On August 30, 2021, eight brilliant women began designing innovative programs for “New York City Education After Mayor De Blasio.” In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic they ventured in-person to class each week as they prepared their own visions for schools in the next city administration while learning professional policy-making skills from public and private experts who generously visited the class.

The work presented here is the culmination of their efforts. Inayah Ansari, Kelly Brady, Jacqueline Delacruz, Shobita Mampilly, Joliette Mandel, Sunisa Nuonsy, Elena Romero, and Juliet Young are to be congratulated on their exceptional abilities, tenacity, even bravery in completing this work which, by its quality and insight, demands attention from officials in state and city government, policy advocates, and the general public. I could not be prouder of their efforts and am grateful for such an electrifying and intrepid group of students. I also want to thank another brilliant Urban Education Ph.D. student, Francine Almash, for designing this website.

Similarly, I would like to thank the many guests who gave of their time and expertise, coming to to class – live! – to inspire and teach. In order of appearance, they are Sarita Subramanian (NYC Independent Budget Office), Sarah Medina Camiscoli and Jada Richardson (IntegrateNYC), Kelly Brady (Urban Education Research Collective), Lisa Rozner (WCBS-TV), Ben Chapman (Wall Street Journal), Christina Foti (NYC Dept. of Education), Maggie Moroff (Advocates for Children of New York), Lisa Auslander (Bridges to Academic Success), Joanna Yip (English Learners Success Forum), Deborah Greenblatt (Medgar Evers College, CUNY), and Brian Jones (New York Public Library).

The course could not have taken place without the full participation of the staff of the CUNY Graduate Center’s Office of Public Safety led by its Director, John Flaherty. I can not thank and praise all involved enough for accommodating our guests while assuring a safe environment for our work. Security staff met every challenge with verve and good will in keeping with our collective academic mission.

I hope you will read and deeply consider the work presented here. Each student selected their topic, engaged in research to analyze pros and cons, budgetary considerations, and likely political allies and opponents. Contributing to public debate in the best tradition of the Graduate Center, they have also marked themselves as able policy-makers and engaged citizens helping to make our city a better place to learn and thrive.

David C. Bloomfield
Professor of Education Leadership, Law, and Policy
Interim Executive Officer, Urban Education Ph.D. Program
The City University of New York Graduate Center