AQE’S REACTION TO 96% APPROVAL RATE FOR
SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGET VOTES

Statement of Nikki Jones, AQE Communications Director

Last night, many voters exercised a right to protect public schools by passing local budgets. A 96% approval rate for school budgets is more than enough proof that New Yorkers, across the state, demand quality public schools. Unfortunately, voters affirmation of budgets will not undo the fact that the recent policies of Albany are undermining the quality of education for an entire generation. Albany has skirted its Constitutional obligation to provide every public school student a ‘sound, basic education’ and has passed the buck off to local districts.
Districts seeking to override the cap on tax levies found it tougher to do so due to an undemocratic provision that allows a minority of voters to mute the voice of the majority. For example, in New Paltz, the school budget was defeated even with a majority of voters voting to pass the budget by a margin of 59.3% to only 40.7%.

In Middletown, where a substantial number of staff positions and programs were eliminated, 76% of voters adopted a resolution demanding that the state change the school funding system to ensure all districts, particularly poor and high needs districts, receive adequate funding. Albany cannot continue to pass of its responsibility for providing nearly 3 million public school children access to a quality education. Every student deserves nothing less than the best.

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For Immediate Release: Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Contact: Billy Easton, Executive Director, Alliance for Quality Education 518-432-5315

“There is no doubt the bullet aid will be welcome, and is sorely needed, in those classrooms that happen to be located in the right political zip codes. But the return to the most partisan of methodologies for distributing school aid is a real step backwards,” said Billy Easton, Executive Director, Alliance for Quality Education. “The bottom line is that repeated cycles of classroom cuts and recent changes in state policy have crippled the State’s commitment to objective and fair school funding and to quality education for all students. We need to get back on track with the statewide system of objective, fair and adequate classroom funding that was enacted to settle the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit–otherwise we will see even more cuts to everything from full-day kindergarten to college advance placement courses.”

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For Immediate Release: Monday, April 30, 2012
Contact: Billy Easton, Executive Director, Alliance for Quality Education 518-432-5315

Statement of Billy Easton, Executive Director, Alliance for Quality Education

“We applaud the Governor’s commitment to evaluate the impact of public education policies for almost three million school children in communities across New York State. We commend the Commission appointees and commit to work with them to access significant public input in their proceedings. Our public education system is at a significant cross roads and the appointment of this commission could not be more timely. The charge laid out by Richard Parsons, the chair of this commission, that we need ‘excellence across the board’ is right on track.”
“The biggest challenge facing the commission will be making recommendations for how to fix the significant flaws in state education policy which is producing a perpetual cycle of classroom cuts that are undermining educational excellence. The state has made dramatic cuts in classroom funding, capped future state aid and capped local revenues—this Triple Play has lead to annual cuts in everything from tutoring to college prep courses and has caused class sizes to spike across the state. We hope that the Commission will grapple with these issues and get New York State’s education system back on track.”
“A few years ago the state made an historic commitment to educational excellence and equitable opportunity for all students with the 2007 statewide settlement of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity. The state committed to invest $5.5 billion over four years with an emphasis on high need schools and districts and requirements for investing in successful education strategies. However, due to a change in direction of state policies in recent years New York’s students have lost 30,000 educators, seen class sizes rise, and seen cuts in critical programs including Advance Placement courses, career and technical education, arts, music, sports, foreign languages, after school programs, and even kindergarten and pre-kindergarten. These classroom cuts have moved us away from excellence not towards it and they are directly attributable to dramatic cuts in state aid and the new cap on local tax revenues.”
New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. John King has repeatedly warned that schools now are in danger of “educational insolvency.” Just this week a Board of Regents memo warned:
“There is strong evidence that the financial crisis facing school districts will not be alleviated to any significant degree in the future. … Many of our school districts may have difficulty meeting financial obligations and will risk cutting programs and personnel to the point of not being able to provide a sound, basic education to our students.”
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State Petitions Court of Appeals To Deny Public School Students Their Day In Court 

Lawsuit Claims Students Still Being Denied

Constitutional Right to Quality Education

For Immediate Release: Thursday, April 26, 2012

For Info:  Billy Easton 518-432-5315

Today, the New York State Court of Appeals heard the State’s argument to dismiss a case calling on the State to provide every student with a ‘sound basic education.”  Hussein v. The State of New York (also known as the Small Cities Schools case) is similar to the 2006 landmark Campaign for Fiscal Equity case. CFE established a standard that all students have a constitutional right to a “sound, basic education.”  After settling CFE on a statewide basis in 2007 and making a commitment to significantly increase school funding, the state has taken back virtually all of these new investments through a series of school funding cuts.  The attorney representing the plaintiffs in today’s hearing argued that the State’s motion for dismissal would deny children of their fair day in court.

