• Document Cloud
  • FOIL–Your Right to Know
  • See Through NY
  • Tax Exempt
  • Environmental Justice
  • Campaign Finance Reports

Preserve Ramapo

www.preserve-ramapo.com

  • Home
  • Join our email
  • Donate
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • The Archive
You are here: Home / East Ramapo Central School District / New push to give East Ramapo monitors veto power

New push to give East Ramapo monitors veto power

February 26, 2021 by Michael Castelluccio

“In a move to strengthen state oversight of the troubled East Ramapo school district, Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski planned to introduce a bill Thursday that would give state-appointed monitors broad powers to reign in misguided school board decisions and ensure that the needs of children in the district’s public schools are represented.

Among those powers: the ability for monitors to override certain board decisions; scrap school board proposals and introduce their own resolutions for a board vote; and weigh in on decisions about hiring a new superintendent.

The monitor would also review the district’s budget and have the power to amend the spending plan to align with long-term academic and fiscal goals.

Zebrowski was involved in the original monitor legislation that failed to pass during its first attempt and then was watered down in an effort to get it through the then-GOP-controlled state Senate.

“Six years later, I am more confident than ever that the first Assembly bill was the right way to go,”  Zebrowski said. “In the past six years, and in the six years before that, we have continued to see a district that fails to perform its most basic task: running a public school system in the best interest of the students.”

EAST RAMAPO: NYCLU wants state to void $15M school contract

State Sen. Elijah Reichlin-Melnick said he plans to introduce the bill in the state Senate.

The bill’s introduction comes the same week the district began dozens of mid-year faculty and staff layoffs and on the heels of the first school board vote under a court-mandated ward system that is designed to ensure minority voters’ voices.

“The recent announcement of mid-year layoffs adds insult to so many mounting injuries,” Zebrowski said.

Under the new bill, East Ramapo’s monitors would also be empowered to:

  • Participate in budget reviews with the state education commissioner, who would have to approve the district’s spending plan before it faces voters.
  • Work with the district on developing the academic improvement plan, financial plan, district goals, implementation of district priorities and budgetary recommendations.
  • Call a school board meeting to have the board address a resolution that the monitor can put forth.
  • Participate in resolving conflicts between the board and administration or among board members.
  • Mandate the board adopt a new conflict-of-interest policy and ensure its enforcement.
  • Receive board meeting agendas and copies of any resolutions prior to meetings, which implies they have not had access to such information in the past. The bill would empower the monitors to remove any such items.
  • Direct the board, superintendent or staff to undergo training. Past monitor reports have urged the school board to undertake diversity training, or as the last monitor’s report stated, participate in training “related to adopting a mindset that all children can learn.”

Read the complete Journal News story here.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: East Ramapo Central School District

Preserve Ramapo tree no border

Preserve Ramapo online since 2003

Recent Posts

  • East Ramapo names new superintendent; 0% tax hike in budget plan
  • Services for Spring Valley Firefighter Jared Lloyd Saturday
  • State education chief Betty Rosa backs law to strengthen monitor’s power in East Ramapo
  • Bluefield Extension: Ramapo to appeal court decision blocking high-density housing plan
  • Airmont, Pomona Election Results

Archives

  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015

Calendar listing for Posts

April 2021
M T W T F S S
« Mar    
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Facebook

Other Links

Airmont,

Pomona,

Montebello,

Suffern,

Sloatsburg,

Hillburn,

Spring Valley,

Chestnut Ridge,

New Hempstead,

Wesley Hills,

Town of Ramapo,

Town of Clarkstown,

Rosa4Rockland,

Rockland Water Coalition

East Ramapo Central School District

Power of Ten -- East Ramapo for the Children,

Strong East Ramapo,

East Ramapo Videos,

Copyright © 2021 · News Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in