001[Music] Are we set? Okay. Good evening, Mount Vernon. I'd like to call to order this public hearing for the New York State Monitor for the Mount Vernon City School District. This is the first of three public hearings. Today is Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025. Please stand for the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. This evening's hearing will focus on the state monitor's duties and laws related to the duties. I will now open the floor to Dr. Dr. Harold Kohl's, district superintendent for Southern Westchester Boseies and Dr. Kimberly Young Wilkins, New York State Monitor. You have the floor. >> Thank you. >> Welcome. I'm Harold, Dr. Harold Kohl's, district superintendent for
002southern westeries and your moderator for today's public hearing of the monitoring for the Mount Vernon public school system. Today's public hearing is it is on the subject of the state authority pertaining to the school district's governance and interventions. In my role as monitor, I will explain for viewers and participants how this hearing will be conducted. Call upon speakers will be called upon who wish to make comments or ask questions during the hearing and ensure that public comments that have been received prior to the hearing are entered into public record. And if time permits, give panelists an opportunity to answer questions that have been submitted. I'm joined today this evening by Dr. Kimberly Young Wilkins, the state monitor for Mount Vernon Public School Systems, as well as Dr. Dmitri Staro A. Strickland, superintendent of the Mount
003Vernon School District. Apologize for that. The agenda today meeting is as followed. First, explaining how the public hearing will be conducted, how persons will may participate in the hearing. Next, Dr. Wilkins will Dr. Wilkins Young will be pre presenting on the state law and regulations regarding schools district governance and intervention so that we all have the same common information about this topic. Next, I'll provide opportunities for persons to participate in the public hearing to make comments regarding the topic. This will follow by time allotted for summarizing public comments if we received any prior to this meeting so they can be entered into the public record for public hearing. At the end of this process, we'll review the next steps. The process will include uh a second meeting on July 29th uh to discuss academic stat
004status of the school district and a third hearing fiscal on fiscal status of the district will be on April August 5th. After Dr. Wilkins, Dr. Young Wilkins has finished her presentation. We'll open the hearing up for comments from any anyone who signed up to speak tonight or today. When the time comes for public comment, each speaker in the order that they have signed up will be asked to come up and give their comments. Uh when their name is called, um person will come up to the podium and have four minutes to give a statement or ask any questions. When one minute remains in the allotted time, a buzzer will be heard. After four minutes, a buzzer will sound again and uh the person will have uh they concluded and let the person know thank you
005for participating with their comment. Um for those people that want to submit comments, you still submit them on the public on the the new on the the website for the the school district. Okay. Actually good. Yep. One more. Yeah. Yeah. That's it. Now I have Dr. Wilkins presentation. Not touching any equipment. Thank you. Okay. All righty. Good. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Kohl's. Welcome to all who are participating in tonight's public hearing. I'm Dr. Kimberly Young Wilkins, the monitor assigned by the commissioner to the Mount Vernon City School District. I have more than three decades. Wow, that sounds so old. I have more than three decades of experience in educational leadership and I have served as principal superintendent, deputy commissioner, and assistant commissioner at state ed. I'm very familiar with the academic and fiscal
006challenges facing districts such as Mount Vernon. The hearing is being conducted to meet the requirements of a new state law that directs the commissioner of education to appoint a monitor to the Mount Vernon City School District. Mount Vernon's school district is not unique in this regard. SM similar provisions of law also require the commissioner to appoint monitors to Hemstead, Rochester, and Wendance School District. A somewhat different provision of law establishes the monitors for East Ramapo school district. As the Mount Vernon monitor, I am charged with providing oversight, guidance, technical assistance related to the academic and fiscal policies, practices, and programmings and decisions of the school district and its board of education and superintendent on this slide. Keep going. Keep going. It said it should be responsibilities of the monitor. There we go. Thank you. On
007this slide, you can see my main responsibilities as the monitor as listed. During my time in office, I will be a member of the board of education and will attend all board meetings, but not I will not be able to vote on any issues. I will assist the board to adopt a revised conflict of interest policy based on a model provided by state education department. My core responsibility is to develop in collaboration with the district proposed academic improvement and financial plans for the district no later than November 1st, 2025 for the 2526 school year and the four following school years. Then beginning in 2627 school year, I will review the district budget each year to ensure that the budget is balanced and consistent with the district's academic improvement and fiscal plans. I will report semiannually