Earlier this week, the New York State Board of Regents, found that, “Many of our school districts may have difficulty meeting financial obligations and will risk cutting programs and personnel to the point of not being able to provide a sound, basic education to our students.”  Since 2008 when the Small Cities Schools court case first began, New York State has cut a total of $2.7 billion from the education budget which has resulted in harsh impacts in schools across the state including; loss of teachers and other personal, critical programs such as after school, tutoring, college preparatory, sports, kindergarten and more.  The State’s budget cuts, a crippling tax levy cap on local revenue combined with the spending cap on education will mean that districts will be forced to make even more cuts.

“It’s baffling that New York State would even consider depriving school children of their day in court after the cuts in education aid have forced massive layoffs of teachers and elimination of essential educational programs, committing to delivering inadequate aid, and after adopting a school tax cap that that hinders school districts from raising local funds to compensate for the aid cuts.  This is the State’s third attempt to deny the 101 parents and children in the 13 districts which serve 82,000 students an opportunity to speak up for their educational future. This case should be allowed to proceed so we can hear the truth about what’s happening in our schools and the State can make necessary changes,” said Robert Biggerstaff, Executive Director of the NYS Association of Small City School Districts.

“Today’s hearing is important to school children in small cities as well as those across New York because of the precedent it sets. The statewide Campaign for Fiscal Equity commitment to increase school aid and prioritizing high needs students including those living in poverty should not be an afterthought. New York simply cannot afford to remain stagnant in this education crisis. There has to be a sincere plan to get back in compliance with its Constitutional obligation to deliver every student a sound basic education, no exceptions,” said David Sciarra of the Education Law Center.  “For the past forty years, the Education Law Center has been holding New Jersey accountable for the Constitutional obligation to educate our students. We are pleased to support the Campaign for Fiscal Equity in New York and to support the efforts on behalf of students in small cities and throughout the State.”

“In school district after school district students are being asked to make do with less due to the backward moving education policies coming out of Albany,” Billy Easton, Executive Director, Alliance for Quality Education.  “The current generation of New York students are in schools that are cutting college prep and career courses, arts, sports and music, even kindergarten.  It is sad and will leave these kids with less opportunity than their parents unless our state leaders get serious about funding schools properly.”

“When good people do nothing, nothing good gets done. We must take a stand. As a parent and plaintiff in this case I am very insulted that the State would seek to deny me the opportunity to speak up for my children. New York State owes school children so much more in order for them to be prepared for life beyond high school,” said Kathy Brewington of Mt. Vernon , Hussein v. The State of New York plaintiff.

“This case needs to move forward so the state of New York’s education system can be reviewed.  Our children’s educational opportunities are being snatched away at an alarming rate.  Not only have we failed to make progress in ensuring all of our state’s children receive a sound basic education, but we have lost ground in many regions of the state,” said Assemblywoman Addie Russel.  The deterioration of our educational system must end.  This case provides the opportunity to require real education funding reform, an opportunity we cannot afford to lose.”

In previous attempts for dismissal, the State lost at the state Supreme Court level and then lost again by unanimous decision of the Appellate Division 3rd Department. Today’s arguments marked the State’s third attempt.

Examples of Cuts

Here are some examples of cuts in small city schools:

In Newburgh, they project eliminating 113 staff positions. They are also planning to cut three sports programs and a teaching assistant program in the first grade.

In Jamestown, an entire school as well as 20 staff positions are facing elimination.

In Kingston, an entire school as well as 92 staff positions are projected to be cut.

In Mount Vernon, 10 music and arts programs are facing elimination as well as skills and career training programs, such as business, nursing and woodshop.

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For Info:  (518) 431-5315 Billy Easton (ext: 104), Nikki Jones (ext: 101)

REGENTS: IS STATE FAILING TO MEET

CONSTITUTIONAL STANDARDS?  

Regents Policy Paper Highlights New York State’s Educational Crisis

RAISES WARNING BELLS THAT STATE IS FAILING TO MEET CONSTITUTIONAL OBLIGATIONS TO SCHOOL CHILDREN

The New York State Board of Regents memo, authored by the Deputy Commissioner of Education for Pre-k through Grade 12  and presented at the Regents  monthly meeting this week asserts:

Many of our school districts may have difficulty meeting financial obligations and will risk cutting programs and personnel to the point of not being able to provide a sound, basic education to our students.

“Sound, basic education” is the quality of education required by the New York State Constitution according to the rulings of the New York State Court of Appeals in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit.

