Some Long Island leaders are pushing back on a state plan to share school resources, which would include staff and programs. The plan is called “regionalization,” and Gov. Kathy Hochul said it would only be an option for districts, not mandatory. But critics say it threatens the quality of education. NBC New York’s Pei-Sze Cheng reports.
A proposed regionalization plan by the New York State Education Department is being opposed by a group of vocal Long Island school board members, parents and elected officials.
While state education officials said the plan encourages conversations across the state to enhance access for all students to educational opportunities, those who oppose it see it as a power grab from individual school districts, calling it a consolidation.
"Giving our teachers our time and everything else to other school districts," said Lawrence Lin, a parent in the Herricks school district. "Those far away from our school district should not be making that decision."
The state Education Department said the plans make it easier for school districts to share resources, if they choose to do so. Sharing is optional, not mandatory, according to officials. But those in attendance at a Republican-held rally did not seem convinced.
"I moved to Merrick and I pay very high taxes as a single mother and I don’t want that taken away from me," said Samantha Lapella.
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Dr. Jeffrey A. Matteson, a senior deputy commissioner for education policy said in an interview with NBC New York that "no districts will be forced to do anything in those regional plans."
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In regard to accusations that the state will now force the sharing of resources, Matteson replied, "We have no interest at all in watering down strong programs. That's not the goal at all. We don’t want resources redistributed that are having a positive effect in one district."
"We do an awful lot of collaborating with our neighbors and we do it very, very well," said Roslyn School District Board President Meryl Waxman Ben-Levy. "We certainly do not need an added administrative layer or added supervisor to do it."
A spokesman for Gov. Kathy Hochul said Thursday that she has no oversight of the proposed plan but issued a statement saying in part, “it is the Governor’s firm position that this proposal should be OPTIONAL for each school district.”
Still, a coalition of school board members sent a joint letter condemning the plan and a handful of school boards are vowing to legally challenge the state's plan.
