Brief Overview of Governor Cuomo’s Proposals Affecting K through 12 Teachers in New York.

(Full overview of proposals is at NYSUT.org website) 

New York State United TeachersFebruary 2015

I. Reduce Tenure Rights and Increase Focus on Testing for APPR Scores

1. New Teachers would remain in probationary status until they received five consecutive “Effective” or “Highly Effective” ratings on their APPR. 

2. Fifty percent (50%) of the APPR score based on state test scores. This is taking away all local control and eliminating collective bargain rights of our local.

 

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3. If a Teacher is rated “Ineffective” on either of the 50-point components they could not get higher than “developing” rating on their overall evaluation score.

*   Failure to pass these APPR changes is tied to receiving any State Aid . . . thus if no changes then no State Aid. Cuomo also refuses to release state aid runs until he gets his way.

. Reduce Tenure Rights and Increase Focus on Testing for APPR Scores

II. Reduce Due Process Rights (3020-a)

1. Two consecutive “Ineffective” ratings would be considered sufficient legal evidence of incompetence. The only way to rebut this “evidence” would be to provide evidence of fraud in the evaluation.

2. Any Teacher accused of abuse of a child would be immediately suspended without pay.

3. All disciplinary hearings would be held before a single hearing officer, and students would not have to testify live but could submit something in writing or a video.

III. Funding, Tax Cap, Tax Freeze and Relief/ Tax Credits for Donations to Private Schools. 

1. Provide 900 million fewer dollars in State Aid to schools than amount requested by the Board of Regents.

2. Make property tax cap permanent.

3. Provide tax credits for any increase in property taxes over the previous year, so long as the school district and/or local government adopts a budget that does not override the tax cap.

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4. Corporations and individual taxpayers would receive a tax credit equal to 75 percent of their authorized contributions to private schools up to a maximum annual credit of $1 million (back door voucher scheme).*

* The establishment of this back-door voucher

scheme is tied to passage of the DREAM Act.

III. Funding, Tax Cap, Tax Freeze and Relief/ Tax Credits

for Donations to Private Schools.

IV. Give More Public School Dollars to Charter Schools

1. Add 100 new charters to current charter school cap and new charters will not be limited to the cities.

2. Increase per-pupil tuition for charters.

3. While SED would review charter schools’ application process, nothing in Cuomo’s proposal would actually guarantee that charters allow all students in on an equal basis.

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V. Eliminate Labor Contracts and Seniority in Schools and Districts with

Underperforming Student Populations.

1. New receivership model for “failing” schools, allowing the state takeover of public schools.

2. Receiver could void collective bargaining agreements and seniority rights. 3. All Teachers would be fired and forced to reapply with no guarantees of rehiring. If layoffs are implemented, seniority rights would be ignored. Instead, layoffs would be based on APPR scores.

VI. Teacher Center Programs

• The Executive Budget would completely eliminate funding for Teacher Centers (2014-15 base funding equaled approximately $14.26 million).

VII. Special Education “Mandate Relief”

• BOCES and approved special education providers and private schools will be able to petition the State Education Department for flexibility in complying with certain special education requirements.

WHAT IS NYSUT DOING?

• Communicating the truth to its 600,000 members about Cuomo is doing.

• Organizing legislative visits, petitions, calls to senators, reaching out to all political allies.

• Set up “All Kids Need” website to act as action center hub for NYSUT members. All actions are posted with details and ways to become involved.

What can You Do to Help Fight this Fight?

Call your senator and tell him/her specifically not to give in to Cuomo’s anti-Teacher, anti-public education agenda.

Find your senator’s number by going to the NYSUT Member Action Center. https://mac.nysut.org/calllegislators/widget/issue/272

What Can You Do?

Sign up for the Member Action Center (MAC) text alerts, which will allow you to sign petitions and send faxes to politicians.

•Step 1 – Text the word “NYSUT” to the contact number 38470.

Or Go on mac.nysut.org/newsletter to sign up for email alerts. Or Get Mac App on your phone.

What can you do?

Sign up for the In-District lobby day on May 2-3

•If interested in lobby day or simply visiting your legislators with other Teachers Email pcaruso@nysutmail.org

If you do not know which Senate District you are in look it up at https://mac.nysut.org/find-my-electedofficials

What can you do?

Ask the governor to come to your classroom by tweeting him @NYGovCuomo hashtag ______

What can you do?

• Get Connected on Facebook• Like the Facebook pages for the NYSUT MAC

at facebook.com/NYSUTActionCenter and facebook.com/NYSUTUnited.

• Get connected on Twitter. Follow @NYSUT(http://www.twitter.xom/nysut.

• Tweet your own support on http://www.nysut.org/allkidsneed

What can you do? • Share the “Fight Back” poster at

http://www.nysut.org/resources/special-resources-sites/all-kids-need/tools

• Wear the button – “Respect Public Education – It Works” – Your president can order the buttons.

• Take part in community forums – NYSUT’s All Kids Need website will be updated with events around the state.

What can you do?

• Be on the look out for Action Tuesdays – Keep connected with NYSUT’s website, Facebook page, the MAC and the

• Tarrytown Regional Office’ Facebook page at facebook.com/NysutTRO for upcoming Action Tuesday events.

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