stringer school overcrowding

8/9/2019 Stringer School Overcrowding

1/20


2/20


3/20


4/20


5/20


6/20

THE C ITY OF NEW YOR K

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN

SCOTT M.STRINGERBOROUGH PRESIDENT

MUNICIPAL BUILDING y1 CENTRE STREET yNE W YOR K , NY 10007

PHONE (212) 669-8300 FAX (212) 669-4305

www.mbpo.org [email protected]

INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS REPORTING PROBLEMS

RELATING TO PHYSICAL FACILITIES

BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN

APRIL 2010


7/20

Page 2

The information below describes the scale of space utilization problems in public elementary and

middle schools in Manhattan. The descriptions are based on reports made to our office by

parents, teachers, and school administrators during the past year. Reported problems are found

in every residential neighborhood in Manhattan, encompassing uptown and downtown, east side

and west side, and in communities of every cultural, ethnic and income demographic. The

narratives are organized into three categories:

I. Overcrowded which suggests that the school is overcapacity or has waitlists.

II. Substandard Learning Facility which relates to lack of cluster space, graffiti on school

walls, or trailers used as classrooms.

III. Destabilized School Community which implies a fear of or concern about an imminent

relocation or tension related to a co-located school.

Each school is placed under the category with which it most closely aligns. In addition, there is a

note about whether the school is co-located. To provide a complete and accurate snapshot ofovercrowding, the corresponding map includes schools identified as overcrowded by our office

in our third and most recent Crowded Out report, issued in September 2009.

These situations are multi-faceted and deeply emotional for many of the parties involved, and the

narratives below reflect many of the stories that we hear on a daily basis. There may be other,

conflicting perspectives which have been excluded from this catalogue, simply because this

information is derived from stakeholders who have actively sought out our office and not the

entire universe of stakeholders involved in every school. Despite the subjective nature of the

data, which is somewhat inherent to community input, we believe that the sheer number of these

reports suggests that DOEs planning for space has been haphazard, shortsighted, and

detrimental to many school communities.


8/20

Page 3

I. OVERCROWDED02M003

P.S. 3 (Charrette School) is co-located with Greenwich Village Middle School (GVMS)(M896). P.S. 3 faces ongoing overcrowding problems. In the 2009-2010 school year, the DOE

relocated two Pre-K classes from P.S. 3 to Greenwich House in order to accommodate a waitlistof 91 Kindergarten students.

02M006

P.S. 6 (Lillie D. Blake School) has faced ongoing overcrowding problems and was overenrolled

by 23 students in April 2009.

02M011

P.S. 11 (William T. Harris) is co-located with M.S. Clinton School for Writers & Artists. Both

P.S. 11 and Clinton need more space and share a building that is currently facing severe

overcrowding problems. P.S. 11 has lost cluster rooms and reading resource rooms in the past

few years. Members of the P.S. 11 school community have stated that they are at risk of losingstate and federal funding if their class sizes increase, as well as Title 1 funding.

Last year, the DOE committed to move Clinton out of P.S. 11 so both schools would have the

opportunity to grow. A proposal by the DOE to relocate Clinton is currently under review, but

no decisions have been finalized.

02M041P.S. 41 (Greenwich Village School) is overcrowded. In the 2009-2010 school year, the DOE

had to relocate one of the schools Pre-K classes to Greenwich House to alleviate overcrowdingand waitlist problems.

02M059

P.S. 59 (Beekman Hill International School) was overenrolled by 45 students last April,

according to the DOE. The Department resolved the schools waitlist problem by having parents

select alternate schools throughout the summer of 2009. P.S. 59 faces similar overcrowding andwaitlist problems this year.

02M089

P.S. 89 is co-located with I.S. 289. Until last year, P.S. 89 was one of only two elementaryschools in lower Manhattan (along with P.S. 234). Combined with a residential boom and failure

on the part of the DOE to plan proactively for school seat creation, the school has faced serious,

ongoing overcrowding problems.

