The state says six city schools could be taken over by outside organizations if the mayor does not make major improvements in a year. For 55 other schools, the city has two years to turn them around or lose control. NY1's Lindsey Christ filed this report.

The clock is ticking for 61 city schools that the state has labled struggling or persistently struggling. 

According to a new state law passed in April, the city must make major improvements or the schools will be taken over by an outside receiver, like a non-profit organization or a charter school management company. 

"If the school is failing, it's going to fail again unless you do something different," Governor Andrew Cuomo said back in February.

It's a policy the mayor has been against since the governor first proposed it in December. 

"It does not make sense for the state to play any additional role," Mayor Bill de Blasio said in March. 

Now, the law is poised to potentially be another major blow to the mayor's control over city schools. Last month, Governor Cuomo and state lawmakers only extended the mayor's control of the education department for one year—a big contrast to the six and seven year terms lawmakers had given former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. 

Now, the city has limited time to make huge changes in many of the most challenging environments. For six schools, a receiver could take over in 12 months. At 55 others, the city has two years to turn things around. 

"The outside groups will have a lot of authority to make big changes at these school in a short amount of time. So it could mean whole new leaders coming in and telling them what to do," says Patrick Wall of Chalkbeat New York

Fifty of the 61 schools are already part of the de Blasio administration's school "renewal" initiative and are getting more money, staff and extra services, like counseling and student health centers. 

"Now, the city is going to have to kind of juggle the two plans, it's own and the one the state is imposing," Wall says.

The Department of Education says it's considering forcing all teachers and principals at the 61 schools to reapply for their jobs—something union rules usually prohibits, but the new state law allows in this case. 

The chancellor would be able to select the outside organizations that would take over, but then the state will have the final approval.