Sen. Ortt sees positives with increased school aid

The $142 billion state budget passed the State Legislature, with the Assembly approving the final budget bills at 3 this morning.

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, R-Batavia, issued this statement about why he opposed the budget.

“I cannot, in good conscience, support a budget that allows the state to have power over the needs of individual school districts and classrooms. The education component of the budget gives the State Department of Education (SED) too much latitude in implementing the teacher evaluation system.

“We should have included teacher groups and school administrators in these decisions instead of leaving it up to bureaucrats and armchair educators. Furthermore, this budget makes no mention of exceptions for special education teachers’ evaluations, whose students will likely struggle with Common Core testing, and we will likely see a large number of students score poorly on Common Core Assessments.

“I cannot support budget measures which include funding for the SAFE Act. The Capital Projects and State Operations budget bills appropriate millions to be used for the SAFE Act database and personnel. It is unfortunate that good legislation is often tainted with politically-advantageous appropriations. I refuse to vote for legislation that funds an irresponsible and shameful measure that was passed in the middle of the night without public input or adequate time for discussion and debate.”

State Sen. Robert Ortt, R-North Tonawanda, represents a district that includes Orleans County. He issued this statement on Tuesday about the education portion of the budget, which passed the State Senate.

“This budget increases state education aid by over $1.4 billion across the state to bring total state education spending in my district to over $457 million – well beyond the levels that the governor proposed,” Ortt said. “It eliminates most of the disastrous Gap Elimination Adjustment, which will save our local schools nearly $18 million. We’re helping our students by reducing over-testing and protecting our kids by removing convicted, violent offenders from the classroom.”

“I also think it was important to take a stand against some of the governor’s more extreme proposals like basing teacher performance evaluations 50 percent on testing, or refusing necessary funding increases without dramatic overhauls of the system. Ultimately, evaluations will be left to the professionals at the State Education Department and the Board of Regents, who will then implement evaluations on a district by district basis.

“It was also critical to fight back against a New York City agenda that wanted to provide taxpayer tuition assistance to illegal immigrants, while so many hard-working New York families struggle to put themselves or their children through college.”

Staff Reports

ALBANY – The new $142 bllion state budget includes a $1.3 billion increase in state aid to school districts, for $23.5 billion in total education funding.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo was successful in tying the funding increase to a new system for evaluating teachers.

“When it comes to education, the budget we approved will transform our school system in comprehensive ways,” Cuomo said in a statement issued this morning. “The reforms we have included will move us to an education system that rewards results, addresses challenges and demands accountability.

“That’s why I tied a landmark 6 percent increase in new school spending – raising state funding of schools to a record-high $23.5 billion in this year’s budget – to vital reforms, including improvements to the systems for teacher evaluation, certification and preparation as well as providing new authority to improve failing schools.

“This year we are finally ensuring that New York’s education system will be about the students it is intended to serve, instead of just perpetuating a bureaucracy.

“I described the budget I first proposed just two months ago as an Opportunity Agenda. The importance of education reform that we fought to include in this year’s budget shows that we believe there is no greater path to opportunity than a good education.”

Cuomo’s office issued the following press release about some of the education changes:

Education Transformation Act of 2015

New York’s education system is set to implement some of its most dramatic and fundamental reforms in years through the Education Transformation Act. The budget includes the governor’s proposal for an increase of $1.3 billion in state education support to take education funding to its highest level ever – $23.5 billion.

The components of the transformation are as follows, :

1. Best and Brightest Recruitment: To attract our best and brightest to the teaching field, the Budget provides funding for a new full scholarship program for SUNY/CUNY for top students who commit to teach in New York for five years.

2. Graduate Education Program Accreditation: The first statewide, uniform admissions standards for teacher preparation programs will be established, and SED will have enhanced authority to close programs that fail to prepare students for the teaching profession.

3. Teacher “Bar” Exam / CTE: The State currently requires teachers to pass a teacher “bar” exam – and will now also require teachers to complete 100 hours of continuing education and recertify every five years or lose their licenses.

4. Teacher Evaluation System: A redesigned teacher evaluation system will be established whereby educators are rated in two categories, student performance and teacher observations.

Student Performance – Districts will use a standardized state measure, or may choose to use a state-designed supplemental assessment.

If a teacher receives an Ineffective rating in the state measure subcomponent, the teacher cannot be rated Effective or Highly Effective overall.

If a local district chooses to use a state-designed supplemental assessment and the teacher is Ineffective when both subcomponents are combined, the teacher must be rated Ineffective overall.

The state allocates weights for this category and its subcomponents.

Teacher Observations – This category must contain two subcomponents: principal observations and independent observations. Peer observations may be included at the discretion of the Commissioner.

If a teacher receives an Ineffective rating in the teacher observation category, the teacher cannot be rated Effective or Highly Effective overall.