008to the state officials on the academics, fiscal and operational status of the district. I will assist in resolving any disputes and conflicts between the superintendent and the board and among members of the board. I also can disapprove travel outside the state paid by for paid by the district. In addition, I can recommend for a vote by the board costs saving measures including but not limited to shared services agreements. Finally, I can notify the board and commissioner in writing regarding violations of the academic improvement and financial plan and ask commissioner to order the board to take the actions necessary to remedy the violation and come into compliance with the plan. Public hearings we are conducting today is required by state law to establish the position of the monitor. We are doing the hearings this month because
009by law these hearings must be conducted within 60 days of my appointment. The first hearing is to take place of public comments about the state laws and regulations pertaining to education law including the provision of educational law 3 section 306 that specifies the conditions under which the commissioner may re remove a board members or withhold funds from a district. The second hearing will be held later this month regarding the academic performance of the district and the following um Tuesday, it's actually August 5th will will be the hearing on the fiscal performance school governance. Before we discuss the state role in school governance, it might be worth reminding ourselves that there are three key players in school governance. Local boards of education, the state and the federal governments. Most of the key decisions about how schools
010operate are made by local boards of education and implemented by your school superintendent. The state and federal governments may also adopt laws and regulations that impact go school governance. Often the federal government does this by requiring states and and school districts to take a certain action in exchange for receiving federal funds. At this hearing, we will focus on the state role in governance and intervention. So this is ed law 101. The authority of New York State Education Department, the commissioner of education and the board of region derives from state law. Section 101 of the state education law is foundational to this authority and charges the New York State Department of Education with the general management and supervision of all public schools and educational work in the state of New York. at law 207. Section 207
011of educational law gives the regents and the commissioner the power to adopt rules and regulations to carry out state education laws and functions and duties conferred on the department. Rules and regulations must go through an extensive public comment process before they are permanently adopted. Once adopted have the force of law. Nowadays, a board of regents adopts these rules and regulations and the commissioner implements these rules. Ed law 215 education law also provides the state education department with the authority to visit examine and inspect schools school districts and their schools. All educational and cultural institution in New York including public schools belong to something called the University of the state of New York which is not to be confused with the state university of New York which we call Sunni. Indeed, all colleges and university in
012the state university of New York along with all the other institutions of higher education are part of the University of the state of New York. You must think of the University of the state of New York as all of the organizations and people who are subject to the authority of the state board of regions and commissioner of education. Think of one as Sunni and one as the university with a general umbrella that that have in control and the commissioner is the basically the chancellor for the University of the state of New York. Ed law 305. It's a lot of laws so please forgive. We're going to we get we'll get through it. It's a lot of laws. The commissioner of education is a president of the University of the state of New York and has
013the authority much authority under the law. By the way, there are 17 members of the board of regents who are appointed by the members of the state legislature to fiveyear terms. 12 members of the board represent specific parts of the state. The region for Westchester is Dr. Francis Wills, who was first appointed to the board of regions in 2020 and it was earlier this year reelected by the state legislature to serve her second five-year term. The commissioner of education interns appoint appointed by the board of regents and serves at its pleasure. The responsibilities are key responsibilities of the commissioner includes enforcing laws related to educational systems of the state in executing all educational policies determined upon by the board of regents having general supervision over all schools. advising and guiding the school officers of all
014districts in the cities of New York in relations to their duties and the general management of the schools under their control. Ed Law 21A. Both federal and state education law as well as commissioner's regulations give the commissioner significant authority and responsibility to oversee a system by which districts and schools are held accountable for academic achievement of students. At the federal level, New York New York State receives approximately $1.8 8 billion dollar annually under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to provide services to those groups of students who traditionally face the greatest educational challenges such as low-income students, English language learners, and incarcerated youth. In exchange for this funding, New York is expected to differentiate school performance and identify low achieving schools for additional supports and intervention. Ed law 211- regulations of 100.21 21 are the
