Business meeting delegates address wide array of issues


On Board Online • November 7, 2022

By Paul Heiser
Senior Research Analyst

Delegates to NYSSBA's Annual Business Meeting overwhelmingly adopted a resolution supporting comprehensive reform of the state's foundation aid formula.

The measure was one of 29 resolutions approved at this year's meeting covering a wide range of issues, including school health and safety, expansion of academic opportunities and school finance. The meeting was held virtually on Oct. 17 with 374 registered delegates from school districts across the state.

Foundation Aid is the main source of unrestricted funding that school districts receive from the state. However, despite a plan to fully phase in the amount of aid due school districts over a three-year period that began with the 2021-22 state budget, the state has made no updates or other changes to the now fifteen-year-old statutory formula for how funds are distributed.

The resolution adopted by delegates calls for NYSSBA to advocate for changes to the Foundation Aid formula that update measures of student need, regional costs and poverty data. It calls for a study to determine the current cost of educating a student that takes into consideration changes that have occurred since the creation of the original formula.

There were several other resolutions on the docket that aimed to give school districts greater financial flexibility. For example, one resolution directs NYSSBA to support legislation authorizing school districts to borrow from one or more of their existing reserve funds in order to cover temporary cashflow shortfalls. Another asks NYSSBA to support legislation to fully reimburse districts for all investments in electric buses, including infrastructure.

All 29 of the resolutions adopted at this year's business meeting had been recommended by 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. The committee determines which resolutions and bylaw amendments to recommend for consideration by voting delegates. The committee includes one representative appointed by each of the 13 NYSSBA area directors, plus one representative each of the Conference of Big 5 School Districts and the Caucus of Black School Board Members.

When a resolution is adopted, it becomes a formal position in NYSSBA's advocacy agenda for five years unless it is rescinded or the action the position calls for is accomplished. Nine of the resolutions that were up for consideration this year were previously adopted and were scheduled to sunset this year.

Four of the sunsetting resolutions were adopted in a single motion as part of a consent agenda rather than being debated separately. These resolutions direct NYSSBA to support meaningful reforms to the tax cap formula; support raising the allowable undesignated fund balance for school districts; and support legislation that would align legal requirements imposed upon small city school districts with those of central, union free and common school districts.

Five other sunsetting resolutions were considered individually rather than as part of the consent agenda, all of which were adopted by delegates. One directed NYSSBA to support capping the length of time educators awaiting 3020-a proceedings are paid. Another directed NYSSBA to support legislation permitting school districts to be parties to and negotiators of payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreements. The other three direct NYSSBA to oppose legislation expanding New York State's charter school laws; support funding to expand New York State- and industry-approved and certified career and technical education programs; and advocate for testing accommodations for students with disabilities.

Ten other resolutions passed with no debate. These included measures to:

  • Enhance support for school districts in response to cybersecurity threats;
  • Require districts be fully funded for sufficient numbers of mental health professionals;
  • Permit districts to provide aidable transportation outside voter-approved limits;
  • Develop regulations providing oversight and enforcement over special education parent advocates and rules of conduct;
  • Support Child Nutrition reauthorization for school meals;
  • Standardize the deadlines for filing of candidate petitions for all school districts;
  • Establish the last date for candidates to file a petition after withdrawal of a candidate so that such date is sufficiently in advance of the date of an annual meeting;
  • Provide dedicated funding for school safety measures including staffing;
  • Ensure equitable full-day prekindergarten funding for all New York school districts;
  • Reduce the impact of New York State's charter schools on traditional districts.

Three of the resolutions recommended by the Resolutions Committee were not adopted by voting delegates.

One defeated resolution would have directed NYSSBA to support state legislation to allow school board members to receive a stipend for their service. The rationale for the resolution, submitted by the Beacon school board, was to encourage a more diverse pool of candidates that better represent the student body in most public school districts. Meredith Heuer, Beacon's delegate, said her board envisioned that the stipend be "small" and cover expenses for things such as child care that might pose barriers to some people who might otherwise run for school board.

While some other delegates voiced their agreement with the intent of the resolution, others expressed concern about public perception. Neal Haber from the Croton-Harmon school district argued that even a small stipend could taint public perception of why board members serve. Michael Rich from the Island Trees school district said it could lead to a "slippery slope."

Another defeated resolution would have directed NYSSBA to petition the State Education Department to require licensed security guards employed by school districts to receive training and credentialing on the laws, rules and regulations applicable specifically to schools. James Bertsch from the Sayville school board argued that the requirement was necessary because the current security certification is not school specific. But Frank Muscato from Gates Chili said schools don't need to be asking the state for more mandates. Petra Holden from Shenendehowa expressed concern about the potential cost for smaller districts.

The other recommended resolution that was defeated would have directed NYSSBA to support legislation related to firearms, including increased background checks, red flag laws and prohibiting gun ownership by anyone under the age of 21. A number of delegates argued that gun laws are outside of a school board's purview. Darrin Osborne from the McGraw school board and Elizabeth Forsell from Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES argued that this could adversely affect districts with shooting teams.

There were a total of 11 proposed resolutions that were not recommended by the Resolutions Committee. Nine of them were defeated, while two did not receive a motion to be considered.




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