“It is hardly surprising that the Regents are raising the warning bells about how the classroom cuts caused by New York State are now undermining the most basic level of educational quality guaranteed by the state constitution. New York State is headed in the wrong direction educationally due to the fact that our elected leaders in Albany do not seem to understand how their policies are truly hurting students,” said Billy Easton, Executive Director, Alliance for Quality Education.

The memo can be found at:

http://www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2012Meetings/April2012/412sad2.pdf

The specific quotation is item #2 on page 3.

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April 17, 2012

Contact: Evan Thies (Brooklyn Strategies), evan@brooklynstrategies.com

Mayoral Candidates, Education Leaders Discuss Controversial School Closure Policy at Breakfast Forum

Panel Members Release Report, Recommend Alternatives to Bloomberg Administration’s Close-and-Replace Policies

(New York, NY – April 17, 2012) – Leading candidates for mayor – Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and former NYC Comptroller Bill Thompson – joined education leaders from the Working Group on School Transformation today to release a report on Mayor Bloomberg’s school closure policy and recommend alternatives as part of a breakfast forum on education at New York University’s Kimball
Hall Lounge.

The mayor’s controversial school closings policy and approach to struggling schools has been met with increasingly harsher criticism from communities and elected officials, and lower approval ratings from voters over the last few years. In response, the forum’s panelists – including the mayoral candidates, City Council Education Chair Robert Jackson, former Deputy Chancellor Carmen Farina and NYU Professor Pedro Noguera – discussed alternatives to the unpopular policies and the potential for change that could benefit students in the
coming years.

“This report hits the nail on the head: the Administration’s practice of closing schools first and asking questions later is a recipe for disaster,” said Public Advocate Bill de Blasio. “I applaud the Working Group for conducting such a detailed analysis, and for acknowledging that Tweed’s unilateral decision-making process hurts students. The strategies outlined in this study will better serve New York’s struggling schools and improve public education in our city.”

“Every year there’s more evidence that the DOE’s closure policy is putting schools into crisis – one after another– by flooding them with large concentrations of high-needs students. We simply can’t continue down this road,” said Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. “Fortunately, the Working Groups’ report offers thoughtful guidance on ways to move forward. We need to work with schools to identify and address areas of need, and then address those needs through a comprehensive plan that involves the entire school community.”

“Closing a school for poor performance, while a necessary tool for any school system, should be a last resort and not an intervention strategy,” said former Comptroller William Thompson. “Unfortunately, what we have witnessed in recent years is a shuffling of high-need students from one failed and shut down school to the next. It resembles an educational Ponzi scheme that cheats our children and their families of assistance, support and success and it must end. As President of the Board of Education, I was proud to help launch the Chancellor’s District that identified low performing schools for interventions, educational support and additional resources. This program helped turn around many schools and is echoed in some of the recommendations made today by the Working Group on School Transformation. I am pleased to stand with them and other educational leaders in announcing these findings and proposing new responses for our struggling schools.”

“The Working Group’s report and recommendations offers our City a great opportunity to discuss alternatives from people directly impacted from school closures,” said former Deputy Chancellor Carmen Farina. “It is my hope that educator and parent voices will remain an essential part of any reform strategy as we move forward. The Working Group provided a positive model of how all stakeholders can collaborate for the common good of all students.”

“This report should be taken as a call for constructive action to address the serious challenges facing schools in New York City,” said New York University Professor Pedro Noguera, Director of NYU Metro. “Given the extent of the problem, it would be wise for public officials to ask themselves what can be done to support schools and to provide them with the assistance needed to educate all children in New York City. Given the disruption to children and their families, closing a school should be seen as the last resort, used only when all other strategies to improve the school have failed. We need a more creative approach that draws upon the strengths of our communities to support struggling schools.”

“Parents, students and academics agree: Mayor Bloomberg’s approach to struggling schools has failed,” said Coalition for Educational Justice Parent leader and Alliance for Quality Education organizer Zakiyah Ansari. “When only 1-in-4 of our children graduate college-ready and only 13% of Black and Latino students graduate college-ready, it’s clear his way hasn’t worked. Yet the mayor is pushing hard for his wrongheaded policies to continue long after he’s gone. That can’t happen. As the mayor finishes his final term, it is time to hold him accountable for his role in educating our children—and to make sure the next mayor does a much better job on behalf of our children.”

“These recommendations put the focus on building instructional capacity in struggling schools,” said Kim Sweet, Executive Director of Advocates for Children. “That will require a concentration of resources and expertise, but it’s the only way we’re going to see real improvement for the students who go there.”

