As the school year winds down, NYC Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels’ top priorities for the future of the city’s public schools are coming into focus.
Samuels issued a report Monday based on audience feedback during a citywide engagement tour earlier this year. The release largely did not include firm plans with funding attached, but general ambitions for his time as chancellor.
In it, Samuels pledged to expand mental health services and ensure students can travel safely to and from school, when violence is more likely to erupt than during the regular school day.
He said improved school bus service will be a focus. Most of the city’s current school bus contracts are nearly a half-century old; Samuels in the report set a lofty goal of trying to “fix broken school bus contracts once and for all.”
The schools chief promised to expand opportunities for high school students to develop “real-world skills” and start earning college credits. He also committed to opening more programs for students with disabilities closer to where they live.
The report also contained priorities that Samuels has already made clear are top of mind: Universal childcare, curriculum reforms in English and math, community-led integration plans, and smaller class sizes.
Samuels started as chancellor mid-school year, largely maintaining the status quo while planning for the future.
Between January and April, he convened students, parents and teachers for 10 engagement sessions — two in each borough — to help inform his plans for the school system. In total, about 1,300 people participated in the public forums, according to the report.
“To truly lead our schools, I wanted to listen to the thoughts, ideas, and real concerns of the people who know them best,” Samuels said in a statement.
“Your voices have given us a clear roadmap. Thank you for your partnership. Let’s keep working together, hand in hand, to lift up our children.”