Protect the Promise

The following is an opinion piece that I wrote and submitted to the Times Union. It was published in the Wednesday, March 11th edition of the newspaper. I have been pleasantly surprised by the positive feedback I have since received, and for that reason, I am again sharing through this blog my personal thoughts on the promise of public education.

Protecting the promise: the power of public education

My story is simple, uncomplicated, and a reflection of the profound impact education has had on my life.

I was born in Coventry, RI to a mother with a high school diploma and a father with a 4 year business degree.  My paternal grandfather emigrated from Russia and although he spoke the language, it was very difficult to understand his thick accent.  I am the middle child and was raised in a household where you finished what you started, returned what you borrowed, respected adults and valued education.

I had no idea we were poor because I didn’t know any different.  My family ate dinner together every night, I had clothes on my back and a roof over my head.  The only indication I had that I was “different” was when I moved to NY in 2nd grade and  the visceral feeling that ran through my blood when my teacher  asked that anyone who qualified for free lunch raise their hand so she could complete the lunch count.  Few hands were raised, but my classmates always turned to look and see whose hand went up.  My family’s income did not inhibit my parents from attending every extracurricular event I participated in, every report card and awards night my school held and parent/teacher meetings.

Some of my fondest memories are those from high school where I participated in YAC (Youth Against Cancer), softball, ski and yearbook club.  I loved high school and was an above average student.  My time was never spent worrying if my district’s state aid would dry up and my extracurricular clubs would be abolished.  I never had trouble getting extra help from teachers because our class sizes were very reasonable.  I had no knowledge of who the governor of NYS was because it wasn’t important to me and I did not have a clue what the superintendent in my school district did all day long.

I knew my parents’ expectations were that I was going to college after high school and I needed to bring home respectable grades in all subject areas.  Homework had to be completed before going outside to play and there were consequences for not doing your best in school.  NYS protected the promise to students who attended public education.  State aid was adequately and equitably distributed and students were assessed and tested throughout their public school careers by the state as well as their teachers.

I became an educator because I believed I had the tools to enhance children’s lives.  I knew public education was the “great equalizer” and had the power to transform the future of our youth.  Education is an investment in one’s future and I am living proof of that.  Through my hard work and education, my salary no longer would qualify me for free lunch.

I tasked myself with the charge of giving back to my community and to children.  I taught for 11 years in the same school district I graduated from.  My family still lives in that district and my niece is a freshmen in the same high school I attended.  The difference is her class sizes are larger and her opportunities are fewer.  Teachers are equally qualified to prepare children to be productive members of society, much like when I was in school, however resources are scarce and governmental support is limited.  Children go through the public school system one time in their lives.  They never have a second opportunity to build up their resumes if the opportunities are simply not there.  We are doing a disservice to our children when limited resources stifle their ability to acquire the necessary skills to compete in the 21st Century. 

As a public school educator, it is my job to ensure I protect the promise to the children in my district and make sure they graduate with a high school diploma that allows them to compete in the global economy.  There is no better investment than a child’s education as it is the key to unlock the door of opportunity. 

Your thoughts

I see great learning potential as well as academic success and personal achievement every day in our schools. But, I’m interested to hear your perspective about what public education in Watervliet schools has meant to you. I invite parents, grandparents, students, teachers, administrators, and community members to send us your stories and share your thoughts on the power of public education to transform lives.

Success stories can be sent to me directly at lcaplan@vliet.neric.org or e-mailed to our district's communications specialist: jfrost@vliet.neric.org. Thank you!

Is end of GEA near? Could be, if we act now!

The Legislature has a real opportunity this year to fully end the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA), a measure initiated by the state that has diverted more than $9 billion in aid from schools across New York since it was first introduced in 2010.

Since that time, the GEA has essentially siphoned more than $4 million in aid from our school district—leaving us with significant budget deficits to overcome, but more importantly, cheating our students of the educational opportunities they deserve.

Both of our elected state representatives are on board with recently proposed bi-partisan legislation (Assembly bill A.2271 and Senate bill S.2743) that, if approved by both houses, would bring about a permanent end to the GEA. I commend Assemblyman John McDonald and Senator Neil Breslin for taking action and co-sponsoring this important legislation and have written letters to both encouraging them to continue fighting the good fight for our schools and for public education, in general. 

