New York school woes highlight debate over appointing 'receivers' to turn things around

The clock is ticking for leaders of New York's most chronically underperforming public schools, who under a new state law must begin to turn things around or lose control to an outsider. That's a tactic that has seen mixed results elsewhere.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo points to Massachusetts, where education officials say giving a state-appointed leader the freedom to lengthen school days and make other changes is working.

But with 144 New York schools now targeted, opinions vary on whether receivership is the answer.

The law means that 20 schools classified as persistently struggling and 124 more called struggling will start the school year in the receivership of their districts' superintendents.

The superintendents have one year to show improvement at the longest struggling schools and two years for the others. If not, a state-approved outside receiver will step in.