Setting the Precedent: NYC Education Reforms 2002-2007

Abstract

This paper examines the process of reform in NYC, over the past five years, to determine whether the reforms have adequately addressed the problems within the NYC school system. The paper begins by examining the conditions of the school just prior to its reformation, followed by a brief introduction of the two men who engineered the changes. Next, it provides an overview of the initial reforms, the subsequent outcomes and criticisms, and an overview of the most recent reforms. The purpose of this evaluation is to determine whether the "Children First" initiative should be a model for other urban schools and whether it is an effective means of equalizing opportunities for poor children in the United States. [From Introduction]