“Students with learning differences and special needs are harmed in disproportionate numbers when we move to close schools rather than support stronger learning communities,” said Jo Haines, working group member and executive director of Everyone Reading, Inc. “That’s why we’re happy to collaborate in the development of these recommendations and hope they spark an important discussion.”

The Working Group – chaired by panelists Annenberg Institute For School Reform Executive Director Warren Simmons and Coalition for Educational Justice parent leader Zakiyah Ansari – formed to analyze the mayor’s approach to struggling schools during his tenure. The analysis found the City’s focus on school closings a drastic and ineffective response, and so offered alternatives to the policy that are based on research evidence and engage the wisdom and experience of practitioners, parents and students.

“Though the administration insists that its reforms have produced dramatic gains in student outcomes, recent evidence provides a sobering contrast to claims of systemic progress,” according to the report.

Among the report’s findings and suggestions:

• The 140 schools the DOE has closed since 2003 serve large numbers of the city’s highest need students. Those schools had higher percentages of students eligible for free and reduced price lunch (a proxy for poverty), higher percentages of students with disabilities, and higher percentages of English Language Learners than the school system as a whole.

• During the five years prior to the announcement of closing, the DOE significantly increased the percentages of academically challenged students assigned to the schools targeted for closing, thus setting those schools up for failure.

• There has not been a significant reduction in the achievement gap separating the city’s white students from the city’s African-American and Latino students on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test since 2003.

• In more than 200 of the city’s elementary and middle schools, fewer than 25% of the students are achieving proficiency on the annual English Language Arts exam.

• In more than 200 of the city’s high schools, fewer than 50% of the students are graduating with a Regents’ diploma.

• In more than 70% of the city’s high schools, fewer than 25% of the students are graduating college ready, according to the state’s new standards.

• The Department of Education should refocus on strategic intervention, including: creating a pilot zone for targeted supports; involving schools’ communities and stakeholders in improvement planning and implementation; and centralizing DOE support for school improvement initiatives.

• The Department of Education should work to build instructional capacity across the system, including: developing strategies to insure high-needs students are not concentrated in struggling schools; creating an early warning system to identify deteriorating school performance; and aiding interventions into struggling schools.

The Working Group on School Transformation includes the following members:
Warren Simmons, Executive Director, the Anenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University; Zakiyah Ansari, parent leader, NYC Coalition for Educational Justice and organizer, Alliance for Quality Education; Ruddie Daley, parent leader, NYC Coalition for Educational Justice ; Carmen Farina, former New York City Schools Deputy Chancellor; Maria Fernandez, Senior Coordinator, NYC Urban Youth Collaborative; Norm Fruchter, Senior Policy Analyst, Annenberg Institute for School Reform; Jo Haines, Executive Director, Everyone Reading, Inc.; John Jackson, President, Schott Foundation for Public Education; Pedro Noguera, Professor of Education, New York university and Director, NYU Metro; Center for Urban Education; Christine Rowland, teacher, Christopher Columbus High School; Jon Snyder, Dean, Bank Street College of Education; Kim Sweet, Executive Director, Advocates for Children of New York; Philip Weinberg, Principal, High School of Telecommunication Arts and Technology.

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The Facts on Competitive Grants in the 2012-13 State Budget

In the 2012-13 Executive Budget the Governor proposed to appropriate $250 million for these competitive grants.  However, after aggressive advocacy by parents, students, teachers and school leaders this proposal was rejected by the legislature.  Instead in the 2012-13 Budget that will be voted on this week includes $50 million for the first round of grants was appropriated.  This $50 million is the only money that has actually been appropriated to be given out in competitive grants.  The Legislature did agree to promise $125 million in funding for these grants for the 2013-14 Budget though those funds have obviously not been appropriated and before implementation they would need to be appropriated in next year’s budget.  This promise will need to compete with other funding promises like the statewide Campaign for Fiscal Equity promise that has repeatedly been broken.

Last year, as part of the 2011-12 Budget the state committed to a multi-year phase in of up to $500 million in competitive grants. These grants are intended to be divided into two funding streams: one based upon “management efficiency” and the other based upon performance as measured in English Language Arts and Mathematics test scores and graduation rates.

There was no money appropriated for these grants in the 2011-12 budget although there was a commitment to provide $50 million for these grants in the 2012-13 budget to be evenly divided between the two grant programs.

To date, because no funds have been appropriated prior to the budget that will be voted on this week, no competitive grants have been awarded. Of the two grant programs only one of the grant Requests for Proposals has even been issued; that is the one that awards grants based on test scores and graduation rates.  Only 70 school districts out of nearly 700 statewide applied for that grant program.

