File #: Res 1181-2003    Version: * Name: Dep't of Education to refrain from eliminating, reducing or substantially altering programs for gifted students.
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on Education
On agenda: 12/3/2003
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling upon the Department of Education to refrain from eliminating, reducing or substantially altering programs for gifted students who attend classes in public schools within the City of New York and to publicly assure parents that these programs will be substantially maintained in their current form for at least five (5) years.
Sponsors: Lewis A. Fidler, Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., Tony Avella, Gale A. Brewer, Yvette D. Clarke, Leroy G. Comrie, Jr., James F. Gennaro, Eric N. Gioia, Robert Jackson, G. Oliver Koppell, John C. Liu, Margarita Lopez, Domenic M. Recchia, Jr., Michael C. Nelson, Joel Rivera, Jose M. Serrano, Kendall Stewart, Peter F. Vallone, Jr., David I. Weprin, Alan J. Gerson
Council Member Sponsors: 20
Res. No. 1181 Title Resolution calling upon the Department of Education to refrain from eliminating, reducing or substantially altering programs for gifted students who attend classes in public schools within the City of New York and to publicly assure parents that these programs will be substantially maintained in their current form for at least five (5) years. Body By Council Members Fidler, Addabbo, Avella, Brewer, Clarke, Comrie, Gennaro, Gioia, Jackson, Koppell, Liu, Lopez, Recchia, Nelson, Rivera, Serrano, Stewart, Vallone, Weprin and Gerson Whereas, The Department of Education of the City of New York is responsible for educating approximately 1.1 million schoolchildren whose intellectual and academic abilities range from those who are exceptionally talented to those who have special needs; and Whereas, According to parents of gifted children, the Department of Education is rumored to be considering paring down, eliminating, or substantially altering programs for gifted children who attend public school in the City of New York; and Whereas, As is true of children with special needs, gifted students are entitled to an appropriate education and to curricula and programs suited to their educational needs; and Whereas, Eliminating, reducing or substantially altering programs for gifted students does not serve the interests of those students or of the people of the City of New York, and is opposed by numerous parents' associations, parent-teacher associations, community organizations and locally-elected officials; and Whereas, Parents who wish to plan a future residing within the City of New York have a need and right to know that the educational options for their Gifted Children will be in place for the foreseeable future; and Whereas, Additionally, such elimination, reduction or alteration would lower the standards of our City's public school system as a whole and stands contrary to the virtues of achievement and dedication that the school system should be striving to instill in our City's schoolchildren; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the Department of Education to refrain from eliminating, reducing or substantially altering programs for gifted students who attend classes in public schools within the City of New York and to publicly assure parents that these programs will be substantially maintained in their current form for at least five (5) years. MHG LS# 3570 November 25, 2003