§ 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.