(12/18/06) THE BRONX ? Members of a community group in the Bronx say the Department of Education?s (DOE) capital budget plan is doomed for failure when it comes to area high schools.

According to the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Commission, the new plan doesn?t do enough to alleviate overcrowding in the borough?s high schools. The group claims the DOE is only taking account a 36 percent graduation rate when it crunches the numbers, which it feels is a very low expectation. Group members say the plan doesn?t include enough seats for Bronx high school students.

The group did its own research, and set forth certain guidelines to achieve a 70 percent graduation rate. Members say in order to achieve the higher graduation rate, the DOE must construct 22 new high schools and add 10,000 seats.