Some of the problems with the competitive grants program are as follows:

• This promise for potential future funding will compete with other school aid promises—like funding the statewide Campaign for Fiscal Equity commitment made in 2007;
• The program places competition as a priority over educational equity;
• School districts are cutting programs and would need to compete for funds to restore these programs.
• Because the most important factor in awarding grants is test scores it may end up encouraging teaching to the test rather than innovation.

SEE REVERSE FOR SPECIFIC BILL LANGUAGE

Excerpts from the Education Budget Legislation

The Article VII Budget Bills S.6257E and A.9057D has very specific and clear language.

ee. “Competitive awards amount”  shall  mean,  for  THE  two  thousand

twelve–two  thousand  thirteen  state fiscal year AND THEREAFTER, fifty

million dollars[, and for two thousand thirteen--two  thousand  fourteen

and  thereafter,  the product of the personal income growth index multi-

plied by the base year competitive awards amount]. (PAGE 7 Lines 15-19)

S  11-c. Subdivision 5 of section 3641 of the education law is amended

 by adding a new paragraph g to read as follows:

 G. FOR THE TWO THOUSAND THIRTEEN--TWO THOUSAND FOURTEEN  STATE  FISCAL

 YEAR  AND  THEREAFTER,  IN  ADDITION TO THE COMPETITIVE AWARDS AMOUNT AS

 DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH EE OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION THIRTY-SIX HUNDRED

 TWO OF THIS ARTICLE, A MINIMUM  OF  THIRTY-SEVEN  MILLION  FIVE  HUNDRED

 THOUSAND  DOLLARS  SHALL  BE  AVAILABLE  FOR  THIS PURPOSE IN EACH STATE

 FISCAL YEAR.

S 11-d. Subdivision 6 of section 3641 of the education law is  amended

 by adding a new paragraph g to read as follows:

 G.  FOR  THE TWO THOUSAND THIRTEEN--TWO THOUSAND FOURTEEN STATE FISCAL

 YEAR AND THEREAFTER, IN ADDITION TO THE  COMPETITIVE  AWARDS  AMOUNT  AS

 DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH EE OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION THIRTY-SIX HUNDRED

 TWO  OF  THIS  ARTICLE,  A  MINIMUM OF THIRTY-SEVEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED

 THOUSAND DOLLARS SHALL BE AVAILABLE  FOR  THIS  PURPOSE  IN  EACH  STATE

 FISCAL YEAR.

(PAGE 13 LINES 28 TO 43)

Parents, Students, School Board Members, Superintendents Join

AQE in Reaction to Education Budget

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 28, 2012

For Info:

Nikki Jones, Communications Director, (518) 432-5315 ext. 101

Billy Easton, Executive Director, (518) 432-5315 ext. 104

Parents, educators and advocates, organized by the Alliance for Quality Education, reacted to the agreed upon 2012-2013 education budget deal.  Participants applauded the Legislature for redirecting $200 million of the proposed $250 million in experimental competitive grants to classrooms and for prioritizing funding for high needs districts.  However, they highlighted that $805 million restoration as not enough to prevent schools from making more cuts.  In the coming months school districts will propose budgets that include cuts in teaching positions and programs including kindergarten, college prep and advanced placement courses, career & technical education, arts, music, sports, tutoring, foreign languages, high school electives, after school programs.

2012-2013 Budget Agreement:

• $805 million restoration to public schools
• The proposed $200 million expansion of the proposed competitive grants is rejected and instead will be invested in schools and classrooms
• High needs districts are prioritized to receive the school aid in a manner that is consistent with the Campaign for Fiscal Equity
• The Legislature rejected cuts to early intervention services for children with special needs as well as to special education for pre-school children.
• The budget agreement includes changes to pre-kindergarten that will prevent back door cuts in pre-kindergarten.

“There is a groundswell growing in reaction to the fact that Albany’s education policies are hurting our schools,” said Billy Easton, Executive Director, Alliance for Quality Education.  “The state budget restores $805 million in school aid. The legislature successfully restored $200 million to our classrooms that the Governor had proposed to divert into competitive grants—this will mean a few more vital classroom programs will be saved. We wish to thank both houses of the legislature on a bipartisan basis for restoring these funds and for prioritizing high need school districts. But make no mistake about it–this budget does not reverse the damage being done the quality of our schools by the policies of Albany.  There will be more classroom cuts in schools across the state and we need our elected state leaders to listen to the demands of parents and students and recommit to quality education for all students not only for those in the wealthiest communities.”

