NYC Board of Education Governance Systems, 1842-Present

The Board of Education is the central governing body of the New York City public school system. When the Board was first formed in 1842, each city ward elected its own school commissioners, trustees, and inspectors, two of whom sat on the central Board of Education. The following timeline traces the changes in governance of the central Board of Education from 1842 to the present, detailing how the Board has shifted back and forth from the control of elected Board officials to mayoral control and back and forth from local community to centralized control.

The following text is an excerpt from The Encyclopedia of New York City*:

1842 First Board of Education for New York City: 34 commissioners popularly elected, 2 from each of 17 wards (later increased to 2 from each of 22 wards). Board of 5 trustees popularly elected in each ward to appoint teachers and manage most affairs of the schools; 2 inspectors elected in each ward to inspect schools and certify teachers' qualifications.
1853 Board of Education acquires schools of the Public School Society. Board has 59 members: 44 commissioners popularly elected (2 from each of 22 wards) and 15 members transferred from the former board of the Public School Society for a transition period until 1855.
1855 Board has 44 members: 2 commissioners from each ward. Ward trustees and inspectors as in 1842.
1864 Board has 21 members: 3 commissioners elected from each of 7 school districts. Districts contain from 2 to 7 wards to produce roughly equal number of pupils in each district. Board of 5 trustees elected in each ward. Trustees retain major role in appointing teachers and managing schools. Each school district has 3 inspectors appointed by the mayor with responsibilities for inspecting schools and certifying teachers' qualifications.
1869 Board has 12 members, appointed by the mayor to serve to the end of 1871. Ward trustees and inspectors continue, locally elected.
1871 Board of Education replaced by a municipal Department of Public Instruction under direct authority of the mayor, who appoints its 12 members. Ward trustees and inspectors also appointed by the mayor.
1873 Board of Education reestablished with 21 members appointed by the mayor, from each of 7 school districts; 5 ward trustees in each ward, appointed by the Board of Education; 3 inspectors in each school district, appointed by the mayor.
1896 Ward trustees abolished. Most direct powers of appointment and management of schools transferred to a board of superintendents composed of professional educational managers. Board of Education has 21 members appointed by the mayor; 5 inspectors in each of 15 inspection districts also appointed by the mayor.
1898 Consolidation of greater New York and confederation of school boards. Borough school boards retain powers of appointment and school management. New York City Board of Education (21 members) is retained and becomes School Board for the Boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx, future appointments to be made by the mayor. Brooklyn Board of Education (45 members) is retained and becomes School Board for the Borough of Brooklyn, future appointments be made by the mayor. School Board of the Borough of Queens (9 members) and the School Board of the Borough of Richmond (9 members) also appointed by the mayor. Board of Education of the City of New York ("Central Board") comprises 19 representatives chosen by the borough boards (11 from Manhattan and the Bronx, 6 from Brooklyn, 1 each from Queens and Richmond).
1901 Full powers transferred to citywide Board of Education and superintendent of schools. Borough boards abolished. Board has members appointed by the mayor (22 from Manhattan, 14 from Brooklyn, 4 from the Bronx, 4 from Queens, 2 from Richmond); executive committee has 15 members; 46 local school boards that are largely advisory each have 7 members (5 appointed by the borough president, 1 each by the Board of Education on and the district superintendent).
1917 Smaller Board of Education reflects trend toward streamlining urban school systems. Board has 7 members appointed by the mayor (2 from Manhattan and Brooklyn, 1 from each of the other boroughs).
1948 Board enlarged to reflect shift in the population: 9 members appointed by the mayor (2 each from Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens, 1 from Richmond).
1961 Former board removed during scandal; 9 members now appointed by the mayor from names submitted by a screening panel.
1968 Decentralization: board acquires authority to delegate powers to local boards and expands to 13 members appointed by the mayor; 25 local school boards appointed by the Board of Education have 9 members each.
1969 Further decentralization: community school boards acquire powers of appointment and management in elementary and junior high schools. Interim Board of Education has 5 members, 1 appointed by each borough president; 32 school districts each have 1 community school board with 9 members, to be popularly elected in special school elections from 1970.
1973 Expansion of central board to 7 members (2 appointed by the mayor, 1 by each of the borough presidents).
1996 [NYS Legislature gives the NYC Board of Education Chancellor the right to hire and fire community school district superintendents. The Legislature takes budgetary authority away from community school boards.]

Brooklyn’s Board of Education was an independent body until it consolidated with the New York City Board of Education in 1898. The following timeline traces the governance changes of the Brooklyn’s Board of Education before consolidation.

The following text is an excerpt from The Encyclopedia of New York City*.
1835 Separate school districts with citywide control: 3 trustees in each school district appointed by the Brooklyn Common Council, 3 citywide inspectors and 3 citywide commissioners also appointed by the Common Council.
1843 First Brooklyn Board of Education: 2 members from each school district (initially numbering 14), appointed by the Common Council.
1850 Central Board of Education with substantial powers of appointment and school management delegated to local committees. Board has 33 members, least 1 from each school district, appointed by the Common Council. Committees of the board formed for each school with extensive powers of oversight.
1854 Expansion reflects incorporation of Williamsburgh and Bushwick. Board has 45 members, 13 from the new Eastern District, appointed by the Common Council.
1862 Mayor given power to appoint members, subject to confirmation by the Common Council.
1882 Mayor's appointments no longer subject to approval by Common Council.
1898 Consolidation of greater New York. Brooklyn Board of Education becomes School Board of the Borough of Brooklyn.
Source: The Encyclopedia of New York City. New York: Yale University Press, 1995.

 

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