02M158

P.S. 158 (Bayard Taylor School) is co-located with East Side Middle School. As a result ofovercrowding, the DOE will have to relocate East Side Middle School to another building. In

the 2010-2011 school year, the DOE will incubate a new school, P.S. 267, in the building. This

will require P.S. 158 and P.S. 267 to share small common spaces including the cafeteria and back

yard.

02M183


9/20

Page 4

P.S. 183 (Robert L. Stevenson School) was overenrolled last year and had a waitlist that theDOE resolved by having parents select alternate schools throughout the summer of 2009. P.S.

183 faces similar overcrowding and waitlist issues again this year.

02M234

P.S. 234 (Independence School) was, until last year, one of only two elementary schools inlower Manhattan (along with P.S. 89). Combined with a residential boom and failure on the partof the DOE to plan proactively for school seat creation, the school has faced serious, ongoing

overcrowding problems. To address overcrowding, the DOE utilizes space in an annex and at

Manhattan Youth, an after school organization. DOE efforts to address overcrowding through a

temporary rezoning have not resolved the problem. P.S. 234 will require a lottery in 2010because it cannot accommodate all the children in its zone.

02M290P.S. 290 (Manhattan New School) was overenrolled by 40 students last April. The Department

resolved the schools waitlist problem by having parents select alternate schools throughout the

summer of 2009. P.S. 290 faces similar overcrowding and waitlist problems this year.

03M009P.S. 9 (Sarah Anderson School) is co-located with M.S. 243 (The Center School). As of March

2010, P.S. 9 was at 103 percent utilization, and is at risk of being over 100 percent capacity againnext year.

03M075

P.S. 75 (Emily Dickenson School) is co-located with M.S. 250 (West Side Collaborative Middle

School). Lunch starts as early as 10:00 am for some students, to allow both schools access to the

cafeteria throughout the day. Scheduling enough gym classes for each grade in a given week has

been a challenge due to the large number of students in the building and the range of studentsages.

03M087

P.S. 87 (William Sherman School). At 121 percent capacity, P.S. 87 is the most overcrowded

school in District 3, with a waitlist in March 2010 of more than 110 in-zone students. Ongoing

overcrowding problems have resulted in P.S. 87 losing cluster rooms, and out-of-catchmentsiblings can no longer attend P.S. 87 with their older siblings.

03M163P.S. 163 (Alfred E. Smith School). P.S. 163s Kindergarten classes are in two trailers that were

supposed to be temporary, but which have now been behind the school for 10 years. Concerns

have been raised about children being in a learning environment that is meant to be temporary,

which subjects them to restricted space and makes them feel like they are not a real part of theschool.

03M165

P.S. 165 (Robert Simon School) is co-located withthe Earth School (M.S. 364) and Tompkins

Square Middle School (M.S. 839). The school is overcrowded with capacity at over 100 percent,

and has a waitlist for September 2010.

03M166


10/20

Page 5

P.S. 166 (The Richard Rogers School of the Arts and Technology). P.S. 166 is operating atover 100 percent capacity. The school may risk losing their Dual Language program if it is

required to make room for additional students both in and outside of its immediate zone. The

school currently has a waitlist for September 2010.

03M199P.S. 199 (Jessie Isador Straus School) was co-located with The Center School until last year.However, significant overcrowding problems led the DOE to relocate The Center School to

create additional seats for students in the P.S. 199 zone. As of March 2010, P.S. 199 was at 99

percent capacity with more than 50 in-zone students on its waitlist for the 2010-2011 school

year. Due to ongoing overcrowding problems, out-of-catchment siblings are no longer able toattend P.S. 199 with their older siblings.


11/20

Page 6

II. SUBSTANDARD FACILITY

01M020

P.S. 20 (Anna Silver School). In 2009, the DOE explored different space distribution scenarios

in its Lower East Side schools that would allow for the expansion of Girls Preparatory Charter

School. One option DOE considered was relocating the School for Global Leaders from itscurrent building into P.S. 20. This move would have resulted in P.S. 20 losing all of its cluster

rooms. The DOE did not move forward with this proposal.

