Episode Details

A frequent guest on “City Talk,” Mr. Fliegel returns to discuss the reevaluation of New York City's public schools. He shares the common mistake made by all new chancellors in underestimating the staggering size of the New York City school system - a system that must accommodate the needs of 1,100,000 students. He describes the current structure and why it isn't working, and he explains the new ideas including “Autonomy Zones,” which give a principal and his staff more autonomy, as well as more accountability. Mr. Fliegel discusses the concept of “value added” diagnostics, including class attendance, behavior, after school instruction, and many other variables, which leads to tracking individual students as opposed to entire grades. He also shares different methods of accountability, including testing and principal and teaching incentives, and makes a plea for CUNY to become more involved in the New York City public school system.