Now I am asking the community to keep this momentum to end the GEA moving forward. Please send a letter, an email or even call Assemblyman McDonald and Senator Breslin and urge them to continue working diligently for the passage of Assembly bill A.2271 and Senate bill S.2743 during the 2015 Legislative Session. Their contact information can be found here.

The more legislators hear from us – their constituents – the better the chances they will make the GEA a priority issue this legislative session!

 

From ending the GEA to beginning the school budget process

This is typically the time of year when we begin in earnest to crunch the numbers and develop a school budget proposal to present for a public vote in May. Only this year, for the first time that anyone in education can recall, district leaders and boards of education are beginning this important process without having all the necessary numbers.

Historically, the state issues what are known as “state aid runs” or projections for the amount of state funding that school districts should reasonably expect to receive. The aid runs are traditionally provided soon after the governor presents his Executive Budget proposal in January. In an unprecedented move, however, the state’s Division of Budget announced that it will not release aid projections until the Legislature passes the education reform agenda outlined in the governor’s budget presentation. This unfairly places school districts in the crosshairs of a political power struggle and further complicates the already challenging process of developing a balanced and responsible budget.

Not only does withholding this critical information create an impediment to crafting a sound fiscal plan, but it is also a disservice to our communities as it hinders the open communication and transparency that needs to occur throughout the budget development process.

WHS student to speak at regional forum on public education

Finally, I encourage teachers, staff members, parents, students and community members—anyone invested in the future of public education—to attend the upcoming regional forum “SAVE OUR SCHOOLS: Quality Opportunities for Public School Children” on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. at Colonie Central High School.  View a copy of the Feb. 26 event agenda

I have been asked to discuss school funding at this event and Watervliet High School senior Theresa DeChiaro also has been invited to serve as a panelist speaking on behalf of public school students about the undeniable effects inequitable and inadequate state funding have made on educational opportunities in our schools.

I am extremely proud of Theresa for serving on this panel and being a voice for students here and throughout the Capital Region, and I look forward to having Watervliet community members attend the forum and help support our message.

Vliet listed on state fiscal stress report

Last year around this same time, the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) released its fiscal stress report for school districts and municipalities. You may recall that Watervliet was at the top of the school list.

I recently received the OSC’s fiscal stress report for 2014, and the district is once again on the list with a score of 80 percent, meaning Watervliet is a district in “significant fiscal stress." (Our score for 2013 was 88.3 percent.)

I have blogged about our fiscal stress many times – most recently in November after the comptroller’s office released its fiscal stress audit of district finances.

As is often the case with these types of government reports, this most recent report does not reflect the entire story. It neglects to mention, for example, that by tightening our belts and aligning recurring costs and revenues, the district has eliminated 80 percent of our deficit in one year. We have pursued cost-saving measures, such as shared service agreements with the City of Watervliet for trash removal and a summer school program with the Cohoes City School District, and we will continue to seek opportunities to reduce costs.

Question of revenue

It also fails to explain that ours is not a spending problem, but rather a revenue issue. Our schools are receiving less state aid than we have in the past. The Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) has diverted billions of dollars in aid from schools—Watervliet has lost approximately $4 million to the GEA—all so that the state could eliminate its budget deficits.

Meanwhile, it is our students who suffer the consequences. Without sufficient resources, our district has cut teachers and support staff, resulting in larger class sizes in some cases. We have had to eliminate most all extracurricular opportunities—programs that often motivate students to come to school. Thankfully many of these opportunities have been restored, but only through the generosity of the Arsenal Partnership and local donations.

Another significant problem continues to be the lack of equity in the way state funding is distributed, which disproportionately affects high needs districts. In Watervliet, 65 percent of our students are eligible for free and reduced price lunch. We are a high needs district. State funding formulas should take into account community needs and resources, but that is not the case.

At the same time, the state imposed tax levy cap, which limits the amount of revenue districts can collect through property taxes, has made schools even more dependent on state aid. And so, we are caught in a vicious cycle with no escape hatch.

Deprived of adequate resources, it becomes increasingly difficult to meet our basic mission of educating, inspiring and challenging every student, every day.

