State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa held a “town hall” last week at the Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES in Yorktown Heights to answer questions about pressing issues in education. She’s doing this in New York as part of an effort to make the state’s education leadership “more user-friendly,” said Lester Young, chancellor of the state Board of Regents, which makes education policy.
Nearly 200 supervisors, administrators, school board members and state officials came to listen and ask questions to Rosa and Jeffrey Matteson, senior deputy commissioner for education policy. Here is a summary of what was discussed:
Will New York school districts need to participate in “regionalization” efforts?
The state Education Department is trying to push school districts to consider new ways to share staff, programs and resources, an initiative known as “regionalization.” But many supervisors and others in the Lower Hudson Valley and on Long Island were skeptical of the effort and worried they might be forced to participate.
Rosa was clearly frustrated by the backlash, saying it was the result of misinformation, disinformation and “bad information.” She said that while all school districts were asked to participate in regional conversations about opportunities to collaborate, it was never the state’s intention to force districts to participate. “You don’t have to be a part of it if you don’t want to be a part of it,” she said.
The Board of Regents this month clarified the rules for the initiative, saying districts can opt out of participating by notifying the Department of Education.
Rosa said she would like school districts to be “good neighbors” by considering ways to share or pool knowledge, resources and opportunities for students. The goal is for 37 regions of the state, each led by the regional BOCES, to submit interim reports to the state by April 1 and final plans by October 1.
These new partnerships or programs will go into effect in fall 2026 — but will only involve districts that want to participate, Rosa said. “We want to create a network of individuals who are committed to this work,” she said.
State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa and Senior Deputy Commissioner Jeffrey Matteson at a “town hall” Dec. 12 at the Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES in Yorktown Heights.
What is the future of New York state aid to school districts?
There is great interest in how the state might change its formula for distributing “foundation aid,” the main form of annual state aid to school districts. A new report from an Albany-based think tank just recommended numerous changes to the formula to make it fairer in distributing a huge pot of aid — about $25 billion during the current school year.
Updating the formula will be a major focus of upcoming state budget discussions between Governor Kathy Hochul and legislative leaders. Last year, Hochul proposed cutting annual foundation funding to about half of New York’s nearly 700 school districts, but those cuts didn’t make it into this year’s state budget.
State policy is designed not to cut annual aid to any school district. Hochul’s office recently said in a statement that she does not support “doing away” with that policy, but it is unclear whether she might want to change the policy in some way.
Matteson said there is strong support for certain proposed changes to the formula, such as finding better ways to measure student poverty in a school district and the basic costs of running schools in different regions of the state.
But he noted that no one knows how district aid totals might change once the formula is updated. So the state Education Department and the Legislature will be doing a lot of trials with different revisions to see what the numbers look like. It’s safe to say that many school districts will be on edge if changes are made to the formula.
Board of Regents Chancellor Lester Young at a “town hall” on Dec. 12 at the Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES in Yorktown Heights
Is federal funding for special education in jeopardy?
President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to close the U.S. Department of Education — which would require congressional approval — has created a lot of uncertainty and confusion, especially when it comes to special education. The U.S. Department of Education sends annual grants to states to help pay for special education, which school districts depend on to help pay for these rapidly rising costs.
Trump has called for transferring the federal department’s responsibilities and resources to the states, but there are concerns that some funding could be cut.
Rosa was asked about the likelihood that federal aid to special education would be reduced, especially if the U.S. Department of Education itself were eliminated. “We are very concerned about special education,” she says. Rosa said the state will urge New York’s congressional delegation to ensure that no matter what happens with the U.S. Department of Education, funding for special education is spared.
“In every legislative district in the country, there are economically disadvantaged children and students with special needs,” Rosa says, the two main populations receiving federal assistance.
Student artwork on display at the Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES gym in a “town hall” on December 12
Will future high school graduation requirements in New York be strict?
The state Education Department is creating multiple ways for high school students to demonstrate they have accomplished enough to graduate. The state is moving away from its long-standing reliance on standardized tests, namely the Regents exams. In a few years, students should be able to demonstrate their knowledge and abilities through projects, internships, participation in the arts, vocational and technical education, and other means.
Rosa was asked how the state will ensure all student assessment methods are rigorous. She said standardized tests “can be a barrier that holds kids back” and may not demonstrate students’ “magical talents.”
Matteson said the state will produce scales for assessing various assessments that will align with the state’s learning standards, and a forthcoming “portrait of a graduate,” which will attempt to outline the skills and knowledge that New York students need have to succeed. the world.
He said local school districts will play an important role in choosing and implementing new ways to assess students.
What about the NY graduation requirements for students with disabilities?
Rosa was asked how the new high school graduation requirements will work for students with disabilities. She responded that New York schools need to “individualize” and “personalize” the education students with disabilities receive, including how they are assessed. “We must respect differences” while maintaining high standards for all students, she said — a response that drew applause and murmurs of “yes!” evoked. of teachers.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New York City Education Chief Betty Rosa Talks Regionalization, State Aid, Trump
