The Department of Education (DOE) will be submitting the final rezoning proposal for DUMBO and Vinegar Hill to the CEC 13 in November, 2015. This time frame, officials said, would still allow changes to take effect for the 2016-17 school year.
The DOE just published a comprehensive overview of Frequently Asked Questions, here are the most important details:
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The DOE anticipates that the CEC will now vote on this proposal in late December or early January
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This rezoning proposal includes sibling grandfathering as a part of the plan
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If this proposal is approved, the DOE plans to develop a Rezoning Integration Task Force composed of key DOE support offices, CEC 13, and community groups to foster collaboration between all impacted communities.
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Will this rezoning affect Title I Funding at P.S. 307? School-wide Title I funding is based on the socio-economic status of the students who attend that school. In order for a school to receive Title I funds, 60% or more of the students at that school must qualify for free lunch. P.S. 307 is currently eligible for Title I funding. Like any school, there is a possibility that P.S. 307 would no longer be eligible for Title I funding if less than 60% of its students are eligible for free lunch. That said, P.S. 307 students would continue to receive per pupil funding, which contributes to the school’s overall budget, and students that qualify for free lunch and other services will continue to receive their mandated and entitled services.Why not build new schools in this area instead of pursuing a rezoning?The need for constructing new schools is not assessed on an individual school basis, but rather on a larger grouping of nearby school buildings and their utilization. Before acquiring or opening new school sites, the DOE aims to optimize utilization in existing schools where available. Though there is currently not an identified seat need for new capacity in this area, this proposed rezoning does not preclude the potential for additional capacity should the need arise.
- Was P.S. 287 considered in this rezoning? Why is it not included in this proposal? P.S. 287 was considered for this rezoning given their proximity to P.S. 8 and P.S. 307. However, P.S. 287 was ultimately not included in the proposed rezoning proposal because there is substantial upcoming residential construction in the P.S. 287 zone; thus, increasing the zone size now could create an unsustainable zone size for the school in the near future.
Read the full FAQ overview from the Department of Education here!
Upcoming Open Houses at PS 307: Saturday November 14 from 11am to 12pm, Thursday November 19 from 9:30 to 10:30 am, Monday December 7 from 6pm-7pm, Thursday December 17 from 9:30 am-10:30 am, and Thursday January 7 from 9:30-10 am. No need to register.
