"Representing the Educational Interests of 400 School Districts"
In a 2004 study of the status of the Upstate New York economy prepared for the Brookings Institute, Susan Christopherson and Rolf Pendell reported the following:
- Personal Income grew at half the national average and lagged the country by 11%
- Workers received lower wages than their counterparts nationwide
- The poverty rate of 11% was closing in on the national average of 12.4%
- Concentrated poverty was on the decline nationwide, but on the rise in Upstate New York
This condition contributed to a net outflow of population; a condition that continues to persist. A recent study conducted by the Department of Economic Development at Cornell, took a closer look at this outflow and reported that Upstate New York was losing 22% of its population in the 20-34 age range. The Legislative Commission on Rural Resources recognized this trend, and through the Rural Vision Initiative shaped a report to help guide renewal in Upstate New York. The Office of the Governor has also stepped forward with the formation of the Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness. They are charged with the responsibility of creating a plan for local government consolidation. It is within this context that the Rural Schools Association (RSA) is advocating for more Regional and Collaborative approaches in the delivery of programs and services to children and families. The 2008 Position Statement places heavy emphasis on strengthening existing regional structures and promoting legislation that would create more regional opportunities:
Regionalization – Declining wealth and declining population has resulted in many small and rural districts reaching a “tipping point”. There is growing recognition that smaller tax bases and smaller student populations do not allow these districts to offer the type of education necessary for young people entering the world of the 21st century. There is a growing recognition for the need to build collaborative regional partnerships. The Governor and the Legislature could assist and promote regionalization by making it more attractive to small and rural school districts. RSA would like to suggest the following:
- Strengthen the BOCES – the most effective and efficient structure to address regional needs.
- Remove barriers that may impede the “best and brightest” leaders from pursuing the position of District Superintendent
- Increase the ceiling on aidable salaries – set at $30,000.00 in 1990
- Expand EXCEL guidelines to include BOCES
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- Consider other options for School District Organization – Expand guidelines to permit a Regional High School as a reorganization option eligible for reorganization aid
- Consider direct incentives to school districts and municipalities to encourage partnerships
Rural Education Advisory Committee (REAC) – Assure continuation funding for REAC. This Committee has instituted a system of mini-grants that allow small and rural schools to pursue innovative practices. Funding for these grants has helped to promote regional partnerships which are critical in addressing upstate rural issues. Funding also supports important research projects which will enable rural districts to pursue new pathways in addressing issues related to declining enrollment and declining resources.
Foundation Formula – The Governor and the Legislature are to be commended for the passage of a wealth adjusted foundation approach to the distribution of state aid to education. While RSA applauds the introduction of the foundation formula, we believe that corrections need to be made to realize a true “wealth adjusted” formula.
- Eliminate the .65 floor that is built into the Income Wealth Index (IWI). Many of the small and rural school districts of New York State have wealth indexes well below .65; thus the IWI penalizes High Need Rural districts. It does not acknowledge the true need level and places an unnecessary tax burden on the high need rural school districts.
- High Tax Aid – The addition of high tax aid, over and above the foundation formula, had the net effect of restoring the “shares” approach to distribution of school aid. This formula needs to be reviewed in terms of fundamental fairness. The deteriorating conditions of Upstate New York has increased the levels of poverty, and created a greater need based on relative wealth. The Rural Schools Association believes in a true wealth adjusted formula based on the “ability to pay”.
Broadband Access – Many Upstate rural areas do not have broadband networks which are critical for high speed telecommunications and access to the internet. The Commission on Rural Resources sponsored legislation to support this effort during the 2007 legislative session, and the 2007 enacted budget contains $5 million for broadband program design, with half the monies going to rural New York. Yet, no action has been taken on legislation that would lead to significant expansion of broadband deployment in underserved rural areas. Broadband access is critical in maintaining the educational vitality of our rural schools and supporting the economic revitalization of upstate rural communities. RSA urges the state legislature and the governor to take immediate action to make broadband access a reality in all of rural New York.
Budget – The legislature and the Governor are to be commended for the passage of an “on-time” budget that increased aid to public education by more than $1.8 billion (9.9%). The passage of an “on-time” budget is particularly important to high need rural districts that typically have small reserves and count on state aid to mitigate potential increase to local taxpayers. These districts tend to have higher than average tax rates, and it is important for them to have a clear picture of revenues at as soon as possible. The Rural Schools Association urges the Governor and Legislature to finalize and approve a budget on or before April 1.
Mandate Relief – This continues to be one of the highest priority items for leaders of small and rural school districts. New York State’s rural schools have small administrative staffs. Time spent responding to new mandates and new reporting requirements could be better spent providing leadership for programs and services that have a direct impact on children. RSA suggests a focus on the following:
- School leaders are now required to respond to 150 information requirements. It is time to reduce this burden.
- It is time for Wicks Law reform. Much research has been done demonstrating the cost saving that could be realized with reform of the 90 year old Wicks Law.
- Many of our small and rural districts are having difficulty finding certified teachers. It is time to re – examine current laws that prohibit the rehiring of retired teachers in demonstrated shortage areas until they reach age 65. Furthermore, consideration should be given to providing greater flexibility to “career changers” in their efforts to pursue teacher certification. These two approaches would help districts to address staffing problems in high need areas.
- Current requirements as they relate to the school district Administrative Budget place an undue burden on small and rural school districts. Provide relief within the Administrative Budget by excluding health insurance, employee retirement, and energy costs from the budget cap.
- RSA also urges no new mandates be imposed even if fully funded. Most small and rural schools do not have the resources, both human and fiscal, to respond to new requirements.
These and other mandates that are a cost burden also need to be examined in light of the testing and reporting requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The NCLB requirements have placed an added cost burden on local school districts, and relief from unnecessary, costly mandates can help offset the new expense created by NCLB.