Our School’s Funding Crisis and
Our Demands for a Solution
Presented by
Johanna Garcia, Co-Vice President of PTA
Caroline Muro, Co-President of PTA
Lori Uysal, SLT Chair on behalf of our parent community

• 187 is a highly regarded K-8 school in NYC
• 187 prepares students for life
• 187 embraces its diversity
• Our entire community enriches our students

• Over the last 7 years, our budget has been excessively cut by the DOE, so much so that our school cannot provide mandated and at-risk services
• Though 187 is a high achieving school in NYC, our funding is comparable to failing schools
– 187 has the lowest per pupil spending in D6
– 187’s budget cuts far outweigh other schools’ (with the exception of failing schools) in D6

For the 2014-15 school year, we demand immediate and
adequate funding for the following:
– Necessary teaching positions:
• 2 literacy intervention
• IS foreign language (full time)
• IS music (full time)
• Math teacher
• Replacement for retired staff
– Social-Emotional Needs: One guidance counselor cannot address the needs of all mandated and at-risk students in a K-8 school with 800 children
– School Aides, School Supplies, Substitute Funds

Fair Student Funding and
187’s 2014-15 Budget Appeal
We urge the DOE to restore 187’s budget so our students’ needs can be met at the most basic level
– Honor Principal Chory’s budget appeal
– Bring our FSF up to 94% (100% by 2015-16)

• The CCLS, NYS testing, and our School Quality Review require 187 to create a more rigorous academic environment for all students
• 187 cannot meet every student’s needs with understaffing in math and literacy after incurring such cuts
• Our most vulnerable students will struggle without action
• Our student body will not be enriched

Effects of 187’s Budget Crisis (cont.)
• 7 years of significant cuts have affected our school’s ability to hire appropriate number of faculty, to meet instructional expectations set forth by the Chancellor
• Our budget does not provide the funding for
187 to ensure that its students graduate having met foreign language and art mandates in IS

• Our administrators took on a secondary role as IS math teachers to do what’s best for students, however
– It was unacceptable for the DOE to initially exclude the teacher salary for this position in our 2015 budget
– Year after year this type of budget dance does not allow for proper planning, vetting, or hiring of quality teaching staff

A Numerical Look at 187’s Budget Cuts
While many things contribute to test scores, the dramatic decrease in funding from FY09 to FY13 negatively impacted student performance.
89%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
90%
80%
70%
60%
78%
33%
3&4 ELA
FY2009 - $6.14 million
34%
3&4 Math
FY2013 - $5.35 million

How 187 Compares to Other Schools
PS/IS 187 has suffered dramatically compared to other city schools.
% Decline Budget
9%
11%
17%
20%
21%
25% 0% 5% 10% 15%

How 187 Compares to Other Schools in District 6
PS/IS 187 has suffered dramatically compared to other D6 schools.

• PTA has stepped up to support our children’s public education by utilizing parent-raised funds for professional development and basic supplies
• Parents have volunteered to help in classrooms
• Our school continues to lobby the government
– Former Council Member Robert Jackson allocated close to $1 million in technology grants for upgrades
– Scott Stringer refurbished 187’s playground

– Necessary teaching positions:
• 2 literacy intervention
• IS foreign language (full time)
• IS music (full time)
• Math teacher
• Replacement for retired staff
– Social-Emotional Needs:
• 2 Guidance Counselors
– School Aides, School Supplies, Substitute Funds
• Restore School Aide Hours
• 2 Additional School Aides
• Supplies as per DOE allocation
• Substitute Funds as per DOE requirement

The Big Picture:
Questions About State Mandates
1. Why does Subdivision 3 of section 2853 of the education law mandating the city to give extra money to charter schools get treated as inviolable?
2. Why does the C4E, which mandates the city and state to fund public schools get treated as optional?

The Big Picture (cont.):
Success Academy vs. Public Schools
• NYC has the funding to comply with the state law mandating the city to pay for Success Academy’s real estate and construction costs just two blocks away from PS/IS 187
• The Contract for Excellence Law (C4E—also a state law) was passed in 2007, but class sizes have increased in the past 7 years

The Big Picture (cont.):
Success Academy vs. Public Schools
• Success Academy got clearance to open in our overcrowded district, after our pre-K program was cut
• SA originally was to relocate D1 students. Now opening as a K-1 school that has targeted our families and faculty
• We have observed around-the-clock construction at
SA’s new school site—evidence of a costly renovation being paid for with OUR TAX DOLLARS. Yet we have inadequate seats for pre-K and high school

• 187 has tried to reach out to DOE with principal’s appeals and letters from parents
• Sending 500 letters sent last November was necessary for action to be taken
• Our parents are agitated, politically active, connected to the press, and ready to act if necessary

• We invite you and Chancellor Fariña to
SLT/PTA meetings in September.
– 9/17—SLT, 7am
– 9/23—General Meeting, PTA, 6:15pm
• We’d be happy to schedule an additional meeting if neither of these times work.