01M184

P.S. 184 (Shuang Wen School). In 2009, the DOE explored different space distribution

scenarios in its Lower East Side schools that would allow for the expansion of Girls Preparatory

Charter School. Members of the Shuang Wen school community objected to one DOE proposalthat would have relocated District 75 students to their school which, they felt, would restrict their

ability to expand and fulfill the potential of their dual language program. The DOE did not move

forward with this proposal.

84M188

Girls Preparatory Charter School (M188) is co-located with P.S. 188 (The Island School) andP.S. 94, a District 75 school. Last year Girls Prep expressed interest in expanding to serve

middle school grades. The DOE explored different space distribution scenarios in its Lower East

Side schools that would have allowed the school to expand, and ultimately released a proposal to

keep Girls Prep in the M188 building. Members of the P.S. 188 and P.S. 94 school communitiesstrongly opposed this proposal, saying it would prevent P.S. 188 from growing, and required the

graduating out of students with autism who attend P.S. 94.

02M151

Yorkville Community School (M151). In its first year of operation, Yorkville had room for100 students and enrolled 73. The school is currently on a short term (3 year) lease and willrequire permanent space to grow into a full sized elementary school.

02M167

J.H.S. 167 (Robert F. Wagner School). The DOE has discussed using Wagner Middle School

to absorb Kindergarten students from over-enrolled schools. This would require very young

children to share space with older students. In addition, the DOE has raised the possibility of

utilizing Temporary Classroom Units (TCU) in the Wagner parking lot.

02M260

M.S. Clinton School Writers & Artists (M260) is co-located with P.S. 11 (William T. HarrisSchool). The building housing both schools faces severe overcrowding problems, as each school

needs additional space and seats. Last year, the DOE promised to move Clinton out of P.S. 11 so

each school would have the opportunity to grow. The DOE proposed several possiblerelocations for Clinton, however parents have objected to each of these moves for a variety of

reasons, among them that the space DOE has proposed is inadequate for their growth needs.

In recent months, Clinton parents have raised strong objections to each of the two proposalsDOE formally released for temporary relocation. The DOEs first proposal would have moved

Clinton students to the M033 building, requiring the relocation of 70 high need students whoattend P.S. 138 at M033 across town to the American Sign Language School. The DOE

ultimately withdrew this proposal, and released a second, which would relocate Clinton to the


12/20

Page 7

American Sign Language (ASL) school building, where it would be co-located with two schoolsthat serve students with unique language needs, and a third school serving high need District 75

students. Some Clinton parents have expressed concerns about the impact of their possible co-

location in the building on students in the three other schools, as well as their own studentsability to reasonably access common space including the cafeteria, gymnasium, auditorium,

outside yard, library and science lab.

02M422

Quest to Learn (M422) is co-located with The American Sign Language and English Secondary

School, The American Sign Language & English Lower School, and P.S. 138 at M047. Quest to

Learn is a new, grade 6-12 high school currently serving only sixth grade students. The DOEplaced Quest to Learn in the American Sign Language school building with the understanding

that the school would be there for one year only. For the 2010/2011 school year, Quest to Learn

will move to the Bayard Rustin Educational Complex where it will be co-located with five highschools. Some Quest to Learn parents have expressed concerns about housing their middle

school children with so many high school students.

02M896

Greenwich Village Middle School (GVMS) (M896) is co-located with P.S. 3 (The Charrette

School). In the fall of 2009, the DOE proposed relocating Greenwich Village Middle School

(GVMS) to the financial district for the 2010-2011 school year to alleviate overcrowding in thebuilding it currently shares with P.S. 3. This would move the only middle school seats in the

West Village down to the Financial District. Additional concerns included the cost of moving the

school to 26 Broadway.

03M208

P.S. 208 (Alain L. Locke School) is co-located with P.S. 185 (John M. Langston School) and

Harlem Link Charter School (M469). P.S. 185, which serves grades K 2, and P.S. 208, whichserves grades 3 5, are tandem schools currently located on separate sides of the M208 building.

Harlem Link Charter School is dispersed on both sides of the building. The DOE recently

abandoned a proposal that members of the P.S. 208 community supported and P.S. 185 opposed,that would have merged the two tandem schools on P.S. 208s side of the building, and relocated

Harlem Link to other side.