“While we are grateful the Legislature responded to our efforts by restoring some of the competitive funds, it’s simply not enough,” said Cohoes Superintendent Robert K. Libby. “In Cohoes, we will likely see more than 30 staff cuts as we seek to fill a $2.1 million budget gap. Nothing will be spared as we are forced to make striking changes to what we offer our students. Music, art, all extracurriculars, all field trips, and sports are on the chopping block,” said Robert K. Libby, Superintendent, Cohoes City School District

“While I am pleased the grassroots efforts of teachers, parents, students, and grandparents such as me have made a significant difference in preventing some classroom cuts this year, our schools will not be adequately funded until the state decides to make public education a priority.  Despite the redirection of competitive grants, class sizes will still rise next year for my grandson, and, unless policies change, pre-kindergarten will not be available through the school district to my other grandchildren.  Albany cannot continue to deliver quality programs to their students when less is given from the state, and when a property tax cap prevents the school district from maintaining an adequate level of funding,” said Kathleen Scales, Albany Grandparent.

“Winning Beginning NY appreciates the Governor’s and Legislature’s commitment to child care subsidies to increased access to working families.  Still, too many children across New York State lack access to high-quality care, and families don’t get the information they need to make informed decisions about child care.  That’s why we’ll continue to urge the State to invest in New York’s children and families by funding QUALITYstarsNY,” said Jenn O’Connor, Winning Beginning New York Coordinator.

“Challenging times call out the greatness in us. I have seen Albany’s teachers and ordinary citizens respond to the crisis of the last few years with true greatness, sacrificing their own personal interests in support of our community. We need state government to do the same – to overcome narrow interests and adopt a budget that supports quality education for those amongst us who need it most. That is state government’s constitutional duty. Our people deserve greatness in their elected officials. Please give it to them,” said Daniel Eagan, Albany City School District Board President

“The conversation needs to be about how we fund public schools in New York,” said V. Mark Pascale, president of the Cohoes Board of Education. “Linking education funding to property values is a practice that is inherently flawed. To ensure all children in New York are provided with opportunities to succeed, it needs to be addressed,” said V. Mark Pascale, President, Board of Education, Cohoes City School District

Similar events will take place in Binghamton, Kingston, Rochester, Long Island and Yonkers.

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For Immediate Release, Friday, March 23, 2012 

For Info: Marina Marcou-O’Malley, (518) 432-5315 ext. 103

The Alliance for Quality Education Releases Policy Briefs

Invest in Success: College and Careers Platform 

(Albany)—The Alliance for Quality Education released three policy briefs describing some of the new policies the New York State Board of Regents has or is planning on implementing. The policy briefs describe New York State new standards also known as the Common Core Standards, the School Improvement Grants, and the School Innovation Fund. These policies aim at helping schools improve and at making every student college and career ready.

The briefs provide a simple guide to parents, students and community members in order to keep everyone informed and part of the educational process.

To view all the briefs, click HERE.

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For Info: Nikki Jones, Communications Director, (518) 432-5315

Follow the day’s events on Twitter @AQENY #NYELD

More Than 1800 Students, Parents And Educators

Traveled to Albany and Rally to Protest NYS Educational Crisis

$805 Million Restoration Not Enough to Hold Off More Classroom Cuts

(Albany)—More than 1800 students, parents, educators and community members from the entire state of New York traveled to Albany to rally and draw attention to the educational crisis in New York Stte. The group applauded the Assembly and the Senate for redirecting $200 million, which was set aside by Governor Cuomo for competitive grants, to classrooms. However, even with these restorations schools still anticipate more cuts to classroom programs.   Over the last two years, public schools have lost $2.7 billion in state funds, with high need districts being the hardest hit. The cuts translated into lost the opportunities to learn with cuts to pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, art and music, Advance Placement, college preparatory and career and technical courses, librarians, guidance councilors, foreign languages and after school programs, and class sizes have ballooned. While the $805 million restoration proposed in this year’s budget is a step in the right direction, it still leaves a gaping hole in closing the funding and achievement gap.   The implementation of the local tax cap this year will result in further loss of revenues for schools and more classroom cuts.

“An educational crisis is unfolding in New York State, budget cuts have truly hurt our students educational opportunity,” said Billy Easton, Executive Director, Alliance for Quality Education. “This year’s budget helps, especially with the commitment from both houses of the legislature to protect our classrooms by not diverting classroom funding into competitive grants. But the policies promoted in Albany in the past two years have really hurt, how is it possible that in 2012 in New York State school districts are forced to consider cutting kindergarten? How can we be cutting courses students need to graduate high school or get into college?”

