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 Teachers
February 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.
. Reduce Tenure Rights and Increase Focus
on Testing for APPR Scores
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.
3
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.
III.
4.
*
Funding, Tax Cap, Tax Freeze and Relief/ Tax
Credits
for Donations to Private Schools.
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.
6
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.
8
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 (201415 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, antipublic education agenda.
Find your senator’s number by going to the
NYSUT Member Action Center.
https://mac.nysut.org/calllegislators/widget/iss
ue/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-myelectedofficials
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/specialresources-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.
20