New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and his Education Commission issued preliminary recommendations for statewide reform. One of the key strategies is the implementation of the Cincinnati model for community learning centers. American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew, members of the Governor’s Commission, have visited Cincinnati’s community learning centers and worked closely with the Community Learning Center Institute to promote and provide assistance to New York City and other AFT sites to redevelop schools as community learning centers. Mulgrew’s comments about Cincinnati were featured in the report.
“There is a community schools pilot that the UFT is co-sponsoring with the New York City Council and The Partnership for New York City…based on the Cincinnati Community Learning Center model. [There] it was about uncovering any impediment to learning and addressing it right in the school. Children need to be ready to learn. Cincinnati got it. They knew that the resources were available; they just weren’t necessarily accessible or aligned to the needs at individual schools… We have the opportunity in New York to create a unique model where the state government leads—from the governor to the education commissioner and beyond. The State could facilitate the public-private partnerships and incentivize the local schools to do the necessary work to accomplish what we know is best for children.” Michael Mulgrew, President, United Federation of Teachers; New NY Education Reform Commission Hearing, New York City, October 16, 2012