September 5, 2007
DFER Education Warrior: NY Sen. Malcolm Smith
New York Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith was a proud supporter of public charter schools long before it became popular to do so within the Democratic Party. A true believer in the economic principle that competition drives innovation, results, and excellence, Smith not only has strongly supported charter school legislation in New York, he has worked to create and support schools himself. Smith is the founder of Peninsula Preparatory Academy (along with Congressman Greg Meeks), the first public charter school in the Rockaways, and serves on the Board of Trustees of the Merrick Academy-Queens Public Charter School in Jamaica Queens.
Smith was unanimously elected State Senate Minority Leader by his fellow Senators in November of 2006. Senator Smith brings unique skills and a diverse background in both the private and public sector to the State Senate, where he has served the 14th Senate District since 2000. As a real estate developer, economic development expert and legislative aide, Senator Smith has been a major contributor to bringing jobs and opportunity to his Southeastern Queens community.
Throughout his career in public service, Senator Smith has used his skills as a manager and real estate developer to help revitalize the Queens community. Prior to being elected to the State Senate, Senator Smith served as a senior aide to former Congressman Floyd H. Flake, chief aide to former City Councilman Archie Spigner, a City Hall assistant to former Mayor Edward I. Koch and was a member of the national advance staff for Vice-presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro.
As active participants in the recent effort to lift the cap on public charter schools in New York State, DFER is proud to recognize the leading role Senator Smith took during the budget process to not only advance the cause of the charter school movement but to protect it from legislative poison pills which would have stifled innovation and flexibility. In honor of Sen. Smith’s crucial leadership on the issue, we are proud to honor him with a 2007 DFER “Education Warrior” award.
