Queens Students And Parents Will Decide How To Spend Funding For School Improvement

QUEENS, NY — Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley's Participatory Budgeting program is extending to schools in order to let students and their parents decide how to spend the $100,000 that each of the 21 district schools will receive in funding.

Participatory Budgeting programs have allowed residents of Council District 30 to vote for the projects they want to see funded. The extension of participatory budgeting into schools will give all 21 schools in NYC Council District 30 (which encompasses Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village, Ridgewood, Woodhaven and Woodside) a total of $2.1 million for the improvement of their facilities.

“Nobody knows the needs of our schools better than the students and parents. Ultimately, I believe participatory budgeting in schools will empower the school community in a way that has not been done before," Crowley told QNS.

As part of the process, each school will have three proposals on their ballot and will pick two of the three. Proposals on the ballot will include surveillance cameras, Smartboards and Smarttables, laptops, bottle refill stations and auditorium and gym renovations.

Voting will take place the week of March 20 in elementary schools and on the week of March 27 for high schools. Ballots must be returned before March 31.

Patch file photo