Dinowitz urges DOE to lead rather than wait for state guidance
Dinowitz says DOE is the largest district and should be vocal about what guidance should look like, citing youth journalism as an example. Cheng says DOE is taking leadership and leveraging existing strengths and student voices.
The DEU is the largest school district in the country.
And what I'm hearing is
You know, a lot from that answer is, well, let's wait and see what the state tells us.
Yeah, I think that that may be, you know, a perception that may be out there.
And I want to use the opportunity to really clarify, as you've heard me say, there are tremendous positive examples of a head start that New York City already has in place.
For example, and you've heard, and I want to make sure we put on record, that the New York State Performance Standards Consortium
has over 30 schools for over 20 years have had a state-recognized set of rubrics and guidelines that are accepted as just as good,
oftentimes better examples of what a high-quality bar is that has backed by evidence that is accepted by universities such as CUNY and SUNY system.
And through that process, there is alignment, validation, norming, and scoring that is in place.
So I do think that the...
So I know they exist, but I think as we've discussed, one element is taking the lead internally and saying, look, we know these things are good, setting up those structures to communicate.
And to ensure that, like, internally, that principals are communicating with one another.
Again, the support, the structural support and the finances.
But also, as the largest school district, I think it's okay to say, hey, like, we're in New York City.
We're doing it right.
Dear New York State, this is what it should look like.
And it just, you know, when I hear like we're waiting for the guidance, you should be really a lot more vocal in what the guidance should look like.
I mean, like today alone, we have these youth journalism students who are here.
You know, I know all the work you're doing in the DOE.
We're funding in the council.
Like that's what it could look like.
Like why not elevate these students and say.
Dear State, it should look like youth journalism, sincerely, the largest school district in the country.
And that's where I think we kind of, like, we shouldn't be waiting and hearing.
We should be elevating these things.