Giving Compass' Take:

• The Bronx Plan helps revitalize schools that have been under-resourced for long periods by allocating funding to schools targeted at solving critical issues. 

• How can donors help support and expand the Bronx Plan? 

• Read more on donors reforming schools in the U.S.

When I first entered the classroom as an art teacher more than 15 years ago, I never imagined it would lead me to where I am today: a veteran principal of a vibrant high school with 400 students.

It has been a remarkable journey, and I have found such joy in working with colleagues, partner organizations, families, and students to create opportunities for our school community. But even with all of our commitment and creativity, sometimes our work comes up against bureaucracy and funding realities.

Thankfully, our arts-focused Bronx Envision Academy joined the New York City education department’s Bronx Plan last year, and the program is bringing vital new dollars to my students and my school. This plan, which is not limited to Bronx schools, is designed to tackle tough realities and persistent problems at schools that have historically been under-resourced.

Like many schools serving students with high needs, we have sometimes had a difficult time with staffing and recruitment. In New York City, we see schools in Queens and Brooklyn losing teachers to higher-paying jobs on Long Island. In the Bronx, we sometimes lose teachers to districts in Westchester County. A couple of years ago, my school lost three teachers, 10% of our teaching staff, to one small Westchester district. When that happened, we lost a lot of professional development and other work we invested in creating our collaborative teaching environment. ​

To tackle the challenge of recruitment and retention, the Bronx Plan delivers higher pay for some of the hardest-to-staff teaching positions. The largest expense for any school is personnel, and investing additional funds in our staff acknowledges how important their work is. It sends a strong message of support that helps to say, “This is a place where you want to be.”

Read the full article about the Bronx Plan by Emily Shu at Chalkbeat.