue that should fall victim to log-rolling or horse trading or any of these political issues," he said. "It is simply too important for that."

Insiders say compromise is inevitable — but probably not before the waning hours of the session. That's next Wednesday, June 21 — the longest day of the year.