Contact: Colleen Roche or Kim Serafin (212) 788-2958
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and New York City Schools Chancellor Rudolph F. Crew today announced the details of Project Smart Schools, a public-private partnership which will bring computer technology to every public school classroom in New York City by the year 2000. The first phase of Project Smart Schools will put an average of four computers and a printer in every sixth, seventh and eighth grade classroom by mid-1998.
Mayor Giuliani and Chancellor Crew were joined by Richard Grasso, Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange Inc., who, along with Stephen Robert, Chairman of the Board of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., is leading the private sector effort to supplement work of the City and the Board of Education in implementing the program. The announcement was made at PS 66 in Queens where the Mayor, Chancellor and Mr. Grasso greeted a 6th grade computer class.
"When I first announced Project Smart Schools in my State of the City address this past January, I said that integrating technology into the classroom was essential and would enhance student performance by strengthening academic skills and deepening critical and creative thinking," said Mayor Giuliani. "Today we are well on the way to achieving those goals. "
The Mayor outlined the following timeline for the implementation of Project Smart Schools:
"I want to thank Richard Grasso and Stephen Robert for their efforts in recruiting business leaders to assist us in giving these opportunities to all our children by the year 2000. Together, we can prepare students to succeed in a global economy that requires its workers to be literate in technology," concluded the Mayor.
Chancellor Crew said, "Project Smart Schools will give teachers and principals the opportunity to improve student achievement, help youngsters become literate in an area that is essential to their academic and work success, and broaden the boundaries of the classroom. I want to thank Mayor Giuliani, Richard Grasso and Stephen Robert for making this possible."
Chairman Grasso of the New York Stock Exchange said, "Mayor Giuliani and Chancellor Crew have shown great vision and leadership in putting together this bold plan to give our City's kids the technology and the training they will need to ensure their academic success. I am sure Project Smart Schools will be a great success and the business community will enthusiastically support it."
The Mayor added that the planning process to fully integrate technology into grades K-5 and 9-12 is currently underway. With the generous assistance of the private sector, Project Smart Schools will give each New York City public school student access to a computer by the year 2000.
Project Smart Schools will also provide computer training for teachers, and provide necessary staff and professional personnel. Currently, the City's capital budget allocates $150 million in public-private dollars through fiscal year 1999 to Project Smart Schools.