Albany, NY, Feb 21, 2013 — The state's largest teachers union has filed a lawsuit against the state's property tax cap, arguing it's unconstitutional.

New York State United Teachers President Dick Iannuzzi says the cap, passed by Cuomo and the legislature in 2011, arbitrarily limits property tax increase to two percent, regardless of whether a school district is rich or poor. The lawsuit also charges that the tax cap violates the principle of one person one vote, because a supermajority of 60 percent of voters is required to override the cap.  Go to full article

Canton, NY, Jan 29, 2013 — It took a few days after Gov. Andrew Cuomo released his budget plan last week for many North Country school districts to realize they had a problem. The initial funding proposal didn't provide enough money to help them out of the budget hole.

But there's still some hope in the governor's proposal. His plan includes more than $200 million in what's called fiscal stabilization funding. The idea is to help schools with a spike in pension costs this year.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Jan 28, 2013 — In testimony before a legislative hearing in Albany, New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg sharply criticized Governor Cuomo's proposal to deny city schools a $240 million education aid increase because the Mayor and the teachers unions failed to meet a deadline to complete a teacher evaluation plan.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Feb 16, 2012 — Gov. Andrew Cuomo, teachers unions, and state Education Commissioner John B. King Jr. have reached a statewide agreement on a tougher teacher evaluation system. Governor Cuomo said it's a great day for New York State's schoolchildren:  Go to full article

Ticonderoga, NY, Feb 16, 2012 — North Country Public Radio has been checking in with schools around our region that are struggling with major budget shortfalls. Many districts have seen sharp declines in state aid over the last two years.

They also face rising costs for pensions and healthcare. And now they're also trying to live within the new two percent cap on property tax increases.

Around 200 people from various St. Lawrence County school districts gathered in Canton Central's high school auditorium last night to talk about how to bring about change in the way New York distributes state aid. The Watertown Daily Times reports some suggested filing a class-action lawsuit against the current formula.

Two busloads of students and adults are planning a bus trip to Albany to lobby lawmakers later this month.

Brian Mann was in Ticonderoga for a public meeting last night, where locals rolled up their sleeves and tried to sketch out a future for their public schools.  Go to full article

New Haven, CT, Feb 16, 2012 — A new poll finds that New York state voters trust Governor Andrew Cuomo to safeguard education more than they trust the teachers' unions.

Cuomo has pushed unions hard on teacher evaluations. Today is the deadline het set for unions and the state Education Department to come up with a new plan for evaluations. He has said he'll impose his own reforms if they don't.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Nov 02, 2011 — A coalition of business lobbyists, city and village mayors, and school boards are pushing hard for reduced pension and health benefits for their employees. Karen DeWitt reports that effort is part of a package of mandate relief they say is necessary to help communities around New York live within the new 2% property tax cap law.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Aug 26, 2011 — The state's major teachers union says it wants to work cooperatively with the State Education Department, now that a judge has struck down key elements of new teacher evaluation regulations, but the court case could continue for some time. In Albany, Karen DeWitt has the story.  Go to full article

Canton, MO, Aug 25, 2011 — Schools are getting ready to open for the year. And this fall most have some new obligations. New York was awarded nearly $700 million from the federal government as part of President Obama's Race to the Top education program. Now districts are gearing up to put the new mandates into practice.

Stephen Todd is assistant superintendent of the St. Lawrence and Lewis BOCES, which serves 18 school districts in Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. He says there are three major pieces to Race to the Top.

First, changing the core curriculum in math and English classes. "Instead of trying to teach a mile wide and an inch deep, let's teach what's essential and teach it really, really well. Instead of trying to read everything under the sun, let's make sure what we are reading, we are reading carefully and closely and deeply."

Second, says Todd: data analysis. In the past, he says, schools kept statistics about students and classrooms, but the analysis came only after the school year was over.

Todd says that's about to change: "Instead of doing an autopsy, let's do a physical. Part way through the year, we'll look at the patient. The individual student, the collective group, whether it be classroom or building. Let's see what's working, what's not working. Let's make mid course corrections, that allow us if there are problems to fix those and save the patient. So we're not doing an autopsy later, we're treating the patient as it goes along."

The third major piece of race to the top has to do with keeping closer track of teacher performance. Julie Grant visited the Canton Central Schools to find out what's changing with evaluations, and she found that both teachers and administrators are concerned about the cost in time and money.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Jun 06, 2011 — The prospect of a property tax cap could heighten tensions between workers and management at public schools in the state, as both sides gear up to fight over shrinking revenues and resources.

Karen Dewitt reports from Albany.  Go to full article