015basis upon which the state the state of New York meets these federal requirements. 211 continue because it gets a little tricky with 211 with ESSA. In New York, all schools and districts engage in a process of continuous improvement. The commissioner annually determines which districts and schools should be provided additional support to assist them in their improvement efforts. Schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement schools, we call them CSI schools, are designated because of the performance of all schools in all students in the school and schools identified for targeted support and improvement are are designated because of performance of specific groups of students in a school. Now, Mount Vernon has been designated as a targeted district because of performance at the high school students overall at the district level and that includes all students that come
016under the umbrella of Mount Vernon. All schools the all the schools in Mount Vernon however are currently identified are local support and improvement formerly known as good standing. So all the elementary schools are schools in good standing and a part of the process of continuous improvement of all Mount Vernon school develop annual school education um comprehensive education plans the one that Dr. D did last week your step plans. So all kind of ties in beautifully together which are scheduled to be approved by the board at its next meeting. Now 211 C and 211F again please forgive all the law but it's important for you to know these things. So when school district has um have schools that remain low performing year after year, commissioner may assign a distinguished educator to the school district. Another provision
017of the state law that pertains to schools that have been struggling with low academic achievement over a period of three years. Mount Vernon does not meet the criteria, never has, and we're I'm going to put a stamp on it now. Never will meet the criteria to have a distinguished educator in the district. And no schools in Mount Vernon meets the criteria to be placed under receiverhip. Not then, not now, not future. So, we're gonna just cut that one out real quick. So, all right. All right. Public monies 306. One of the most powerful authorities that the commissioner has is the ability to remove school officials who have willfully violated or neglected their duty. It should be noted that the standard for removal is very high. School board members are elected representatives of the people and
018therefore only in the most extraordinary cases would it be appropriate for the commissioner who is not elected to remove from office a school board member who is elected. For example, to meet the standards for removal, it must be shown that person intentionally violated an educational law with wrongful purpose. Indeed, the standard is high that even criminal conduct by a school officer is not in in itself grounds for removal for office. Removal of office school officers happen only rarely as the law attempts for the voters in the school district to decide who shall be their representative. It has happened though there are other violations that will mandate a a removal of officer. The commissioner may withhold district funds if warranted. However, all right, 308. The commissioner also has general power and duties to enforce education law.
019This power is regularly used to require school districts to implement corrective action plans when districts are not carrying out their responsibilities to provide services to students. These corrective action plans very frequently involve provisions of services to English language learners, students with disabilities, homeless youth, and other educationally challenged groups. In the case of a district with a monitor, the commissioner may order the district to remedy violations of academic improvement or financial plans or direct the board to write revise its proposed budget based on a recommendation by the monitor. In other words, their their plan, the corrective action plan could be embedded inside of the monitor's plan. So, not two plans, this one one major plan. And I think that's it for me. So, it's back up to Dr. Kohl's. Thank you. [Music] Thank you. Thank you,
020Dr. Young Wils Wilkins for your overview of the state law and regulations. Now, we have received key provisions of the state law addressing school governance and interventions. I want to ask uh if Miss James will uh they go through the process of asking for people to come up through public comment. Miss James um will be uh asking people that have signed up to speak to come forward. Each speaker will have four minutes to make their statement and or ask their questions. When one minute's remaining for your aotted time, a buzzer will be heard. After four minutes, a buzzer will be sounded and I'll thank you for your statement and we can move on to the next speaker. Cynthia Krenshaw. Uh, yes. >> Okay. Okay. Cynthia Crunchaw, Mundy Lane, Alvin, New York. I'm just a little
021confused, Monitor. Okay. Let me just say this. I mean, aren't you like a dollar late, a dollar short? And I'm And I'm saying this only because Mount Vernon was in chaos. chaos two years ago when we was talking about when they was talking about closing schools, three schools at one time. Now you have like a thousand kids that you have to place all at one time. Like I had suggested closing one school at a time. We have a problem with our sped kids. We just have a lot of problems here. So why wasn't you here before? Why are you here now? I I I I appreciate you being here. >> Yeah. I mean, I appreciate you being here, but like I said, a dollar late, a dollar short. This board was in chaos. Chaos. And
022as the speaker came up here, we wasn't even respected. We was not respected. Um, the teachers could not come up here because they was afraid of being retaliated. If they spoke, once they got back to the building, things would start happening. They couldn't get promoted. This place was really crazy. Where were you then? And I and I don't mean no disrespect now. I'm just coming from the heart how I'm feeling. >> You know, >> I feel wanted. >> No. Well, I'm glad you're here now. I am glad you're here now. But let me say this. I've been a part of the PTA since 1983. All of my kids went through the school, my grandkids, and I'm hoping my great grandkids could go. So, we are all Mount Vernon Knights, but we needed you back then.
