Section 2554-B. Special provisions relating to the city school district of the city of New York during emergency period

1.  As  used  in  this  section,  the  term  "emergency  period"  shall mean the period from the
  effective date of this section  to  the  first  day  of  July,  nineteen
  hundred sixty-two.
    2.  In  order  to  place  the  educational  affairs of the city school
  district of the city of New York under the  closer  supervision  of  the
  regents  and  the commissioner during the emergency period, the board of
  education  of  such  district  shall  submit  to  the  regents  and  the
  commissioner  and  to the mayor of the city of New York on the first day
  of January and April, nineteen hundred sixty-two,  an  interim  progress
  report  in  such form and detail as the commissioner shall prescribe and
  on the first day of July, nineteen hundred sixty-two, a final report  in
  such form and detail as the commissioner shall prescribe as to:
    a.  the corrective action taken in the emergency period and planned by
  the board of education with respect to the administration of the program
  for new school building construction;
    b. the corrective action taken in the emergency period and planned  by
  the  board  of  education  with respect to the repair and maintenance of
  existing school buildings and other structures under the control of  the
  school district;
    c.  the disciplinary action taken in the emergency period with respect
  to  employees  guilty  of  accepting  gratuities  in  relation  to   the
  performance  of  their  duties,  and  the corrective action taken by the
  board of education to prevent recurrences of such misconduct;
    d. the corrective action taken in the emergency period and planned  by
  the  board  of  education  with respect to administrative reform and the
  development of a program for the division of responsibility between  the
  board and the superintendent of schools and the administrative staff for
  the more efficient and effective management of the district;
    e. the plans developed and action taken in the emergency period by the
  board of education for the revitalization of local school boards and for
  increased  participation of residents throughout the city of New York in
  the affairs of their local neighborhood schools;
    f. the plans developed and action taken in the emergency period by the
  board of education to establish a long-range program and  the  necessary
  staff  organization  for better informed and coordinated planning of new
  school construction and the modernization of existing structures; and
    g. the steps taken in the emergency period by the board  of  education
  to evaluate and to improve the quality of instruction in the schools.
    3.  During  the  emergency  period, the board of education of the city
  school district of the city of New York shall  have,  specifically,  the
  power:
    a.  To  undertake  any  studies, inquiries, surveys or analyses it may
  deem relevant through the personnel of the district  or  in  cooperation
  with or by agreement with any other public or private agency;
    b.   To  employ  and  at  pleasure  remove  educational,  engineering,
  architectural, legal or management consultants and such other assistants
  as it may deem necessary for the performance of its  functions  and  fix
  their  compensation  within  the amounts made available by appropriation
  therefor;
    c. Notwithstanding  the  provisions  of  subdivision  one  of  section
  twenty-five  hundred  sixty-five  of  this  chapter,  to  remove  at its
  pleasure by a vote of a majority of all its members, the superintendent,
  any deputy superintendent or any associate superintendent of schools  of
  the  district  irrespective of the date of their appointments, provided,
  however,  that  the  board  may  enter  into   a   contract   with   the

  superintendent  of  schools  for a period of not less than three and not
  more than five years; and
    d.  To  authorize the superintendent of schools and the administrative
  staff of the district by  by-law,  rule,  regulation  or  resolution  to
  exercise on its behalf such of its administrative and ministerial powers
  and  duties  with  respect  to  the  administration  of  the city school
  district, the purchase, repair, remodeling, improvement  or  enlargement
  of  school buildings or other buildings or sites and the construction of
  new buildings as the board deems necessary or  desirable  for  the  more
  efficient  administration  of  the  district or for the more expeditious
  completion of school construction,  maintenance  or  repairs,  provided,
  however,  that  the  board  shall  not  authorize  the superintendent of
  schools and the administrative staff to exercise any powers  and  duties
  relating to its investigative or judicial functions.