Holiday musings: thoughts on giving, receiving

The holidays are a time for giving and I am proud to recognize Watervliet teachers, staff, students and parents for their kindness and their generosity during this time of year.

In December, WES Student Ambassadors organized a coin drive for the nearby Mohawk Hudson Humane Society raising over $500 to help provide food and care for homeless animals. On December 17, the students visited the Humane Society in Menands to present their donation and a gift basket of food, supplies and pet toys. Having a rescue dog myself, this is a cause that is near and dear to my heart, so great job WES!!

Throughout the month, our Junior High Student Council held its annual Adopt-an-Angel program for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, while teachers and staff from both buildings (WES, WJSHS) bought gifts for children of local families in need to help make their holidays brighter. Last week, members of the High School Student Council helped wrap gifts that were delivered to the Watervliet Housing Authority for distribution.

Let’s not forget the gift of music. I had the privilege of attending the annual Winter Concerts performed by student musicians from the junior-senior high school and the elementary school. I applaud our music teachers for the instrumental and vocal training they provide our young talented musicians, but more importantly, for sharing their passion and enthusiasm for music with our students each day. I also commend the student musicians of all ages for their effort and dedication to learning the music, practicing the songs and presenting excellent performances that were enjoyed by family, friends, fellow students and staff.

Looking ahead to 2015

In early January, Gov. Cuomo will deliver his State of the State address and will present his Executive Budget a few weeks later. As our district begins to build the 2015-16 school budget in the months ahead, my administrative team and I will be paying close attention to both of these presentations for information that will steer our budget development process.

Although the state is sitting on a surplus and the Board of Regents has asked the state for an additional $2 billion for education funding, if recent history is any indication, it is likely that our district will once again face a significant budget gap that will be a struggle to close.

Fiscal matters aside for a moment, the State of the State Address may be especially interesting given a recent letter from a top Cuomo aide to the Board of Regents and New York State Education Department leaders that suggests the governor is maneuvering for more control in public education policy.

The letter’s author poses a series of questions to the Board of Regents and outgoing State Education Commissioner Dr. John King in a supposed effort to start dialogue about much needed education reforms. There is no arguing that in education, like most every aspect of life, there is room for improvement. What the governor fails to see is that as educators, we are continuously striving to improve: improve instruction, improve student engagement, improve skills, improve graduation and proficiency rates. Yet, nowhere in the list of 12 questions is one that addresses fair and equitable funding for small city schools like ours. Without sufficient resources it becomes an uphill battle to provide the level of high-quality education our students rightfully deserve—regardless of zip code—and clearly require to be successful in a highly competitive global economy.

Here is a question many school leaders have been asking the governor and legislature for years now: When will public schools see an end to the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA)? With the state now in the black, the GEA—a tactic that has allowed the state to balance its budget by diverting billions of dollars in aid from schools over these past five years—lawmakers must take action this year to end the GEA.

Mr. Groat gets tenure!

Finally, I congratulate Ryan Groat on recently earning tenure as Watervliet Jr.-Sr. High School principal. The Board of Education voted unanimously to grant tenure to Mr. Groat at their December meeting. Mr. Groat has worked tirelessly during the past three years to be an agent of change, an advocate for children, and an educational leader. I join our district’s educators and staff in thanking him for all he does for every student, every day.

Have a peaceful and joyous holiday season!

Audit revelations and fiscal stress

A recent state audit of our school district’s finances was fairly critical of the district’s budgeting practices. The audit cited the district for exhausting our fund balance in recent years to balance our school budgets. This is not news to those who have followed or participated in our budget development process during the past few years. The board and I have been quite open about the district’s financial situation, especially with regard to fund balance.

To put the audit findings in context, it is important to note that our district has been among those hardest hit by the one-two punch leveled by the state in recent years. Public school districts have two primary sources of revenue: state aid and property taxes. Watervliet, like most other small city schools, has historically relied on state aid for the majority of its revenue. The state, however, has failed to provide equitable and sufficient funding for education for small urban school districts.

In fact, just days ago the state Supreme Court ruled in favor of a group called New Yorkers for Students Educational Rights (NYSER) and its right to proceed with litigation filed earlier this year against the state, Governor Andrew Cuomo and other government officials. The lawsuit seeks to compel the state to follow through on its constitutional responsibility ensuring all New York schools have sufficient funding to meet the educational needs of students.

