School Officials Tout New Five-Year Capital Plan

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On November 12, one week after Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein unveiled their $13.1 billion Five-Year Capital Plan
for the New York City Department of Education, the New York Building Congress hosted a Construction Industry Breakfast Forum featuring School Construction Authority (SCA) President Bill Goldstein and Deputy Chancellor of Finance and Administration Kathleen Grimm, who outlined the Plan and asked for the building industry’s support.

According to Grimm and Goldstein, approximately one-third of the proposed funds are allocated to restructuring and improvement of the City schools struggling the most. Another third is dedicated to adding classroom space through new school construction, mostly in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. The final third will be used for maintenance and improvement projects in existing schools throughout the five boroughs.

“The plan envisions not just brick and mortar but improving the educational environment in the classrooms through capital dollars,” said Deputy Chancellor Grimm, who noted that more than 100 New York City high schools operate with no science labs.

In a significant departure from previous Capital Plans, Mayor Bloomberg’s proposal calls for half of the $13.1 billion needed to come from the State of New York in the form of a settlement of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity case. In that case, the New York Court of Appeals found that the State must ensure that every school in New York City has the resources necessary for providing a “sound, basic education.”

"We believe the children of New York are entitled to this money, and we fully expect to have all funding in place," said Deputy Chancellor Grimm in response to a question, adding, "It would be a disservice to our kids to consider contingency plans."

Other highlights of the DOE Capital Plan include:

• Creation of 50 charter schools, over the next three to five years, as well as additional new schools created through various non-profit and academic partnerships
• Support for lower performing schools through specialized capital
  investments in computer technology, safety and other educational enhancements, such as upgrades to science labs.
• Construction of 76 new buildings citywide, the bulk of which will be in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. These projects will add 63,000 classroom seats systemwide.

“We are very excited about this plan and what we can accomplish,” said Goldstein. “This is a capital plan based on real needs, not a wish list.”

Building Congress Chairman Marilyn Jordan Taylor, New York City School Construction Authority President and CEO William Goldstein, and Deputy Chancellor of Finance and Administration Kathleen Grimm during a November forum.

The proposed Five-Year Capital Plan is being submitted to the City’s Community School Boards, which may elect to conduct public hearings on the Plan and make recommendations to the Department before January 1, 2004. The Plan will be submitted to the Panel for Educational Policy for review and approval, and then will be submitted to the City Council as part of the Mayor’s Capital Budget.

The new Five-Year Capital Plan is slated to go into effect at the start of the new fiscal year on July 1, 2004; the same day the State faces a deadline to come up with a plan to fund City schools more fairly. “The progress the City has made in education under the Bloomberg administration is really quite remarkable,” said Building Congress President Richard T. Anderson. “The capital plan again addresses critical needs, and it deserves our consideration and fullest support.”