023I mean, we can use you now, but it was a chaos in this district. What do you say to that? >> Well, I was not appointed until July 1st, and the legisl legislature did not go through until just before that. So, I had to have the legislature and the commissioner come together to put it forward. So, so it had to be done by the ledge. I I'm appointed by the ledge and that means your assembly and senate people as well as the commissioner and it took a little time for them to do it. So some sometimes the process actually takes about two years to go through a system um with Rochester and also with um Ser Rochester and um what's the other way? Oh um >> Hemstead it took us two years to get those
024put in place. I was a former deputy commissioner for the state of New York and the monitor program came under my umbrella >> and it took us two years to get the process all the way through. So it might have started two years ago. It finished this year in 25. So >> who started it two years ago? >> That I don't know that might have been >> anybody with this board to start that. >> It actually sometimes comes from the board. Sometimes it come from your assembly. Sometimes it comes from your your local Boseies and different ones. So I can't I can find it out how it started but it finished with this the assembly right now with the commissioner and all that. Yeah. >> Okay. So our board could have started this. >> Yes.
025I do know >> I'm talking about the district the board that was here. >> The board that's here now actually recommended for the monitor to come through if I'm not mistaken. So it was something that was recommended by your current your immediate past board I should say. Correct. >> Yeah. Something like that. Yeah. So they did vote to have the monitor come in, but it does take about a year to two years to get the money to fund it from the legislature at the same time. So >> Okay. Do the monitors before you come here to the legislator look at Mount Vernon and see what was going on? >> Yes, they do. >> So if you seen what was going on, why wasn't something done? >> It's like a work in progress as it um
026it's like a hurry up and wait, but it does take time to get the money to get the the pay for the monitor at the same time. So it doesn't they have to allocate the money at the same time. I hope that makes sense. It takes about two years to get the license. >> I'm just a little disappointed that I mean I'm glad you >> but the time about the time frame. Absolutely. >> Yeah. With the timing. Okay. >> Cuz to go rogue and close three schools at one time I felt and the community felt was totally ridiculous. >> Okay. >> That it should have been one school at a time if something had to >> over time >> be over time. You just don't do chaos like that. And one of the schools that
027was closed is a black historical school, Parker Cecil H. Parker Elementary School. That's a historic black school that they chose to close. And I think things could have been done separately, but I know my time is up, but one more thing. >> You said you want to be here during the meetings. >> I am supposed to be here at the board meetings. Yes. >> At the board meetings. Okay. And would you interject with the board meeting? Would you be >> I have to at times. Yeah. >> Good. Thank you. Appreciate it. Okay. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mishka. >> Janine Fatil finished questions. >> Good evening everyone. My name is Janine Fertil. I'm PTA president of the Steam Academy. I'm also the PTA council vice president. Also the parent of well it
028used to be three now two kids who are in the Mount Vernon City School District. Um thank you so much for coming. Thank you all for being here. Um, first of all, with public hearings, we're not really used to having to sign up for the public hearing because I kind of didn't want to sign up because I didn't want other people in the audience who did want to speak and didn't realize that the PowerPoint said to sign up and not have the opportunity to speak. So, I'm not sure if that's something that's you'll be doing quite often or because usually at public forums, people aren't they don't have to sign up. >> No, you don't really have to. >> Okay. want to comment. >> So the only way we can comment is if we sign
029up. >> No, just >> no. Miss Fertil, we we we wanted it to be streamlined at first and then we will open it up to any individual that would like to make comment. >> Okay. Thank you. Because it didn't say it on the PowerPoint. And then als and also because like um the community that we live in, we have a lot of parents that are at work and sometimes you get off work at five o'clock, you have to commute from the city here, you will not be able to make it by 5:30. So just in the future when you're having meetings to keep in mind of the community so that more parents can have access to the meetings and also having it when people aren't away or summertime because a lot of people are away
030on vacation. Um with the part that I did comment on, I understood that you said that your focus will be on the high schools. No, all schools. Okay. And so how will you ensure transparency and consistency with communications with the families and public? >> Did you want me to ask all the questions and then you'll >> Okay. Um, how are you ensuring that magnet programs like Steam Academy and the performing arts retain their integrity and original purpose? Um, what measures will be taken to address students mental health issues? Um, how will you ensure that special education, English language learners, and students at risk received adequate support? Um, will you address will the public have regular access to updated information? Let's see. And how will your office involve parents, students, and teachers in the decision making
