On Board Online • November 10, 2025
By Matt DeLaus
Government Relations Counsel
School board members representing hundreds of member school boards participated in NYSSBA's 106th Annual Business Meeting, conducted for the sixth year in a virtual format. On Oct. 16, 2025, delegates supported incorporating financial literacy and artificial intelligence into K-12 curriculum statewide, with state support for implementation of both.
Delegates also re-adopted a position to oppose proposals that would provide tuition tax credits or educational vouchers that benefit private or parochial schools. The re-adoption of this resolution is especially timely given the ability of states to opt into the recently created federal voucher program.
The closest vote of the evening involved a proposal that, if passed, would have directed NYSSBA to advocate for reducing the number of required lockdown drills from four to two. This position, which was recommended by the Resolutions Committee, was ultimately voted down with 53% of delegates opposed. As was the case for the entire meeting, delegates spoke passionately for and against the resolution. But in stark contrast to political discourse across the country, the debate was civil and always focused on serving students, staff and communities.
One of the most lopsided votes of the night concerned whether NYSSBA should "advocate for school board members to be recognized for their service via a locally authorized property tax exemption." Only 6% of delegates voted in favor. This is reminiscent of a separate proposition that was voted down in the 2022 Annual Business Meeting, which would have authorized school board members to receive a stipend for their service.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, three newly proposed resolutions received 95% or more support. All looked to ask the state, either directly or by empowering districts, to address rising costs:
- Authorizing districts and BOCES to create health insurance reserve funds.
- Increasing reimbursement rates for out-of-district special education placements to reflect true and current costs.
- Maximizing the effectiveness of the New York Liquidation Bureau with respect to Child Victims Act claims.
Other adopted resolutions that look to address rising needs and cost pressures direct NYSSBA to advocate for necessary funding for A/C and subsequent electrical needs in all public school buildings. Also, delegates instructed NYSSBA to call on the state to explicitly authorize BOCES to establish and maintain workers' compensation reserve funds.
Other resolutions were adopted that ask the state and federal governments to expand the authority of schools by allowing districts to serve whole milk in school meals and to have the power to authorize a staff member or clinical designee to evaluate, diagnose, temporarily treat and prescribe medications for students on campus, in accordance with state law and parental permissions.
Three resolutions were passed overwhelmingly with no debate. These included proposals to:
- Reform legal notice publication requirements.
- Limit districts' potential annual hold harmless phase out to no more than 2% of their district budget, even if that would extend the length of the phaseout period.
- Establish a budget threshold in the foundation aid formula to protect rural districts with low enrollment covering large areas.
NYSSBA's Resolutions Committee, which is a group of board members charged with reviewing all resolutions and bylaw amendments submitted by member boards of education and the NYSSBA Board of Directors, and whose membership shifts annually, recommended 23 resolutions and did not recommend 11 resolutions. Of the 23 recommended, 22 passed; of the 11 not recommended, two were passed. Also defeated were three proposed bylaw amendments which were not recommended by the Resolutions Committee.
Delegates directed NYSSBA to advocate for up to 30 minutes a day of recess to count as instructional time. Another resolution to make recess mandatory for elementary students was not recommended by the Resolutions Committee but was adopted by delegates after amendments.
Another resolution originally not recommended by the Resolutions Committee but amended and ultimately adopted directs NYSSBA to support allowing reorganization aid to support regional schools and other forms of regional reorganization and collaboration. An additional resolution directs NYSSBA to support legislation authorizing multiple districts to create a regional high school.
Seven positions that were set to expire were re-adopted by delegates. These included positions to:
- Oppose expansion of mayoral control.
- Support enhancing of shared services.
- Address costs and administrative burdens of legal actions related to special education placements and services.
- Incorporate pre-kindergarten funding into the school aid formulas used for K-12 education.
- Direct NYSSBA to develop and make widely available a board policy related to child abuse, including periodic training for all staff.
- Oppose any increases to the authorized number of charter schools in the state.
- Advocate for changes to the statewide testing system, with a collaborative approach to developing those changes.
Delegates also elected the following members of NYSSBA's board of directors to serve as officers: Christine Schnars as president, Rodney George as first vice president and Brian LaTourette as second vice president. Delegates voted to have Thomas Nespeca continue as treasurer.