Catherwood LibraryILR School

Citing a worsening shortage of principals and assistant principals in New York City?s schools, the leadership of the American Federation of School Administrators (AFSA), Local 1 of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators (CSA), pressed the city?s new schools chancellor to end the rhetoric and do what needs to be done. Without a contract for nineteen months now, NYC?s principals and assistant principals are asking for the same ten percent base raise over thirty months that the city?s teachers won earlier this year (see WIT for June 11, 2002), pointing out that some assistant principals are now paid less than city teachers---who are still paid less than teachers in surrounding areas. AFSA President Jill S. Levy has accused Schools Chancellor Joel Klein of stalling to gain leverage for implementing his own program for change much like Mayor Bloomberg allegedly did in the teacher contract negotiations (see WIT?s for June 5, and May 13, 2002), and said that decent pay and a contract are what is needed to stem a wave of administrator retirements and improve schools.