Rob Bennett/Mayoral Photography Office

Mayor de Blasio at the Brownstone School in Brooklyn in 2014.

Speaker Heastie,

As M/WBEs who represent much of New York City’s small business community, we know that the strength of our City depends on a well-educated, highly skilled workforce. Many of our members were educated in New York City schools, and now their children are following in their footsteps across the five boroughs. Our members have made this choice because they know our public schools present the greatest path to prosperity for their kids—and for the whole city.

That path exists because of mayoral control.

As a proven governance model, mayoral control has produced unprecedented success for our children: schools have the highest graduation rate in history, more students than ever are taking and passing Advanced Placement exams, State test scores up are in every district, and crime in schools is at historic lows. Creating a major initiative like Pre-K for All and seeing it through so that 70,000 four-year-olds are now in full-day, high-quality Pre-K is an achievement that simply would not be possible without a Mayor in full possession of all the resources of City government.

Mayor de Blasio’s vision for continued improvement of the school system—the Equity and Excellence for All agenda—is aimed at making sure every single New York City student has access to an excellent, well- rounded education. Under the energetic leadership of recently appointed Chancellor Richard Carranza, our communities are continuing to become stronger due to greater resources and more strategic support for long-struggling schools. Central to that effort has been greater empowerment of parents and caregivers, including forums for parent leaders to talk directly with the mayor and chancellor. Expansion of Community Schools, which support students’ social, emotional, and health needs through partnerships with local non-profit organizations, remains a crucial component as well.

These are the efforts that are preparing the next generation of workers to tackle the big challenges of today’s society. An effective public education system that features opportunities in the sciences, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics will give young people the skills necessary to be successful in the future and benefit all those who live in the community.

Our members know what is needed for schools to succeed—they have lived it as students themselves, and they are experiencing it with their children and neighbors. Streamlined decision-making, improved transparency and a commitment to making families and communities essential partners are moving our schools forward. Our children cannot afford to go back.

That is why we today ask you to pass a three-year extension of mayoral control of New York City schools—so that the vital progress in our school communities can continue.

Sincerely,

Alvin Cepeda, Fortune Construction Group Corp
Cheryl Mckissack, McKissack & McKissack
Danielle Douglas, Inspire Enterprise
D’Ann Ricketts, Barden Contracting
Dart Westphal, Washington Heights and Inwood Development Corporation
Dawanna Williams, Dabar Development Partners
Denise Arboleda, Compulink
Dr. Stacie NC Grant, C&G Enterprises Unlimited, LLC
Francilia Wilkins Rahim, Wilkins Consultants, Inc
Joanne Cassidy, Ardent Construction & Dev Inc.
Joycelyn Taylor, TaylorMade Contracting LLC
Kalpana Patel, Unique Comp Inc.
Kevin Alexander, KA Investigations-Security LLC
Kimberly Y. Moore, Go Together, Inc.
Kyira Harris, Keys to Abundant Life, Inc.
Madeline Vera, Kinderdance Kids Dance Sport LLC
Megan Paznik, Chelsea videos Inc
Miguel Cabrera, MC Transportation
Nayan Parikh, Ashnu International
Nestor Anavitate, Nestor Anavitate Principal Base One Security Patrol
Norma Tan, Cora Group Inc.
Nure M. Aiza, Toll International LLC
NYC MWBE Alliance
Penda Aiken, Penda Aiken, Inc.
Rafiu Dada Sadiku, RDS Associates Consulting Engineers, Inc.
Rick Miranda, Brooklyn Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Ron Sussman, Sussman Education & Lightswitch Learning
Roy A. Hastick, Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc.
Rubain J. Dorancy, TRIAD Consulting Strategies
Samuel Padilla, Padilla Construction Services, INC.
Sandra Wilkin, Bradford Construction
Sarah V. Gillen, Emergency Skills, Inc.
Society of Indo American Engineers and Architects
Spurgeon Robinson, MPACT Strategic Consulting LLC
Thomas R. Campbell, Thorobird Companies
The National Association of Minority Contractors
The New York Tri-State Chapter of the NAMC
Veronica Harris, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce
Yolande Moreau, Moreau LMSW Children and Family Services P.C.