031process? >> I told her I need a dissertation for her. Um, what I would like to do is get your email and I'm going to write these out and then send them to you. But I want to address the first one which is about clear and concise communication um and transparency because uh that's the only way I can operate. The public hearings is one thing. I will be at the board meetings. I'm going to schools. I will be having forums at schools throughout the year. I'm here three days a week and not four days and sometimes five days. So, um, you you will be recognizing me. Um, my report has to be public. It has to be the big report's due on November 1st. It goes to the commissioner, then it goes to the superintendent,
032then it goes to our wonderful board for approval, and then it goes out to you guys, so the public, everybody. It's a living, breathing document. It's for five years. Um everything we do from the monitor's persp perspective has to be transparent not just for the community and for our um our students but also for the staff um the board the administrative everything I'm including Dr. Kohl's because he's your DS um everybody it has to be otherwise we work in a vacuum and it doesn't work and we have silos they don't work and I constantly remind folks I talked to Dr. D and Dr. Strickland, I said, "Remember the 6,200 students that are in the middle of us all the time. If we don't talk about the kids, why are we here?" So the 6200 kids
033have to be the premise of all discussion, the consistency, the clarity, the transparency all the time. But these other ones, I'm going to write them out for you. >> Thank you so much. >> If I can get if I can get your email though. Okay. Okay. All right. Um, put it right Catherine, you can come up. >> Good evening, everyone. >> Uh, I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Kathy Brewington. I'm your NAACP president. Um, I just want to let you know that I'm in the house. I'm I'm accessible to you. what you need from me and what I need from you. We're gonna have to work together to make a difference in this community. Um, to the young people that are here today, again, my name is Kathy. I would love to
034work with you. I would love to make a difference. I'm trying to relax a little bit because some people say I'm I'm aggressive. >> They don't know what they're talking about together. Yes, >> really don't. But because you're here, I want to extend the opportunity to you to come to one of our meetings to one our meetings to just talk to the public on behalf of the NWACP on behalf of the community, but we would love for the people to meet you in a in a more different setting. I won't say a lot. Um, we do have a meeting with our wonderful superintendent, Mr. Strickland, I believe, right? I couldn't remember his name, but we have a meeting with him tomorrow morning. um at 12 o'clock I believe. >> Okay. So, if you're able, can
035she come if she's um Sir, Mr. Strickland? >> I can tag along. >> Okay. >> Dr. Strickland. Uh should I get in trouble no matter what I do? Okay. Dr. Strick. So, if it's at 12:00, it's going to be in his office, I believe. So, please come join us. Um it's going to be a little a little on the table. It's not going to be over aggressive. I be nice. I really am. Okay. But it's not about me. My community, I love my children, five of them. Okay. They're older than me right now, but you know, I love them still. Grandkids, five of them, too. Still love them. >> Okay. >> Blessings. Thank you. >> The floor is open for any more comments. Good evening, Dr. Wilkins. Thank you so much. My name is Erikica
036Peterson. I am a board member, but most and foremost, I'm also the president of the PTA for Mount Vernon High School. Um, just for clarification, Mount Vernon High School is no longer a CSI school. We came off that list last fall. No, >> it's not CSI. It was a targeted district. So, I'll explain it later, but >> Okay. All right. Because I heard you mention that because I'm like, M High School, we get enough slack. Okay. All right. I just wanted to clarify that. >> That's my baby. >> She came up with purpose. I love it. I love it. >> Are there any more comments? >> If there are no more comments, the next public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, July 29th, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. The subject will be academics of the district. The
037third public hearing will be on Tuesday, August 5th, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. The subject matter will be physical status of the district. All hearings will take place at the board of education >> at 5:30. Yes. >> We'll send out the notices. Otherwise, >> okay, this public hearing is adjourned. Thank you and good night. >> I just want to add one more thing to that before everybody goes out. Just real quickly, just to let you know that public statements could still be gathered on the website. Please go to the website. If you didn't have a chance to talk tonight and you wanted to say something that you thought about, please go to the website. You can actually add that comment and all comments will be entered into the public record as a part of this process.
038comments. >> Yeah. But all the information I think will be part of the report that Dr. Wilkins will be submitting. So all the feedback goes into that. You're welcome. >> Thank you. Good night.