FOR RELEASE:  May 18, 2011

CONTACT: David Albert 
 (518) 783-3716 or (518) 320-2221 cell

New York State voters approved 93.5 percent of school district budgets on Tuesday, May 17, according to an analysis by the New York State School Boards Association.

Initial statewide results gathered by NYSSBA indicate voters have passed 634 of 678 school district budgets.  The number of budgets defeated was 44. 

Last year, taxpayers approved 92 percent of school district budgets. The average passage rate since 1969 is 84 percent.

“Voters realized that school officials did all they could to limit spending and taxes this year,” said NYSSBA Executive Director Timothy G. Kremer.

FOR RELEASE: May 16, 2011

CONTACT: David Albert 
(518) 783-3716 or (518) 320-2221 cell

We congratulate John B. King, Jr. on his appointment as State Education Commissioner.  During his time as senior deputy commissioner, John has been a thoughtful leader and given generously of his time to school board members.  Moreover, John has shown a firm grasp of the challenging problems facing our schools, and a willingness to reach out and work with school boards and other stakeholders to confront these challenges.  We appreciate his inclusive approach to developing education policy, and his open and direct communication style.

FOR RELEASE:  May 2, 2011

CONTACT: David Albert 
 (518) 783-3716 or (518) 320-2221 cell

The New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA) today unveiled its fiscal reform “playbook” – a package of seven mandate relief initiatives that would allow school districts to operate more efficiently.

“As school districts continue to grapple with the worst fiscal crisis in a generation, they need a new set of rules going forward,” said NYSSBA President Florence Johnson, a member of the Buffalo Board of Education.  “Several years of frozen or diminished state aid coupled with the prospect of a local property tax cap call for a new way of doing business.”

The playbook includes draft legislation to curtail rising health care and pension costs, level the playing field during contract negotiations, impose tighter controls on the teacher disciplinary process, and bring special education costs into line with other states.

FOR RELEASE:  April 27, 2011

CONTACT: David Albert 
 (518) 783-3716 or (518) 320-2221 cell

New York’s school districts are curbing spending growth for the seventh straight year, holding the average proposed spending increase in 2011-12 to just 1.3 percent, according to the latest state Property Tax Report Card compiled by the State Education Department. 

In the face of a dramatic $1.2 billion cut in state aid, school districts held the average statewide property tax levy increase at 3.4 percent under the proposed 2011-12 district budgets.  That compares favorably with last year’s average levy of 3.2 percent, when taxpayers overwhelmingly supported 92 percent of school district budgets.

FOR RELEASE:  March 28, 2011

CONTACT: David Albert 
 (518) 783-3716 or (518) 320-2221 cel

There is no silver lining for schools in this year’s state budget.  Even with a restoration of $272 million, schools will still experience a budget cut of $1.2 billion – one of the largest in state history. 

To be sure, an on-time state budget will help school districts plan their own budgets.  But that’s where the good news ends.  The cut will present serious financial challenges in many school districts.  In the coming weeks, school boards will make the tough but necessary cuts to their own local budgets.

FOR RELEASE:  March 23, 2011

CONTACT: Brian Butry 
(518) 783-3723 or (518) 522-6249 cell
Barbara Bradley
(518) 783-3719 or (518) 312-9448 cell 

School districts will have to lay off more staff, increase class sizes, raise taxes and reduce elective courses and, in some instances, close buildings next year if Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s state school aid cuts are enacted, according to a New York State School Boards Association survey of public school superintendents. And that’s after they use reserve funds and remaining federal jobs money to help offset the $1.5 billion cut in state aid proposed by the governor.

“For weeks we have been hearing about what will happen and who is to blame, much of it overheated rhetoric and some of it downright misleading,” said NYSSBA Executive Director Timothy G. Kremer in releasing the survey. “We felt it was time to look at the cold, hard facts – what are school leaders actually planning to do if Gov. Cuomo’s proposed aid cuts are adopted. It is grim news. But, it is something New Yorkers need to know before lawmakers and the governor complete work on a new budget. Cutting the state budget has a dramatic negative impact on local school districts.”

FOR RELEASE:  March 15, 2011

CONTACT: David Albert 
 (518) 783-3716 or (518) 320-2221 cell

School boards applaud the state Senate and Assembly for putting New York’s public school students atop their list of funding priorities.  In separate budget proposals, both houses restored funds for education and rejected harmful cost shifts proposed by the governor.  However, even with the proposed state aid restorations, schools are still left to grapple with a major funding cut.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
March 11, 2011

CONTACT: David Albert 
(518) 783-3716 or (518) 320-2221 cell

Gary DiLallo, a member of the Shenendehowa and Capital Region BOCES school boards, has been named the New York State School Boards Association’s Advocate of the Year for his dedication to public education and tireless work on behalf of students. The award will be presented during the Association’s annual State Issues Conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Albany on Sunday, March 13.

DiLallo is the former president of the Shenendehowa board and the past president of the Saratoga County School Board Association.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
March 11, 2011

CONTACT: David Albert 
(518) 783-3716 or (518) 320-2221 cell

Lori Nelson, the former vice president of the Byron-Bergen school board, has been posthumously honored with a lifetime advocacy achievement award by the New York State School Boards Association. The award will be presented to Nelson’s family during the Association’s annual State Issues Conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Albany on Sunday, March 13.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
March 11, 2011

CONTACT: David Albert 
(518) 783-3716 or (518) 320-2221 cell

The Nassau BOCES school board will receive the 2011 Board Advocacy Award from the New York State School Boards Association. The award will be presented during the Association’s annual State Issues Conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Albany on Sunday, March 13.

The nine-member board, which is elected by Nassau County’s 56 local school districts, consists of:  Stephen Witt, president; Eric Schultz, vice president; Susan Bergtraum, district clerk; Michael Weinick, vice district clerk; and trustees Deborah Coates, Ronald Ellerbe, Martin Kaye, Gale Ross-Srulevich and Robert “BA” Schoen.