Teachers at The Core Knowledge Academy at the Thirman L. Milner School have been speculating about what will become of their school for awhile.
Tonight, it is expected that Superintendent Kishimoto will be proposing that what has been dubbed as a failing school for not meeting Adequate Yearly Progress be converted into some form of a charter school.
This move would not be surprising. If SB24 passes, it is expected that Milner would be one of the schools taken over by the Commissioner’s Network. Among other things, the signing of SB24 would mean that the voter-elected Board of Education could be replaced by a board selected entirely by the commissioner.
These possibilities should not suggest that all has been quiet at the school on Vine Street. Kishimoto recently decided that Milner would be switching to a longer school year for incoming kindergarteners. According to Vanessa de la Torre, “Another new initiative will add an extra two weeks of school beginning this June for current kindergartners at Betances, Milner Core Knowledge Academy and the Latino Studies Academy at Burns School who are not yet proficient in reading.”
Because of this new model, it has been reported that kindergarten teachers at Milner have all had to reapply for their jobs.
Tonight’s Board of Education meeting will be held at Kinsella Magnet School, 65 Van Block Avenue, at 5:30pm.