03M243

M.S. 243 (The Center School) is co-located with P.S. 9 (Sarah Anderson School). To address

overcrowding problems last year, the DOE relocated The Center School from P.S. 199 to PS 9,to make seats available to students in the P.S. 199 zone. P.S. 9 is overcrowded again this year.

03M245

M.S. 245 (The Computer School) is co-located with J.H.S. 44 (William J. OShea), TheAnderson School (M334) and West Prep Academy (M421). As the DOE phases M.S. 44 out of

the building, it will phase in a new school, P.S. 452. Questions remain as to how all schools in

the IS 44 complex will have access to adequate school space in the 2010-2011 school year.

03M334

The Anderson School (M334) is co-located with J.H.S. 44 (William J. OShea), The ComputerSchool (M245), and West Prep Academy (M421). Last year the DOE moved the Anderson

School out of P.S. 9 and into its current building due to overcrowding. Questions remain as to


13/20

Page 8

how all schools in the IS 44 complex will have access to adequate school space in the 2010-2011school year.

03M415

Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing & Visual Arts (M415) is co-located with

Frederick Douglass Academy II Secondary School (FDA II). Earlier this year, the DOEabandoned plans to move Opportunity Charter School into the M415 building, a proposal bothschools staunchly opposed. However the DOE has indicated its intentions to move a third school

into the building in the 2011-2012 school year, despite cramped common spaces such as the

library, schoolyard and cafeteria, where lunch periods start as early as 9:45 am.

03M421West Prep Academy (M.S. 421) is co-located with M.S. 44 (William J. OShea), The Anderson

School (M334), and The Computer School (M245). As the DOE phases M.S. 44 out of thebuilding, it will phase in P.S. 452, a new school whose growth over the course of several years

will require the DOE to re-locate West Prep Academy at some point in the future.

75M811

The Mickey Mantle School (75M811) is co-located with P.S. 149 (the Sojourner Truth School)

and Harlem Success Academy 1 Charter School (HSA 1, M351). Members of the Mickey

Mantle School community have raised concerns about overcrowding and shared spaces in thebuilding, including the cafeteria and outdoor area.

03M860

Frederick Douglass Academy II Secondary School (FDA II) is co-located with Wadleigh

Secondary School for the Performing & Visual Arts (M415). Earlier this year, the DOE

abandoned plans to move Opportunity Charter School into the building that FDA II and

Wadleigh share. However the DOE has indicated its intentions to move a third school into thebuilding in the September 2011-2012 school year despite cramped common spaces such as the

library, schoolyard and cafeteria, where lunch periods start as early as 9:45 am.

04M012

TAG Young Scholars (M012) is co-located with Esperanza Preparatory Academy (M372),

Global Neighborhood Secondary School (M381), The Bilingual Bicultural School (M182), andthe Tito Puente Education Complex (M117). TAG is a Gifted and Talented School in East

Harlem, located in the Tito Puente Complex. Parents at the school have expressed concerns

about the quality of their resources and facilities relative to other G & T programs in Manhattan:the school does not have an art or music room, library, or technology lab. Parents have also

expressed interest in moving TAG to a building where they do not have to be co-located, will

have adequate facilities, and where there will be less strain on shared common space.

04M375Mosaic Preparatory Academy (M375) is co-located with Harlem Success Academy 3 Charter

School (HSA 3, M385), and P.S. 101 (Andrew Draper School). Some members of the MosaicSchool community have expressed concerns that lack of space in the building will result in their

having to turn East Harlem children away from the school. Additional concerns include not all

schools in the building have equal access to the same quality facilities and resources, and thatHSA 3 may expand, displacing traditional public school students from the building.


14/20

Page 9

04M497

Central Park East I (M497) is co-located with J.H.S. 13 (Jackie Robinson) and Central Park

East High School (M555). Members of the Central Park East I school community have

expressed interest in expanding into underutilized space currently assigned to J.H.S. 13, which isunder-enrolled by approximately 100 students. The DOE has rejected the schools request to

expand through a grade reconfiguration.

05M030

P.S. 30 (Hernandez/Hughes School) is co-located with Kappa II (M317) and P.S. 138 at M030.

