Bayside High parents battle for fair funding
BY JENNA BAGCAL
Parents of Bayside
High School students are
set rally this Friday as
they continue the fight for
equitable funding.
PTA members announced
the protest at the Sept. 9 Community
Board 11 meeting in
Bayside following an appeal
for a community letter-writing
campaign to Mayor Bill
de Blasio, Chancellor Richard
Carranza and City Council
Speaker Corey Johnson.
Bayside High PTA President
Paul DiBenedetto informed
the community that
the protest will be on Friday,
Sept. 13 at 10 a.m. at the playground
across the street from
the school.
“Congress Member Grace
Meng, Borough President
Melinda Katz, State Senator
John Liu, State Assemblyman
Ed Braunstein, Council
Member Paul Vallone
and Community Board 11
support this effort,” declared
David Solano, vice president
of the Friends of Bayside
High School. “DOE Fair Student
Funding is anything
but fair!”
In July, Vallone uncovered
records showing that the topperforming
This Friday, parents, lawmakers and community members will hold a press conference for fair funding at Bayside High School
high school only
received 90 percent of funding
determined by the Department
of Education Fair Student
Funding (FSF) formula.
“Our research shows a
tale of two systems: over 130
small high schools receive 100
percent to 128 percent of their
amount due. Other schools
get 90 percent to 99 percent of
theirs,” DiBenedetto said.
According to the FSF formula,
Bayside High School was
slated to receive $17.47 million
for the 2020-21 school year but
instead got only $14.3 million.
The lack of funding resulted
in the school cutting the career
and technical programs
(CTE), which is a significant
draw for the 12,000 annual applicants.
The PTA added that
the school is the largest CTE
school in the DOE.
DiBenedetto reported that
the DOE has underfunded
the school for the past decade,
resulting in cuts to teachers,
guidance counselors, security
guards and classes.
According to the PTA, the
school may consider taking legal
action if the DOE does not
take action.
“If the DOE continues on
Photo: Bayside High School
this path, the parents and community
will seek legal redress
of their capricious funding
patterns. It’s obvious favoritism,”
said DiBenedetto. “It’s
David versus Goliath but remember
who won that fight.”
Reach reporter Jenna
Bagcal by email at jbagcal@
qns.com or by phone at
(718) 260-2583.
Enjoy a lively ‘Sunday Stroll’ down Bell Boulevard
BY JENNA BAGCAL
Head to Bell Boulevard in
Bayside later this month to
indulge in a day of good eats,
free live music and family
fun activities.
The Bayside Village Business
Improvement District
announced this year’s Sunday
Stroll on Sept. 22, which
draws in thousands, for one
last hurrah before summer
ends. From noon to 5 p.m., Bell
Boulevard between 38th and
42nd avenues will transform
into a giant block party for the
neighborhood to enjoy.
NYPD officers will shut
the stretch down to vehicular
traffic, providing a safe,
stress-free environment. BID
Executive Director Christine
Silletti said that last year’s
Sunday Stroll drew in over
2,000 people.
Attendees should be ready
to eat from dozens of participating
restaurants along the
thoroughfare. Establishments
will offer free samples, special
discounts and al fresco dining,
complete with chairs and
tables set up outside.
Guests can also enjoy live
music by local favorites Skeedle
Brothers, Chicken Head
Rocks and Mike Tedesco. The
BID announced special performances
by competitors
from Bourbon Street’s “Voice
of Bourbon” and anyone who
wants to participate in an
afternoon of karaoke.
After chowing down, families
who attend the stroll can
choose from tons of activities
from creating DIY paper mosaics
to a game of volleyball. Other
activities include ping pong,
sand art, bounce houses, slime
making and the Bayside’s Got
Talent competition.
To learn more about this
free event, visit Bayside Village
BID on Facebook or
at baysidevillagebid.com.
Reach reporter Jenna
Bagcal by e-mail at jbagcal@
qns.com or by phone at
(718) 260-2583. These kids came just for the bubbles. Photo by Luis Zapata
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