(Long Island, NY) Today, Assemblyman Michael Montesano (R,I,C-Glen Head) commended the Assembly’s passage of legislation that would correct many of the flawed education policies in the 2015-16 budget.
Assembly Bill 7303-A would extend the deadline for school district negotiations regarding evaluation plans and full implementation of the new teacher evaluation system until the fall of 2016. Additionally, the legislation will require the state education commissioner to review the current Common Core standards and ensure that the standardized tests and assessments are age and time appropriate. One of the most important provisions in the bill is that it separates the tie between school aid and implementation of the new evaluation system.
The legislation was passed with bi-partisan support in the Assembly.
“Passage of this legislation is a step in the right direction for New York’s education system,” said Montesano. “Parents, students and teachers across the state have certainly made their concerns heard when it comes to current conditions in the classroom. My colleagues and I hope this legislation will address the deficiencies apparent in the system, and look forward to further reform down the road. As the end of this legislative year quickly approaches, I urge my colleagues in the Senate to adopt these meaningful measures so we can get New York’s education system back on the track to success.”
Additionally, the Assembly also passed two Legislative Resolutions regarding New York’s education system. The first urges the United States Department of Education to provide funding to New York school districts regardless of the increased number students who opted out of this year’s standardized assessments. The second calls on the United States Department of Education to approve NYS Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) waiver renewal in order to provide more flexibility to special education programs.