In early 2010, the DOE proposed to relocate Harlem Success Academy 2 (HSA 2) from its

current location at P.S. 123 into the M030 building. The P.S. 30 school community hasexpressed tremendous concerns about the impact of this move on their school, including the

possibility that they may lose classrooms at a time when they would like to expand.

The DOEs proposal to move HSA 2 into the M030 building was predicated on the assumption

that HSA 2 would take over space vacated by Kappa II, a school the Department had sought and

attempted to phase out. However in March 2010, the State Supreme Court overturned the DOEsdecision to close Kappa II and 18 other schools citywide, citing DOEs failure to comply withEducation Law requirements.

It is now unclear how, if at all, the DOE will alter its current plans, in order to create adequatespace for all schools involved: Harlem Success Academy 5, Harlem Success Academy 2, P.S.

123, Kappa II, P.S. 30, and P.S. 138 at M030.

05M123

P.S. 123 (Mahalia Jackson School) is co-located with Harlem Success Academy 2 Charter

School (HSA 2, M384). Parents and P.S. 123 school staff have expressed deep concerns around

the inequitable condition of resources and facilities between the two schools in the building.

In February 2010, the Panel for Educational Policy approved a DOE proposal to relocate Harlem

Success Academy 2 from its current location at M123 to another school, M030. The DOEconstructed this proposal with the assumption that it would phase out Kappa II, another co-

located school in the M030 building, in the 2010-2011 school year. However a State Supreme

Court ruling in March 2010 overturned the DOEs decision to close this school, along with 18others citywide, and it is now unclear how the DOE will create adequate space for all schools

involved: HSA 2, HSA 5, P.S. 123, P.S. 30, P.S. 138 at 30, and Kappa II.

05M195

I.S. 195 (Roberto Clemente School) is co-located with KIPP Infinity Charter School (M336).

Members of the I.S. 95 community have expressed concerns about the expansion of KIPP, citing

issues related to shared space such as the cafeteria and auditorium.

05M362

Columbia Secondary School (M362) is co-located with KIPP STAR College Preparatory(M726) and P.S. 125 (Ralph Bunche School). Members of the Columbia Secondary School

community have expressed concerns about badly needed facilities upgrades, without which they

feel the school will be unable to fulfill its potential. Additional concerns revolve around sharedgym space.


15/20

Page 10

06M143

J.H.S. 143 (Eleanor Roosevelt) is co-located with Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning

School (M348), and Community Health Academy of the Heights (M346). Parents from J.H.S.

143 have expressed concerns about use of shared space, including the cafeteria and gymnasium.Lunch periods start as early as 10:30 a.m. to accommodate all the schools in the building.

06M173

P.S. 173 is co-located with Harbor Heights (M349). There are concerns about elementary and

middle school students sharing common space because of behavior and language older students

sometimes display in front of younger students.

06M293City College Academy of the Arts (M293) is co-located with I.S. 218 (Salome Urena) and

Middle School 322. Because of a lack of space, some classes at this school are taught in the

hallway and rotunda. Parents and school staff have expressed interest in moving to anotherbuilding where there will be adequate space for teaching and learning to take place.

06M349

Harbor Heights (M349) is co-located with P.S. 173. Some Harbor Heights school communitymembers have expressed concerns about overcrowded classrooms and sharing common spaces.

06M368

Hamilton Heights School (M368). Hamilton Heights is currently split-sited between P.S. 28

and St. Catherine's Church and is looking to be unified in one school building. The DOE has

proposed a unification in the P.S. 153 school building, which would cause P.S. 153 to lose art

cluster rooms, its G & T programs, and out-of-catchment enrollment. Members of the HamiltonHeights school community and P.S. 153 have mobilized to oppose this move, expressing concern

about constricting P.S. 153s current space and compromising the schools ability to provide its

students with a rich education.


