About half of all schools throughout the City share space with other schools and programs. Sharing facilities is a rewarding experience for many school communities, but it requires cooperation and flexibility. When campuses are managed effectively, student achievement improves and members of the school community are more satisfied.
All buildings that share space have Building Councils that include the principal of each school within the building. These Councils allow school leaders to collaborate in sharing common space, facilitating administrative decision-making and ensuring that all schools in a building operate smoothly and safely. The success of our Building Councils depends on the constant collaboration of at least 750 principals on over 300 campuses.
The DOE’s campus management policy defines the collective responsibilities of all principals, including charter school principals and Districts 75 and 79 principals, who collaborate through Building Councils to share space. Building Council principals are equal partners in shaping their educational environment; they share responsibility and accountability for facilitating communication and building school culture. They must respect each school’s unique culture and simultaneously make shared decisions that are good for all students and schools on the campus.
Building Councils have incentives to manage their campuses effectively but face sanctions if they do not. The Department of Education expects Building Councils to resolve issues within campuses by working collaboratively to make decisions in the best interest of all students. The DOE’s Office of the Supervising Superintendent arbitrates conflicts as needed to ensure that schools share space in a way that promotes student achievement. New schools joining shared campuses receive special entry training.