“Each year, it’s more important for us to express the need for fair funding for all students across the state of New York,” said Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan.  “Each and every student deserves the opportunity to succeed in school.  We need to make sure that they are given the right resources.  The Assembly budget proposals over many years work to eliminate the achievement gap that unfairly holds back so many of our neediest students,” said Assembly Education Chair, Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan.

“We’re making real progress working with Governor Cuomo to get an on-time Budget, but there are still a few things we’re working to get done,” said Senator Tom Libous, Deputy Majority Leader. “Upstate schools need their fair share of school aid. The Senate Budget Proposal restores $200 million toward our Upstate schools, protecting our kids and our property taxpayers.”

“At a time when the states and the federal government are slowly emerging from the worst recession in generations, it is absolutely imperative that policy makers put children and their education at the top of their recovery priority lists. Each child in New York deserves a fair and substantive opportunity to learn—one that assures access to high quality, early childhood education; well prepared, highly qualified teachers; college preparatory curriculum; and equitable resources and policies. Providing this for every child requires adequate funding, the likes of which should not be subject to competitions that lend themselves to a few children winning and a vast majority losing. New York cannot build a strong future by undercutting their children’s educations, particularly children from low income and under resourced areas. The children of New York should not be made to wait for promises. The time for providing their basic human right to a quality education is now!” said Tina Dove, M.Ed. Director, National Opportunity to Learn Campaign.

“As the legislature continues to debate the 2013 budget, we have to ensure that the students and young people of New York are made a priority and that their educational needs and rights guide our policy decisions,” said Senator Gustavo Rivera. “I know that New York State can tackle education reform, while also ensuring that state aid goes to those students and school districts that need it most.”

“With the passage of the Assembly’s budget resolution, it is my hope that the redirection of the $200 million in competitive grants will help stem the tide of austerity that has hampered investments in the classroom over the last budget cycles.  I look forward to working with AQE in pursuit of reforms that can have real positive impact in our schools.  This is just the beginning; the pursuit of the full implementation of CFE and providing critical support and resources to our schools is critical.  We must work to see real progress as we move forward in dealing with the issues of reform in our schools and how best to invest in educational opportunity for our children ,” said Assemblywoman Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes.

“I feel like half day Pre-School and Kindergarten not only affect young children and parents, but the older siblings as well. The early care programs in my district were cut to half day within the past two years. Sometimes my mom doesn’t get home from work until after 5:00 p.m. and my little brother gets out of school at 2:00 p.m. When my mom can’t afford to pay for a babysitter I have to take a day off from school. My mom rarely asks me, but when she does, it’s because she HAS to-she doesn’t have anybody else and it affects me because what can I tell her, no? I want FULL day Pre-K and Kindergarten programs BACK,” said Darlina Sanchez, Junior in Central Islip H.S.

My children need to study, graduate high school, go to college and get good jobs! For immigrant families like my family, both children and parents need good quality education, says Caridad Gutierrez, public school parent and student from Make the Road New York’s Adult Literacy program. Not only is the state cutting money for my children’s schools, but they are making it very hard for immigrant parents like me to study English so I can help my children with school. Our children deserve to have a chance at a successful future. How can we help our children reach their goals when less than 4% of adults needing English are able to study in state funded classes? The state must fund adult classes & must make sure that every dollar of the $805 million in the budget for our children’s education goes to the schools that need it the most, schools like my daughter’s.”

“In the Southern Tier, we have seen significant reductions in teachers and teachers aides, and increases in classroom sizes in our schools. Last week, one of the area schools announced that they will have to lose 30 teachers in order to meet the needs of the school budget. These state budget cuts are also impacting our after school programs that provide vital services to our youth, especially those that are at-risk. These programs not only provide tutorial assistance but also provide an opportunity for teachers to further instruct students due to the rigorous requirements that they must meet. I work hands on with these students and I understand the challenges that they are facing. Our area is considered high needs and so it is important to our kids’ future that our state leaders provide fair funding to ensure that all of our students have an opportunity to learn,” said Ana Shaello-Johnson, Youth Bureau Director-City of Binghamton

“The Senate and the Assembly have clearly put children first by redirecting much-needed education funds into classrooms where they belong. While there are still important budget issues to be resolved, the Legislature has put us on the right path,” said NYSUT Executive Vice President Andrew Pallotta.