16/20

Page 11

III. DESTABILIZED SCHOOL COMMUNITY

75M094

P.S. 94 is co-located with P.S. 188 (The Island School) and Girls Preparatory Charter School

(M198). P.S. 94 is a District 75 school serving boys with autism. Last year the DOE explored

different space distribution scenarios in its Lower East Side schools that would allow for theexpansion of Girls Prep. Earlier this year, the Department released a proposal that would allow

Girls Prep to stay and expand in the building it currently shares with P.S. 94 and P.S. 188. To

accommodate the Girls Prep expansion, DOE will need to graduate out one grade of P.S. 94,and relocate some of its students to M276, a new school building in Battery Park City. P.S. 94

school community members have expressed concerns about the impact of this move on its high

needs students.

01M188P.S. 188 (The Island School) is co-located with Girls Preparatory Charter School (M188) and

P.S. 94. In 2009, the DOE explored different space distribution scenarios in its Lower East Side

schools that would allow for the expansion of Girls Preparatory Charter School. In early 2010,the DOE released a proposal that would allow Girls Prep to stay and expand in the building it

currently shares with P.S. 188 and P.S. 94. This proposal drew criticism from members of theP.S. 188 and P.S. 94 school communities, some of whom feel Girls Preps growth will come at

the expense of both schools: P.S. 188 would like to grow and now will not be able to; P.S. 94

will have to graduate out a class of its students in order to free up classroom space for Girls

Prep. Additional concerns have been raised about the future interactions between a co-ed schoolthat is growing which only serves girls, as well as the impact of expanding a school whose

enrollment draws heavily from outside of District 1.

02M047

The American Sign Language (ASL) and English Secondary School (J47) is co-located withThe American Sign Language & English Lower School (M347), P.S. 138 at M047, and Quest toLearn. The only public, dual-language American Sign Language School in the five boroughs, the

ASL school has been in its current location for 100 years, and serves deaf and hard-of-hearing

students, students of deaf parents or siblings, and non-deaf students who want to be fluent in signlanguage.

In 2009, the DOE co-located Quest to Learn, a general education middle school serving 80 sixth

graders, with other schools in the ASL school building. ASL school staff says the DOEpromised them that Quest to Learn would only be sited in their building for one year. ASL has

expressed a desire to grow and re-claim cluster rooms and the science lab that were lost when

DOE moved Quest to Learn into its building.

Around the same time, the DOE released a second proposal to relocate 70 high needs students

attending P.S. 138 at M033 (a District 75 school) to the American Sign Language schoolbuilding.

Some members of the American Sign Language School community expressed concerns about

accommodating the large number of students in wheelchairs that the Department planned tomove into their building, and the true impact of this move on all four school communities

involved. Elevators with ongoing mechanical problems, time and cost associated with necessaryrepairs and renovations to bathrooms and an inadequate fire safety plan that would have involved

removing students from a window, one-by-one, using a cherry picker machine, were reasons


17/20

Page 12

some said they believed the DOE had not carefully thought this plan through. Following awalkthrough of the building with elected officials, parents, and school staff, and in the face of

significant community push-back, the DOE retracted this proposal.

The DOE followed this retraction with submission of a second proposal that would relocate more

than 250 Clinton School students into the ASL building. Members of the ASL schoolcommunity believe the move of so many students will increase class sizes which are capped atlower numbers than in other schools, so students can easily see interpreters and instructors

signing, cause long term loss of needed cluster space and classrooms, and force the school to turn

away students who need the unique language services it provides.

75M138P.S. 138 at M033 is co-located with P.S. 33 (Chelsea Prep). P.S. 138 at M033 is a satellite

school, belonging to a larger collective of P.S. 138 schools serving high needs District 75students. The school has been in its current building for 20 years and thrived there for a number

of reasons, most notably that the space in the building meets its students needs.

In 2009 the DOE proposed relocating P.S. 138 at M033 across town to the American SignLanguage School. This relocation would have displaced 70 students in wheelchairs, some with

autism, to temporarily create space for the Clinton School, which currently faces overcrowding

challenges in its co-location with P.S. 11 and is seeking a permanent home.