Another major factor in our district’s fiscal struggles is the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA), which was implemented by the state five years ago to address its budget woes. Under the GEA, a portion of the state’s funding shortfall is divided among every school district in New York based on a formula, and state aid is then reduced to each district accordingly. As a result of the GEA, our district has lost approximately $4 million in promised aid and has faced significant budget gaps each year since the legislation was introduced. Add to that the state’s property tax levy cap imposed four years ago, which limits school districts’ abilities to raise local revenue to help offset state aid reductions.

As a result of these challenges, we had little choice but to spend down the fund balance to safeguard our academic programs and prevent significant increases in school property tax. Let’s not forget either that since taking office, Governor Cuomo has repeatedly urged school districts to use fund balance to offset losses in state aid. The irony is that now the state comptroller is taking us to task for doing just that. You might call it a textbook Catch 22 situation.

As recommended in the audit, the Board, school business manager and I are currently developing a fund balance policy that we anticipate will be adopted prior to the end of this year and that will help us establish a sufficient threshold of fund balance to maintain and provide appropriate cash flow to reduce dependence on short-term borrowing.

The report also indicated that the district did not “properly monitor” capital project finances dating back to 2006, which allowed for cost overruns. It is important to note that this occurred in an earlier phase of the district’s construction project—not the most recently completed project (Phase IV).

The cost overrun referred to in the report is linked to an early phase of the building project during which asbestos that had not been detected initially was uncovered after building renovations were well underway. District officials at the time had no other choice but to pay for abatement because it presented a health and safety risk. This type of unforeseen situation does tend to occur in older buildings that are undergoing renovations and is typically a costly fix.

We subsequently established internal controls to better keep track of capital fund expenditures and ensure costs did not exceed authorized amounts.

The audit contained a total of six recommendations to the Board of Education for managing finances going forward. Some of the recommendations have already been implemented as noted in the district’s corrective action plan, which was developed in response to the auditor’s findings.

For example, the audit recommended that the Board of Education develop “structurally balanced budgets for the general fund that include realistic estimates for revenues and expenditures.”

Steps implemented in fiscal year 2014 have allowed the district to better align recurring costs and revenues and we have since been able to erase 80 percent of the district’s deficit. We will also continue to seek ways to cut costs, such as our shared service agreement with the city for trash removal and our summer school partnership with the Cohoes City School District that allowed us to provide academic support for at-risk students during the summer.

Thanksgiving wishes

On another note, as Thanksgiving nears, I want to wish everyone a relaxing and blissful day shared among family and friends. I am thankful (and proud) every day to work in a district with such dedicated, hard-working teachers and staff, talented and enthusiastic students and a supportive community. Happy Thanksgiving!

Paperless education in a digital world

In recent months I have read various education articles and blogs expressing concerns about how schools are stuck in a time warp—teaching with outdated 20th century tools—blackboards and chalk, traditional textbooks, photocopied handouts, etc. These tools were generally effective when I was a student—but times have since changed and with the advancement of technology, education continues to change at warp speed.

Reference books like encyclopedias and dictionaries are quickly becoming the dinosaurs of our time, as students instead turn to online resources to research information in a fast-paced world where events are often documented in real time on Twitter and Facebook.

Today’s students have grown up with technology—and they are comfortable using it—from playing digital games on Nintendo DS as children to creating videos on Smartphones to share with friends via social media as teens. Not surprisingly, studies suggest that when technology is used as an educational tool, students become more actively engaged in the learning process.

When our students graduate and head to college, it is likely they will be required to submit assignments and other coursework electronically via Google Docs or another document sharing program rather than handing in papers as I did in college. They may access their professors’ lessons online rather than in a lecture hall. Knowing this, I applaud our many teachers who have embraced technology and are utilizing it in the classroom on a regular basis.

In Watervliet, we have a variety of technology—including portable laptops, interactive whiteboards, computer labs in the elementary school and the high school—available to teach skills that are relevant and valuable in today’s world. By using digital tools in class today, our students will be better prepared for the reality of post-secondary education and tomorrow’s careers.

