Compromise Over N.Y.C. Board May Be at Hand

By John Gehring

A compromise may be within reach in the difficult negotiations between Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York and state lawmakers over the mayor's wish to have greater control of the nation's largest school district.

While the details of a new school governance plan have not been worked out, and obstacles still remain, Mr. Bloomberg has in the past few weeks signaled a willingness to consider alternatives to abolishing the city's current board of education. Mr. Bloomberg and other critics regard the board as an ineffective forum for improving achievement in the 1.1 million-student public schools.

The Republican mayor, who took office in January, had held firm for months to his demand that the school board be dismantled. His stance has softened in recent weeks, however, after he faced criticism from some legislators over what they see as his...