New learning standards being crafted for New York State are likely to be similar to the Common Core standards they will replace, according to a new research report from the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA).

The report, entitled "Replacing the Common Core: New name, same standards?" examines what happened when three states – Indiana, Oklahoma and South Carolina – repealed the Common Core Learning Standards and adopted their own state standards in English and math.

The 2016 legislative session brought many positive changes for public education. 

Lawmakers provided funding for lead testing and remediation in school drinking water. Protecting the health and safety of students and staff is every school board's highest priority. 

The winner of the New York State School Boards Association's 2016 Champion for Change Award is a 21-year-old school board member who spearheaded initiatives in the Belleville-Henderson school district while simultaneously earning a bachelor’s degree at Cornell University.

John “J.W.” Allen has had a perfect attendance record at board meetings, held twice monthly, despite the fact that he had to drive four hours each way from Ithaca to Belleville, which is located near Watertown.

Schools subject to receivership or state takeovers have seen mixed and inconclusive results in improving academic achievement, according to an analysis of schools in other states by the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA).

A new research report from NYSSBA examines state takeover efforts in Massachusetts and Tennessee. The report points out that while students in the Lawrence Public Schools in Massachusetts made some improvements on state math and English language arts (ELA) exams after three years in receivership, those improvements were not sufficient to remove the schools from receivership.

New York State voters approved an overwhelming 98.5 percent of school district budgets on Tuesday, May 17, according to an analysis by the New York State School Boards Association.

"Despite a near-zero tax cap, school districts managed to put together spending plans that in some cases restored educational programs and services, thanks to a large infusion of state aid," said NYSSBA Executive Director Timothy G. Kremer. "The question is, will the state be able to sustain that commitment going forward?"

"The tax cap may be helping to keep taxes down, but it comes at a cost to our schools, which now need the state to make up for the funding they cannot raise locally," Kremer added.

Initial statewide results gathered by NYSSBA indicate voters passed 655 school district budgets. The number of budgets defeated was 10. NYSSBA was still awaiting results for 11 districts.

In the fifth year of the state's property tax cap, 640 districts proposed budgets with tax levies that were within their caps and required only a simple majority to pass. Of those districts, 99.7 percent saw their budgets pass.

We are gratified to learn that funding from the Smart Schools Bond Act, passed by voters in 2014, will finally start flowing to school districts.

Today, post-secondary institutions and employers expect students to be well-versed in technology.

The 2016-17 budget contains a number of positive measures for schools. 

Among them are a nearly $1.5 billion state aid increase, including a substantial foundation aid increase, full funding of expense-based aids, and an end to the much-despised gap elimination adjustment. To the GEA, we say RIP.

The New York State School Boards Association congratulates Dr. Betty Rosa for being elected chancellor of the Board of Regents.

Dr. Rosa has long been a champion of making sure the state's most disadvantaged students – those from poor families, those with special needs and those whose first language is not English – have the resources they need to be successful. Her personal and professional experiences have prepared her very well to be our new chancellor.

School boards everywhere look forward to working with Chancellor Rosa, newly-elected Vice Chancellor Andrew Brown and the rest of the Board of Regents as they address important issues regarding educational equity for all, revamping the Common Core learning standards and standardized testing program, attracting the most qualified teacher candidates, and creating a new teacher evaluation system.  

-30-

The budget resolutions put forward by the state Assembly and Senate are encouraging for school districts. 

Both provide substantial infusions of Foundation Aid above the governor's proposal – and both abolish the Gap Elimination Adjustment next year.