Paperless education is more than a cost-saving measure

Large industries and small businesses alike have been moving increasingly towards a paperless system for two main reasons: it reduces operating costs, which makes good financial sense; and it saves trees reducing carbon dioxide emissions, which is good for the planet.

I understand that implementing a fully paperless approach may not be entirely realistic for schools, but keep in mind that instructional technology does offer an effective way to cut costs and maximize resources. After being designated the most fiscally stressed school district in the state last year, the cost savings alone would seem reason enough for Watervliet to embrace a paperless education to the extent possible.

From my perspective as an educator though, adopting a paperless approach in education is less about saving the environment or cutting costs (although both are important!) and is more about evolving our classrooms and teaching the 21st century skills that our students clearly need to be successful in college and the careers of tomorrow.

Upcoming Smart Schools Bond Vote

Our district and others around the state soon may have an opportunity to expand instructional technology in classrooms through the state’s Smart Schools Bond Act proposed by Governor Andrew Cuomo. The proposition calls for the state to invest up to $2 billion in schools for classroom technology and high-speed internet connectivity to equalize opportunities for children to learn, high-tech security features and enhanced or modernized facilities to accommodate pre-kindergarten programs.

If voters approve the Smart Schools Bond Act, which will appear as Proposition 3 on the November 4 general election ballot, each district will receive a share of the funding based on a state aid formula. It is estimated that Watervliet schools would receive $1.4 million under the proposal.

Districts then will be required to submit a “Smart Schools Investment Plan” to a Smart Schools Review Board, comprised of the state education commissioner, the state budget director, and the chancellor of the State University of New York. The plan will detail how the district will use the Smart Schools Bond Act funds. Grant funding will be released to individual districts upon approval of the plans.

Projects developed with Smart Schools grants will be fully funded by the state with no local financial contribution required from the school district. If the referendum passes, equipment purchases would have to be made via a cooperative bidding process.

Field opening celebration

Watervliet's varsity football team will kick off the first home game of the 2014 season on Friday, September 12 in a big way: hosting Voorheesville under the lights for the first time on the high school's new turf field.

Seems like not so long ago, we just broke ground on the site of the new field and track. Now here we are approximately 16 months later, and our student athlete teams have held practices and scrimmages in this state-of-the-art-facility—preparing for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play the very first home game “under the lights.”

Before the game, we will mark this special occasion with a brief grand opening ceremony to recognize and to thank those who have worked diligently throughout the process to make this a reality for our students and our community.

It’s symbolic that this beautiful new facility is situated directly alongside our majestic and historic Junior-Senior High School building. It serves as a reminder of the importance the athletic program has on the overall education of our students. Research suggests a strong and positive correlation between high school sports participation and academic achievement. Interscholastic sports also teaches life lessons and builds character by strengthening responsibility, leadership, teamwork, and more.

For this, I personally want to thank the community without whose support this project would not have been possible. In December 2011, Watervliet residents approved the construction of the turf field and six-lane track as part of a larger $18.9 million project. With your approval, we were also able to invest funding in renovations to classrooms and other learning spaces in both school buildings; new seating, sound system, lighting and stage rigging in the high school auditorium; roof replacement at the elementary school; upgrades to the heating and ventilation systems and the installation of energy-efficient windows district-wide.

You may recall that the school district utilized a combination of Qualified Construction Bonds and state building aid to have the facilities improvements done at no additional cost to local taxpayers.

Upcoming golf tournament to raise funds for extracurricular opportunities for Watervliet students

I believe that without extracurricular opportunities such as athletics, our dropout rate would soar and our graduation rate would plummet. Because of harsh fiscal realities during the past several years, our district has had to make difficult choices including the elimination of many extracurricular programs at both the elementary and secondary level. 

Last year, we were able to restore several of our programs thanks to the generosity of the Arsenal Partnership, which raised more than $16,000 for the school district during its annual golf outing. The Partnership is hosting a golf tournament this year on Monday, September 22 to benefit our schools. I encourage community members and readers of my blog to participate in the upcoming Arsenal Partnership golf tournament. Please register to golf on that day, donate a raffle item or make a sponsorship donation. Information on the upcoming tournament is available here.

In the meantime, I hope that you will join us for Friday’s night home opener to cheer on our student athletes and check out the school district’s beautiful new athletic field under the lights. Go ‘Vliet!