Advocacy

Component school districts in the WSWHE BOCES, including Lake George, have established a set of regional advocacy priorities for the legislative session. 

Foundation Aid | Workforce Development | Graduation Requirements | Zero-Emission Buses | Additional Ongoing Issues | Take Action

2025 Legislative and Budget Priorities

2025-2026 School Aid Including Foundation Aid

Districts around the state, including those in the WSWHE BOCES region, applaud the State’s efforts to
fully fund the Foundation Aid formula, inclusive of hold harmless and a due minimum increase for all
districts in the 2023-24 school year. Unfortunately, after so many years of advocacy and work, that satisfying outcome has only exacerbated our disappointment as we now find ourselves in the same position – advocating for full, adequate and predictable funding of the Foundation Aid formula for our students in the coming and future school years.
To support financial planning at the district level and ensure adequate funding, we ask that the state:
● Fully fund the current law Foundation Aid formula for the 2025-26 school year, inclusive of:
○ Actual inflation.
○ Hold harmless for fully funded districts.
○ A due minimum increase for all districts.
● Consider and propose recommendations for change in funding only in the context of all data
points, including:
○ Actual cost for mandated services.
○ Student need.
○ The ability to generate a local contribution under the tax cap.
○ The fixed costs for a district to remain open, regardless of enrollment.
● Phase in any changes to the Foundation Aid formula over multiple years to allow for local and state
financial planning.
● Fully fund expense-based aids.

Workforce Development

School districts, like most employers, are facing extreme workforce challenges. Teachers, bus drivers, and other staff shortages are making it increasingly difficult to fully staff buildings. Compounding the issues caused by the lack of candidates in the pipeline, current professionals are increasingly choosing to leave their roles earlier in their tenure. To address the growing problems of recruitment and retention, the state should consider policy changes and programs that would attract people to needed roles and incentivize employees to stay. Current flexibility around teacher certifications has helped to a degree, but continued adjustments are needed.

To support districts in meeting their staffing needs, we ask that the State:

• Continue to align Tier 6 retirement benefits more closely with those offered to Tier 3 and 4 members by allowing retirement at age 55 with 30 years of service.
• Extend the ability of retirees to work in school districts without pension penalty or a 211 waiver.
• Reduce requirements for professionals certified in other states and other mid-career professions to enter the teaching profession by allowing them to demonstrate their proficiency.

Graduation Requirements

As the state begins the transition to new graduation requirements, as outlined by the New York State Regents Blue Ribbon Commission on Graduation Requirements, districts across the state will need support for their students, as well as their faculty and staff, to ensure a successful transition. The shift to a new, single diploma, based on more individually influenced educational plans, new content and standards (such as increased emphasis on civic and financial literacy) while still emphasizing existing priorities, such as career and technical education programs (CTE) and multiple pathways to graduation, will necessitate many changes. Some of those changes include updated professional development, new and revised curriculum and changes in staffing models, to name a few.

To ensure a successful transition, we ask that the state:

• Fund model curriculum development for districts to consider and adopt, at local option.
• Fund professional development for faculty and staff to properly support and transition students under the new requirements.
• Increase the BOCES Aid reimbursement rate, allowing for the first $60,000 in salary for CTE instructors to be BOCES aidable, rather than the current $30,000.

Zero-Emission Buses

School districts around the state recognize the importance of being part of the process to reduce emissions in New York State for the students of the future. Current state law requires that starting in 2027, all new school buses must be zero emission and beginning in 2035, all school buses currently in operation must be zero emission. Supports for districts were slow to be released and the supply of buses and other infrastructure have proven to be inadequate. With significant delays in the delivery of buses ordered and the completion of electrification and fleet transition studies, which can only be completed by a handful of experts, achieving these requirements will be difficult. In addition, as districts try to start this transition, voter propositions for buses are already being defeated by voters, with no recourse available to move forward. Districts are working hard to meet their requirements but cannot complete this transition alone.

To ensure their success, we ask the state to:

• Immediately adopt a procedure and guidance for alternatives to address defeated bus bond initiatives.
• Amend relevant funding streams to ensure that needed changes and supports are supported by state aid. These include funding streams such as building aid for bus depots, aid streams for items such as electricity needed by visiting buses and other currently unanticipated needs.
• Hold all stakeholders accountable for supporting this transition, including clear guidance on who should be responsible for financing needed updates to the state electrical grid to support this transition.
• Evaluate how delays from vendors, including bus and charger manufacturers, energy providers, and consultants for needs assessments and transportation systems, may impact school districts’ success, and adjust timelines as necessary.

Additional Ongoing Issues

Small Group Health Insurance

Prior to the adoption of the ACA, a “small group” for health insurance was defined as an employer with 1-50 versus 1-100 full-time equivalent employees. During the adoption period of the ACA, this was reconsidered many times and ultimately states were authorized to implement the old standard. New York generally chose to adopt the new 1-100 standard; but for several years, school districts have been allowed to remain in their health insurance consortium, despite having 50-100 full-time equivalent employees. This authorization has been extended through December of 2028.

School Year Calendar

School leaders around the state, including the WSWHE BOCES region are proud of the diverse population of our state and applaud the efforts of local leaders to adjust their school calendars to reflect changing populations. However, the addition of new holidays and mandated days without instruction is creating increasing pressure on an already pressured school calendar. School districts must have 180 instructional days between September 1 and June 30 each year. While there is some moderate flexibility, allowing for some superintendent conference days to be held at the end of August, student instructional days are limited to that September – June window. Once mandated holidays, student days off, Regents exams, and contractual provisions are considered, there is actually very little flexibility in the calendar. These limitations should be considered when reviewing legislation that impacts the school calendar.

Take Action

We encourage you to participate in the budget Take Action campaign. In response to the Governor’s 2024-25 executive budget proposal, which includes Foundation Aid cuts for more than 300 districts and lower than projected increases for the rest of the state, Lake George Central School District has crafted a ‘Take Action” email letter to send to your local representative. The letter includes budget priorities, but is customizable to fit your needs. Please, also feel welcome to share with your friends, family, and community members and encourage them to participate.

Budget Links

• Lake George Central School District Budget Page
• ‘Take Action” Email Letter
• Legislative Mapping Tool
• 2024 NYSSBA Budget Priorities
• NYSSBA 2024-25 Executive Budget Proposal Analysis