13 B Introduced by: Hon. Nancy Low-Hogan, Sponsor Hon. Harriet D. Cornell, Sponsor Hon. Christopher J. Carey, Sponsor Hon. Jay Hood Jr., Sponsor Hon. Aney Paul, Sponsor Hon. Lon M. Hofstein, Sponsor Hon. Michael M. Grant, Sponsor Hon. Toney L. Earl, Sponsor Hon. Joseph L. Meyers, Sponsor Hon. Douglas J. Jobson, Sponsor NEW BUSINESS Referral No. 8116 May 19, 2015 RESOLUTION NO. 191 OF 2015 REQUESTING THAT THE NEW YORK STATE SENATE PASSES BILL S.3821-2015 AND THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY PASSES BILL A.5355-2015 –TO AUTHORIZE THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION TO APPOINT A STATE MONITOR TO OVERSEE THE EAST RAMAPO CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ESTABLISH THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE STATE MONITOR LOW-HOGAN/CAREY, CORNELL, EARL, GRANT, JOBSON, PAUL: M.V. WHEREAS, on June 10, 2014 the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Education appointed a Fiscal Monitor to the East Ramapo Central School District to review the District's fiscal practices, conduct, and history; and WHEREAS, the Fiscal Monitor conducted a four (4) month-long investigation that included interviews with East Ramapo Central School District officials, teachers, students, PTA leaders, community stakeholders, clergy and many others, as well as tours of the public and private schools, observations of classes, reviews of District records and other documents; and WHEREAS, the Fiscal Monitor submitted to the New York Board of Regents and State Education Department a report on November 18, 2014 known as "East Ramapo: A School District in Crisis;" and WHEREAS, in his report, the Fiscal Monitor provided recommendations to reform and improve the state of East Ramapo Central School District; and WHEREAS, Rockland County State Assembly members Ellen C. Jaffee and Kenneth P. Zebrowski, Jr. and State Senator David Carlucci are sponsoring an oversight plan that will engender collaboration between a State Monitor and East Ramapo officials to improve the operation of the District and rebuild trust in the community; and WHEREAS, Bill S.3821-2015 in the New York State Senate and Bill A.5355-2015 in the New York State Assembly propose a reform of the East Ramapo Central School District's governance structure, replete with "checks and balances" of the East Ramapo School Board and Superintendent; and WHEREAS, there is a debate in the Rockland County legislature about the propriety and constitutionality of the authority of the monitor to override the decisions of the democratically and duly elected school board; and WHEREAS, the Bills require that a State Monitor develops and implements a five (5) year strategic academic and fiscal improvement plan in consultation with the Commissioner of Education and the East Ramapo School Board within six (6) months of the date of the Monitor's appointment; and WHEREAS, according to the Bills, the Monitor's plan must establish a set of goals with appropriate benchmarks and measurable objectives; and WHEREAS, according to the Bills, the Monitor's plan must identify strategies that address areas where improvements are needed in East Ramapo Central School District operations, including but not limited to its financial stability, academic opportunities and outcomes, education of students with disabilities, education of English language learners, community relations and Board governance practices, and shall ensure District compliance with all applicable New York State and Federal laws and regulations; and WHEREAS, the said Bills are intended to ensure that the East Ramapo Central School District conducts its business in a transparent fashion; and WHEREAS, the said Bills provide a protective mechanism in which the East Ramapo School Board or Superintendent may appeal State Monitor decisions that arguably violate the New York State Education Law, the Rules of the Board of Regents, the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, or the terms of the five (5) year strategic academic and fiscal improvement plan; and WHEREAS, the Bills seek to bring together the entire East Ramapo Community to work towards a long-term solution that will address the unique needs of the School District, as well as provide important oversight; now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Legislature of Rockland County hereby requests that the New York State Legislature passes Bill S.3821-2015 and Bill A.5355-2015 – an Act to Authorize the Commissioner of Education to Appoint a State Monitor to Oversee the East Ramapo Central School District and Establish the Powers and Duties of the State Monitor, and that the Governor signs such Legislation, and be it further RESOLVED, that the Legislature of Rockland County hereby requests that the New York State Legislature take such additional steps as may be necessary to ensure that due respect is given to the members of the democratically elected school board, and the electorate that selected it, and that the legislation provide for appropriate controls on the decision-making that will ensure that due respect is given to the democratically elected school board, and be it further RESOLVED, that the Legislature of Rockland County hereby requests that the New York State Legislature consider that intervention by a monitor with power to override the decisions of the democratically elected school board is only an intermediate solution, and that the New York State Legislature provide more resources and develop a more reasonable solution for school districts with an extraordinary number of Special Education students who receive transportation and special education funding which significantly depletes the resources needed for public school students, and be it further RESOLVED, that the Monitor should act as a liaison and intermediary between the interests of the public school community, the private school community and the duly elected school board with the goal to bring about mutual understanding and to make sure that the best education is provided to all students of the East Ramapo School District, and be it further RESOLVED, That the Clerk to the Legislature be and he is hereby authorized and directed to send a copy of this resolution to Hon. Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York; Hon. David Carlucci, Hon. William J. Larkin, Jr., New York State Senators, Hon. Kenneth P. Zebrowski, Jr., Hon. Ellen C. Jaffee, and Hon. James G. Skoufis, Members of the New York State Assembly; the President Pro Tem of the New York State Senate; the Speaker of the New York State Assembly; the Majority and Minority Leaders of the New York State Senate and Assembly; and to such other persons as the Clerk, in his discretion, may deem proper in order to effectuate the purpose of this resolution. VOTE: Ayes: Nays: Absent: JB/cs LG-2015-34 3/3/15 3/4/15 3/10/15 cs Eastramapofinaldraft5-19-15 5/20/15 14 01 (Legislator Soskin) 02 (Legislators Schoenberger, Wieder)