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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Rosanne Kneubuhl, Dial-A-Teacher Representative from United Federation of Teachers
4:27:24
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129 sec
Rosanne Kneubuhl, a representative of the United Federation of Teachers' Dial-A-Teacher program, testifies about the program's impact and requests additional funding to expand its services. She highlights the program's growth since 1980 and its ability to serve students and parents across New York City in multiple languages.
- The Dial-A-Teacher program answered over 35,000 calls last year, providing homework help and system navigation assistance.
- The program operates Monday through Thursday from 4PM to 7PM and employs 40 teachers, offering help in nine languages.
- Kneubuhl requests $300,000 in funding to hire more teachers, upgrade technology, and provide professional development to enhance their ability to serve students.
Rosanne Kneubuhl
4:27:24
Good afternoon, chairs.
4:27:25
Good afternoon, committee council.
4:27:27
My name is Roseanne Newble.
4:27:29
I'm a representative of the U of T's Dial A Teacher.
4:27:33
I'm proud to say that I've been a Dial A Teacher for the past sixteen years.
4:27:37
UFT's Dial Teacher program answered over 35,000 calls last year from students and parents, not only for homework help, but to provide parents with information about everything from curriculum to how to navigate what can be a really confusing system.
4:27:54
Dial A Teacher was founded in January 1980 with five teachers fielding questions from 17 elementary schools in eight districts.
4:28:02
Since then, the program has grown immensely and serves the entire city.
4:28:07
It now operates Monday through Thursday from 4PM to 7PM with requests from parents to actually extend the Dial Teacher hours.
4:28:16
Program employs 40 teachers and serves students through to their college years.
4:28:20
Dial A Teacher also offers help in nine languages including Spanish, Mandarin, Bengali and French Creole.
4:28:28
The city council has supported Dial A Teacher from the very beginning.
4:28:32
This support has enabled us to purchase additional reference materials, textbooks as well as to hire experts in advanced math and science so we can serve those older students.
4:28:43
However, for the past twenty five years, the funding support has not increased in proportion to the rise in needs for this extremely impactful program.
4:28:54
We could do more.
4:28:56
We can help students and families in these very uncertain times.
4:29:00
Our teachers often act as interpreters for parents who feel more comfortable asking for assistance by phone than in person.
4:29:09
So we are asking for $300,000 so that we can hire more teachers, so that we can answer 50,000 calls, upgrade our whiteboard technology and remote online platform, as well as to provide staff with professional development that will enhance our ability to serve students in this twenty first century academic and technological era.
4:29:31
Thank you for giving me this opportunity.