Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Long Island schools are regularly ranked among the very best in New York state. As it turns out, the majority of them happen to be right here in our Senate District. That probably comes as no surprise to you. Our schools have traditionally been among the best in the nation, ranking our children highly competitive at universities and in job markets as well. But that’s part of the Long Island reality: Our significant taxes are driven by our shared commitment to education outcomes.
By way of background, most school districts in our district get less than 10 percent of their budgetary funding from Albany, while local taxpayers shoulder over 90 percent of the direct costs. That’s the complete inverse of districts in a good portion of the state, whose budgets are nearly entirely funded by Albany. And it speaks to the conscientious investment Long Island families make in their priorities. Our schools are the backbone of our communities.
That’s why Albany’s most recent actions are so insulting. Through yet another “emergency” edict, the Board of Regents has declared that our public school districts must comply with a new regionalization plan that seeks to create “equitable” opportunities for all students.
Naturally, there’s been an outcry by parents, educators and boards of education alike, because the plan gives BOCES superintendents authority over local school resources. So, the people that you lawfully elected to make decisions — our school board trustees — can now be circumvented by Albany bureaucrats. It means that the resources secured by your local school taxes can now be redistributed to other districts, giving the state control of our tax base, too — all in the name of “equity.”
Conspicuously missing from this mandate are the “Big Five,” large cities like New York and Buffalo that are home to most of the state’s failing schools. That’s in keeping with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s larger pattern of attacking suburbs. Rather than tackle failing districts head-on, her answer is to reconfigure those that are successful. It’s the politics of jealousy, and not only is it wrong-headed, it’s also illegal.
But the issue reaches beyond classrooms. This misguided scheme will alter the fabric of our communities. Schools are the backbone of Long Island, and define our economic, social and cultural structures. They drive property values and economic growth, and influence civic engagement and even public services. But you’d have to live here to know that, like our school board trustees do.
The Coalition of New York State School Board Members agrees, stating, “These regulations represent an overreach, bypassing legislative authority to enact mandates that ignore the unique needs of our communities.” Which is why several districts have joined forces to file a lawsuit.
To that end, we’re responding legislatively, too. Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz and I have proposed the Our Schools, Our Rules Act, which would prohibit any state-mandated regionalization policies that force school districts to share resources, operations or services. In a nutshell, it would preserve the autonomy of our districts and protect your investment in your schools, and in your children.
After all, if the state really knew how to educate kids, why would it be in this predicament? Why are the independent Long Island school boards so much more successful?
I can tell you why. Because bureaucrats in faraway places never do as good a job as the local officials you elect, those neighbors who are part of the very communities they represent.
This Board of Regents resolution is nothing short of an attack on our suburban communities. You don’t rob Peter to pay Paul, and you don’t build success by attacking it. Encourage your local school board to oppose this. Tell Albany that when it comes to our children, we’ll take on any fight, any time.
Jack Martins represents the 7th State Senate District.
