Education

Revise Spending Formula and Reform to Ensure that the System is Administered Efficiently and for the Benefit of Students
The Chamber supports the court-mandated reform of the New York State's education funding formula in order to increase State funding of City schools proportionate to population distributions. However, increased funding must be accompanied by meaningful reforms in administration. The graduation rate for New York public schools in 2002 was 64%, only 41st best in the nation and 11% below the national average according to a recent study by the Manhattan Institute. Students who do graduate are ill-prepared to enter the workforce.

New York taxpayers already support one of the most expensive school systems in the world. New York State public schools spent almost $12,140 per pupil in 2002-3. That figure is 51 % above the national average and second only to New Jersey. Per pupil spending on school administration was higher in New York than in all but five other states. Per Pupil spending across New York State will increase by more than twice the rate of inflation to an average of $15,411 raising property taxes per student by 7.1% in the school year 2005-2006. Census Bureau data from 2002 indicate that about 47% of school revenue was from local sources, mainly property taxes. Another 46 % was from state funding and approximately 7% came from the federal government. Despite this high per-pupil funding, testing in 2003 for the National Assessment of Educational Progress shows that New York students rank only 26th in Math 4 and 17th in Reading 4, when compared to students from other states.

Charter Schools
The Chamber supports the Chancellor's efforts to break up large schools and establish 50 new charter schools, funded primarily by private dollars.

Uniform Testing Standards
Support current plans to raise standards of high school education by uniform Regents testing in English, Mathematics, US history and Government, Science, Global History and Geography.

School-to-Career Program
Encourage a local school-to-career educational credit voucher program for employers who participate in hiring local high school and full-time college students. Students must be employed for at least 24 consecutive months and work at least 20 hours a week. Increase credit vouchers currently provided from 5% to 10% of the student's 20 hour week annual wages. The vouchers can be applied toward tuition at CUNY or other local accredited institutions.

Teacher Education
Support legislation and funding, which will promote teacher education programs within the higher education system. In response to a projected teacher shortage, the Chamber supports development and funding of programs geared to attract and retain the most talented students into the teaching profession and to periodically train and test them to improve student learning in classrooms within the borough of Queens.

Improve the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)
To ensure that TAP is appropriately allocated and to conserve TAP expenditures for proven higher education programs, the Education Law should be amended to require that a college operate an approved program in NYS for at least three (3) years before its students qualify for TAP funding.

Vocational Training in Schools
Secondary schools and colleges in New York State should be encouraged to expand the teaching of vocational and technical courses to improve the skill level of the state's work force, including courses dedicated to the use of new technology.

NYSTAR Grants to Queens' Universities
The New York State Office of Science Technology and Academic Research should increase initiatives focused on Queens educational institutions to enable expansion of New York's leadership position in high-technology research and economic development in areas that include improvements in computer security, technical capabilities in law enforcement, new identification techniques using iris or heartbeat patterns, improving protection of buildings, power plants, drinking water supplies and other parts of our physical infrastructure.

Cultural Industry Career Training
Support legislation and funding to expand career training programs in the arts industries. The cultivation of a skilled work force in the arts with the collaboration of educational institutions, arts institutions and businesses is essential to the future cultural life of Queens. Encourage curriculums in secondary schools and colleges that promote careers in the arts, art technology and arts administration. Work/study programs in local Queens' cultural institutions for talented art students seeking to pursue a career in the arts should be encouraged.

Public School Plant and Equipment
The Chamber supports and actively advocates additional funding to provide adequate physical facilities for Queens. More than 265,000 children attend public schools in Queens. Although the Department of Education's Capital Plan provides funding for additional seats for students in Queens, the Queens school system is still faced with a shortfall. More funding is essential to address this imbalance.