In early 2010, the DOE, elected officials, parents and school staff conducted a walkthrough of

the ASL building to assess its suitability for the large number of incoming students inwheelchairs. Questions were raised about ongoing mechanical problems with building elevators,

cost of renovations to bathrooms and fire-safety holding rooms, and proposed safety plans that

included use of a cherry picker machine to remove students one-by-one from a second-floor

window in the event of a fire. Upon determining that the ASL building could not reasonablyaccommodate these students, and in the face of significant community pressure, the DOE

withdrew this proposal.

P.S. 138 parents also strongly opposed a subsequent DOE proposal that would have dispersed

their children to four sites throughout Manhattan, some of which are currently being constructed,

and to unknown schools in outer boroughs. The DOE ultimately retracted this proposal as well.

75M138

P.S. 138 at M047 is co-located with The 47 American Sign Language & English Lower School(M347), the American Sign Language and English Secondary School, and Quest to Learn.

Concerns exist about the condition of elevators in the building which, when they are not

functioning, leave staff to carry some students with mobility impairments down several flights of

stairs. Further, the building is not fire code compliant. Finally, concerns exist that P.S. 138 at 47may lose two classrooms if the Panel for Educational Policy votes through a current DOE

proposal to relocate more than 250 middle school students from the Clinton School for Writers

and Artists in the ASL building.

02M347

The American Sign Language & English Lower School (M347) is co-located with TheAmerican Sign Language and English Secondary School, P.S. 138 at M047, and Quest to Learn.

Some members of the ASL Lower School community report that when the DOE moved Quest to

Learn in the ASL building, the Department explicitly promised that Quest would be there for one


18/20

Page 13

year only. The ASL Lower School has lost its music room and science lab, and was supposed toregain classrooms once Quest to Learn moved out.

Though Quest to Learn is moving out at the end of this school year, the DOE has proposedmoving in The Clinton School for Writers and Artists. If approved, the ASL Lower School will

lose more of its classrooms.

03M149

P.S. 149 (Sojourner Truth School) is co-located with Harlem Success Academy 1 Charter

School (HSA 1, M351) and the Mickey Mantle School (75M811). Members of the P.S. 149

community have raised concerns about overcrowding in the schoolyard during lunch periods,lack of physical education programs for all students, and loss of music programming. In

addition, P.S. 149 students are no longer allowed to use bathrooms on their floor without an adult

to escort them. As a result, P.S. 139 students generally walk downstairs to a different floor touse the bathroom. This practice, parents and school staff say, causes students to miss valuable

instructional time.

03M185

P.S. 185 (John M. Langston School) is co-located with P.S. 208 (Alain L. Locke School) and

Harlem Link Charter School (M469). P.S. 185 serves grades K 2, while its tandem school, P.S.

208, serves grades 3 5. These sister schools are currently located on separate sides of theM208 building, while Harlem Link Charter School has space on both sides of the building.

Parents and staff at P.S. 185 expressed concerns regarding a DOE proposal to move them to P.S.

208s side of the building where facilities, they felt, were not equipped to accommodate earlychildhood students. Further, P.S. 185s current facilities work well for the students it serves,

offering floor-to-ceiling bulletin boards and blackboards, and direct access to the playground.

The DOE retracted this proposal.

03M241P.S. 241 (the Family Academy School) is co-located with The Opportunity Charter School

(M279) and Harlem Success Academy 4 Charter School (HSA 4, M386). Last year the DOEproposed to close P.S. 241 and open HSA 4 in its place. A lawsuit was filed that ultimately kept

P.S. 241 open. The Department proceeded to co-locate HSA 4 in the school building with P.S.

241 and Opportunity Charter.

P.S. 241 has lost cluster rooms for special education students, and some students are taught in

windowless classrooms. Concerns have been expressed about the DOE prioritizing HSA 4 overothers in the building, and perhaps trying to drive down enrollment at P.S. 241. In the fall of

2009, the Department sent letters to parents in P.S. 241s catchment area, informing them that

they could not enroll their students in Kindergarten classes at P.S. 241 in the 2010-2011 school

year.

03M242

P.S. 242 (Gwendolyn Powell Brown Computer School) is co-located with Future LeadersInstitute Charter School (M861). Members of the P.S. 242 community would like to expand,

incorporating a Pre-K into their school, and have expressed concerns that the DOE is driving

down their enrollment and failing to give them adequate support to do so.


