The U. S. Supreme Court ruling that it is a violation of constitutionally protected free speech to compel non-union members to pay ‘agency fees’ is a matter to be addressed by an employee and his or her union. NYSSBA members will continue to negotiate agreements with unions that are fiscally sound and serve to benefit the school communities our members represent.

To borrow from the words of famous poet T.S. Eliot, the 2018 legislative session ended "not with a bang but a whimper." 

There was no deal on major issues such as teacher evaluations, school safety, or stop arm cameras for school buses.

The practice of removing children from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border, traumatizing the children and their parents, must end.

We are encouraged to hear that President Trump has signed an executive order intended to stop this horrible practice, and we hope that a more lasting, humane solution can be reached.

Voter turnout for last week’s school budget votes plummeted by more than 50,000 from a year ago – the lowest total since the inception of the tax cap in 2012, according to a New York State School Boards Association analysis of State Education Department data.

The total number of votes cast statewide in 2018 school budget votes was 505,075, compared to 557,642 in 2017 – a drop of 52,567.

Photo, video and interview opportunities

What:  A series of summits focused on what education will look like in 2030. Guest speakers and stakeholders will discuss how education needs to evolve in order to prepare students for success in the year 2030. The summits are geared toward school board members, administrators, educators, parents, students and community members.

Who:

• Tim Kremer, Executive Director, New York State School Boards Association
• MaryEllen Elia, New York State Education Commissioner
• Bill Daggett, Ed.D., Founder and Chairman, International Center for Leadership in Education
• A presenter from IBM will demonstrate the Teacher Advisor with Watson program.
• A ‘Digital Skills’ program will be presented with a representative from Microsoft about empowering students to be future-ready.

New York State voters approved 97.6 percent of school district budgets on Tuesday, May 15, according to an analysis by the New York State School Boards Association. That's down slightly from 99.3 percent in 2017.

"School boards and their leadership teams put together budgets that were fiscally restrained yet responsive to the needs of their communities," said NYSSBA Executive Director Timothy G. Kremer. "For example, in response to community concerns about school safety, many school boards allocated funding for school resources officers..."

We are concerned that if enacted, proposed APPR legislation that has passed the Assembly would result in additional student testing. 

Unless the state wants to forfeit federal ESSA funds, it still must administer grades 3-8 ELA and math state assessments. Under the proposed APPR legislation, students could have to take both the state tests as well as alternative assessments that would be used for teacher and principal evaluation purposes.

Here are some quick facts on school board elections:

• With few exceptions, school districts across the state hold school board elections and school budget votes on the third Tuesday of May.
• The size of a school board generally ranges between three and nine members.
• With limited exceptions, school board members serve three, four or five-year terms.

View a regional breakdown of board elections based on a NYSSBA survey of 671 school districts. A total of 610 districts responded – a rate of 91 percent.

Avon Central School District Board Member Julie Welch is the 2018 recipient of the New York State School Boards Association Champion for Change Award. 

The Champion for Change Award is presented to an individual who is serving in their first five years as a school board member and demonstrates leadership by enhancing educational opportunities for all students.

Nearly three-quarters of school board members responding to a recent online poll by the New York State School Boards Association believe the reduction in the number of testing days for the state’s grades 3-8 English language arts (ELA) and math exams is positive for their school districts. 

Starting this year, the number of testing days for both the state’s grades 3-8 ELA and math exams was reduced from three days to two. Of the 548 poll respondents, 73 percent believe the shorter testing timeframe was "generally positive" for their district.