CAS/ESSAA Administrator, Supervisors
Tenure legislation passes Senate
Yesterday our bill granting a three-year probationary period, not four, for administrators, supervisors, etc. who move from one district to another passed the Senate 55-0. Assemblyman Mike Benedetto, Chair of Assembly Education Committee is expected to send a “same as” to the assembly within the next week.
Charter Schools
State Democrats are fighting the expansion and funding, in many areas, of Charter schools with four bills.
One bill would give a substantial number of community school districts in New York City a veto power to block the opening of any new Charter school within their borders.
A second measure would block Charter schools from expanding beyond the grade levels with which they started.
A third bill would prohibit Charter schools form using public funds to rent space in private buildings.
The fourth bill would boost oversight of Charter schools and make it easier for officials to shut them down. Charter schools would also be required to enroll the same percentage of special-needs students as those in nearly traditional public schools. Failure to do so would cost a Charter school its public funding.
Assemblyman Mike Benedetto introduced all bills after they were introduced in the Senate.
Governor Cuomo, with the assistance of the past Republican Senate, was able to raise the number of Charter schools in 2007 and 2010. Early in this session the Governor said he would like to raise the number of Charter schools in New York State. At this stage it seems very unlikely given the mood of both the Democratic Senate and Assembly.