“Over my 34 years in the Greenville Central School District I have tried to not only teach students to be the best musicians they can be, but also to be the best people they can be.  Creating music together, whether it’s in a band, in a chorus, in an orchestra or jazz ensemble, or even if it is general music class, that learning experience can’t be replicated. Other curricular areas teach students equally important life skills. Think about what you are taking away when cuts in music programs are made: Music does the following: it reinforces math skills through counting, time signatures, and complex rhythms…in English language arts – verse as poetry, rhyming, patterns, and reading notes on a page. Music teachers around the world know what music does or math and reading scores. However, I am a great believer in art for art’s sake. Annette Byrd of GlaxoSmithKline has said, “we need people who think with the creative side of their brains-people who have played in a band, who have painted….it enhances symbiotic thinking capabilities, not always thinking in the same paradigm, learning how to kick-start a new idea, or how to get a job done better.” Governor Cuomo, invest in the next generation!” said Gail Debonis Richmond, Greenville Teacher’s Association President.

“The budget cuts proposed have hurt my school, and will continue to do so in the future years. It makes me really sad to know that my former middle school will be closed next year, and the high school day may be shortened giving students fewer opportunities to take classes. With these cuts, students like me are given fewer opportunities to succeed in school and in life. Why is my education at stake in this budget? ” said Maya Williams, senior at Schenectady High School.

“We are committed to the city and to those who live here. Caring about the city means caring about the teacher who is laid off as well as the student who no longer receives tutoring, college prep or art classes. When one person suffers, we all suffer together,” said Rev. Frances Wattman Rosenau, Associate Pastor for Westminster Presbyterian Church

“The Governor’s education cuts are a triple threat. They threaten New York’s future, by failing to prepare our children for the challenges to come, threaten New York’s present by reducing our property values by closing schools, which are the hearts of our communities.  And the cuts threaten New York’s economy, because businesses won’t bring hi-tech jobs to our state if our workers aren’t educated to handle them,” said Jim Gordon, a New Paltz resident.

“With almost $3 billion in cuts over the past 4 years to our schools, we are now cut to the bone. The once vibrant after-school programs, extra-curricular activities and arts programs no longer exist. We have lost thousands of teachers from our classrooms as well, with class sizes going up each year. Now is the time for recovery. We need to put more money back into our schools and not into experiments where high needs schools have to compete against each other,” said Michelle Chapman, New York Communities for Change parent leader.

“In the past few years, NYC schools have suffered devastating cuts, which have resulted in the loss of enrichment classes and afterschool programs, 700 school aides, thousands of teaching positions, and forced schools to increase class size, reduce support services, and scale back on books and technology. All of these cuts have disproportionately affected low-income Black and Latino students, and the Governor’s budget will shortchange them once more. Our students need every dollar in state aid to go directly to the schools that need it most – not to a contest that will benefit some children at the expense of others. With only 13% of Black and Latino students graduating high school ready for college in New York City, we can’t play games with education funding. CEJ advocates for putting the $250 million in competitive grants back into classrooms to restore the budget cuts,” said Ocynthia Williams, Parent leader, NYC Coalition for Educational Justice

“My nephew, who has special needs, has been suspended at least three times this year because he is in a class with over 30 students and only one teacher. Because of the budget cuts, schools are under staffed and have teachers that are overworked. There are over 30 students in a class room with no aide. One teacher cannot control a class with over 30 students,” said Eva Gonzalez, Parent & Teacher Assistant for Buffalo Public Schools (15 years)

“We are taking the fight to the people who are supposed to represent us. Budget cuts are taking a heavy toll on our education. Less resources means less quality education and less motivation”, says Justin Watson, Junior, Legacy School for Integrated Studies, New York City.

“One of my biggest concerns is how so many school districts have had to shut the doors of their neighborhood schools which we have seen in Poughkeepsie and are seeing in Arlington and Hyde Park.  Putting a 2% cap on increases in taxes, while not helping control the costs of materials and repairs, is a death knoll for public education.  I taught in Dutchess County for 24 years in a variety of grade levels. I taught anywhere from twenty to thirty-three children giving me a chance to see how much improvement there was with smaller classes.  Poughkeepsie has had to close a school, drop pre-kindergarten, and cut kindergarten to half day.  The children who need education the most will be falling further behind because of the loss of learning at a very productive period of their lives.  It appears that our government is doing everything it can to destroy public education and prevent those on the lowest economic scale from being able to improve their lot,” said Doris Kelly, former Hyde Park and Poughkeepsie teacher.

“Years of education budget cuts mean years of opportunity lost for too many New York children,” saidKaren Scharff, Executive Director of Citizen Action of New York. “While the legislature has moved in the right direction for our kids by redirecting $200 million from the proposed competitive grants into classrooms where it’s most needed, there’s still far more that must be done if we want our kids to be ready for college and careers. Each year of inadequate school funding puts our children at a disadvantage. It’s time for Albany to lead by ensuring that the next generation has the education they need to keep our communities strong.”