19/20

Page 14

84M279

The Opportunity Charter School (M279) is co-located with P.S. 241 (Family Academy

School) and Harlem Success Academy 4 Charter School (HSA 4, M.S. 386). Last year the DOE

proposed to close P.S. 241 and open HSA 4 in its place. A lawsuit that was filed ultimately keptP.S. 241 open. However the DOE proceeded with plans to move HSA 4 into the building.

Members of the Opportunity Charter School community have expressed concerns about nothaving adequate instructional space for its students, who are predominantly children with specialneeds.

04M224

M.S. 224 (Manhattan East School for Arts & Academics) is co-located with RenaissanceSchool of the Arts (M377) and the Academy of Environmental Science Secondary High School

(M635). In January 2010, P.S. 224 parents expressed concerns about a new proposal they heard

the DOE might release that would move a new school, Harlem Success Academy Charter School5 (HSA 5), into the M224 building. The move would have relocated P.S. 224 to another

building. Parents mobilized against the proposal, which the DOE ultimately did not release.

05M092

P.S. 092 (Mary McLeod Bethune School) is co-located with St. HOPE Leadership Academy

Charter School (M388) and the Academy of Collaborative Education (ACE). Until March of

2010, the DOE had slated ACE for closure, and the DOE planned to move Democracy PrepCharter School 2 into the space ACE vacated. However a recent court decision overturned the

closing of ACE and 18 other schools citywide leaving uncertain how space will be allocated in

this building. Some members of the P.S. 92 community had hoped to expand in space ACEvacated, and have expressed concerns that the DOE did not allow them the opportunity to discuss

this possibility.

75M138

P.S. 138 at M030 is co-located with P.S. 30 (Hernandez/Hughes School) and Kappa II (M317).

P.S. 138 at M030 is a District 75 school serving high needs students, with satellite locations

throughout Manhattan. Parents of students attending P.S. 138 at M030 have expressed concernsabout the DOE making decisions to relocate and co-locate new schools in their building without

consulting with them.

The DOE released several re-location proposals in the 2009-2010 school year that would impact

students attending P.S. 138 at M030. The first proposal, released in January 2010, would have

relocated 39 high need students attending P.S. 138 at M033, a satellite P.S. 138 school, to theM030 building in the fall of the 2010-2011 school year. However, strong public outcry about the

DOEs plan to relocate this vulnerable student population led the Department to retract this

proposal.

The second DOE proposal called for the relocation of Harlem Success Academy 2 from its

current location at P.S. 123 into the M030 building. In February 2010, the Panel for Educational

Policy approved this proposal, which the DOE constructed under the assumption that in the2010-2011 school year, it would phase out Kappa II, another co-located school in the M030

building. However a State Supreme Court ruling in March 2010 overturned the DOEs decision

to close Kappa II and 18 other schools citywide, due to the DOEs failure to comply withEducation Law requirements.


20/20

Page 15

It is now unclear how, if at all, the DOE will alter its current plans to co-locate Harlem SuccessAcademy 5 and relocate Harlem Success Academy 2, and the impact on other schools in the

buildings they might share space with: P.S. 123, P.S. 30, P.S. 138 at M030, and Kappa II.

06M153

P.S. 153 (Adam Clayton Powell School). The DOE has proposed a unification of HamiltonHeights Academy, a school currently split at two sites, within P.S. 153s building. Members ofthe P.S. 153 community have expressed concerns that the move will result in their losing art

cluster rooms, G & T programs, which will negatively impacting the quality of education they

can provide their students. As well, they are concerned about losing their out-of-catchment

enrollment.

06M366

Washington Heights Academy (M366) is co-located with P.S. 152 (Dyckman Valley School).Some parents from Washington Heights Academy have expressed concerns that the DOE has not

invited them to apply to be a K-8 school for the 2010-2011 school year. Parents asserted that the

recent F grade the DOE assigned them was inaccurate, and viewed the DOEs rejection of theirrequest to expand as a way for the Department to place another school in the building. Morerecently, the DOE said it would not put another school in the building.

stringer school overcrowding

Documents