All of the candidates speak to new ways that the Mayor and City agencies can help public school students.
Abraham: calls for the Department of Parks and Recreation to expand activities on School District playing fields and more after school activities. She also pledges to fund 40 Department of Human Services’ caseworkers who are deployed in school buildings to reduce absenteeism especially in early grades.
She also pledges to support the READ! by 4th Campaign and will increase collaboration between the Police Department and schools to create positive youth experiences and consistent messages for good behavior.
Kenney: will charge the Managing Director to oversee departmental planning for improved interaction and services to schools with the goal of saving the District funds or supplementing District services to students including more behavioral health services for students and expanded after school activities run or supported by City agencies.
Kenny adopts the Community School Model where schools serve as hubs for social and workforce services for children and their families. He also proposes to undertake systemic improvements for children who are in placement or a high risk of entering placement.
Kenny pledges to meet regularly with principals to determine how best city agencies can serve schools and create a fund for principals to use from proceeds from leases of City luxury boxes at sports venues.
Williams: Promises to use City services to make schools community anchors for a wide array of services. He also calls for pro-active measures to plan and develop a Great Schools in Every Neighborhood campaign which he explains would prioritize the use of City resources to help create new or improve existing schools and improve safety in and around schools.
Williams plans to direct City social service agencies to work with the District to drive up the school attendance rate. He proposes to reduce by 10% the number of children sent by the courts or the Department of Human Services to out-of-district placement agencies.