TODAY (3/17): PEP votes on 8th grade promotion policy

Posted by Philissa at 11:39 AM

At 6 p.m. today, the Panel for Educational Policy will convene at Tweed to vote on the chancellor's proposed 8th grade promotion policy. Unlike many recent DOE policies, this one has met some real resistance on the path toward finalization.

The Sun reports that both the Manhattan and Bronx borough presidents have advised their appointees that they do not support the proposed policy. Last week, members of the Coalition for Educational Justice "stormed" Tweed and demanded to talk to Chancellor Klein about the policy, the Daily News reported, and I predict CEJ members, who vocally opposed the policy at the first public hearing in Manhattan last month, will keep tonight's meeting lively.

None of this opposition is likely to prevent the policy from being approved, of course. Panelists are sure to be mindful of the "Monday Night Massacre," which took place four years ago today when the panel was considering the 3rd grade retention policy. When it looked like three members of the panel planned to oppose the policy, the mayor and Staten Island borough president replaced them just before the vote. NYC Public School Parents Blog has more on the lessons (not) learned since that night. Since then, the PEP has never even threatened to reject a proposed DOE policy.