The state allocates weights for this category and its subcomponents.

Teachers will be evaluated based on a four point scale. In regulations, the Commissioner shall set scoring bands, cut scores and weights, and the Commissioner must have the system put in place by June 30, 2015. Local districts must put evaluations in place by November 15, 2015, in order to be eligible for increased aid.

5. Reduce Student Testing: The Chancellor of the Board of Regents will outline to the Governor and Legislature recommendations by June 1, 2015 on how to decrease the overall amount of state and local testing, improve test quality, and reduce test-related stress and anxiety.

6. Tenure = Performance: The Education Transformation Act of 2015 reforms tenure so that it is based on performance and is not simply a function of time.

The probationary period will be extended to a minimum of four years with no automatic right to tenure at any point.

A teacher will have to be rated Effective or Highly Effective in at least three of four years to be eligible to receive tenure. If a teacher does not meet this threshold, he or she can be terminated or the district may extend the probationary period.

7. Bonuses & Promotions: A bonus of up to $20,000 will be provided to teachers who are top performers, and promotion opportunities will be tied to the evaluation system.

8. Teacher Removal:

For Ineffective teachers: Statewide, all hearings will be heard before a single officer rather than a panel. Local districts will be able to use new expedited removal proceedings for teachers with two consecutive Ineffective ratings, and will be required to do so for teachers with three consecutive Ineffective ratings.

For misconduct: Teachers accused of physical or sexual abuse will be suspended without pay and the hearing process will be expedited. Teachers convicted of violent felonies with a child victim will automatically lose their certifications.

9. Failing Schools:

Failing schools will be required to have a state-approved improvement plan in place with student achievement metrics and goals. If a failing school does not show demonstrable improvement at the end of one year, the school will go into receivership. During that year, either the Superintendent or the Chancellor will be vested with the increased powers of a receiver.

The receiver will have the power to hire and fire staff and restructure the school.

$75 million will be available to help failing schools improve.

Continued Pre-K Investment: The new state budget includes $365 million to continue our $1.5 billion commitment over five years for full-day 4-year old Pre-K.

Expanding Pre-K for 3-Year Olds and in High-Needs Districts: In addition, studies show that 3-year olds enrolled in high-quality programs make some of the largest gains in cognitive and behavioral skills. This budget invests an additional $30 million to expand Pre-K for 3 and 4 year-olds in high-needs districts.

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

ALBANY – Gov. Andrew Cuomo today highlighted the major investments for Upstate New York included in the 2015-16 Budget Agreement:

“With this budget, we are making the single largest investment in Upstate New York in a generation,” Cuomo said. “From creating jobs and strengthening our infrastructure to investing in farms, hospitals and broadband access, this budget is paving the way toward a new economic vitality in Upstate. It’s all part of how we’re turning around the decades of neglect that the region used to experience from Albany, and we will continue building the region back better than ever.”

Launch a $1.5 Billion Upstate Revitalization Initiative
The agreement includes the governor’s proposed Upstate Revitalization Initiative. This competition will replicate the successful Buffalo Billion initiative to help further Upstate New York’s economic recovery.

Seven regions are eligible to compete for one of three $500 million upstate revitalization funds: Mid-Hudson, Capital Region, Mohawk Valley, Central New York, North Country, Southern Tier and Finger Lakes. Projects exhibiting region-wide impact will be made a priority and should focus on strengthening critical infrastructure, revitalizing communities, bolstering workforce development, growing tourism, and improving quality of life.

Ensure Statewide High-Speed Broadband Access by the End of 2018
Gov. Cuomo set an ambitious goal to ensure every New Yorker has access to high-speed broadband service by the end of 2018. In order to accomplish this, the state budget includes $500 million to launch a statewide broadband program that leverages at least an additional $500 million in private resources to create the New NY Broadband Program.

The program will incentivize private sector providers to expand high-speed broadband access in underserved and unserved communities. This is the largest and most ambitious state investment in universal broadband deployment in the country.

Support for Capital Projects for Health Care Systems
$400 million is reserved to support debt restructuring and other capital projects for health care systems in rural communities to facilitate health care transformation.

Upstate health care systems are critical service providers and some of the largest regional employers. However, financial challenges exist for smaller, community-based and geographically isolated systems that could prevent their participation in critical state reform efforts.

$65 Million in Ports & Rail Hub Infrastructure
The budget includes $65 million for transformative infrastructure projects. Funding will support a statewide initiative to finance large-scale, complex infrastructure projects across the state and mobilize innovative project delivery methods, including design-build and public private partnerships.

The state will provide resources as follows:

$40 million for the Port of Oswego to link with the Port of New York and create additional intermodal rail yards in Syracuse and Binghamton. Such improvements will reduce truck traffic on downstate highways, increase existing export activity, build small and medium sized enterprise export capacity in upstate, and expand efforts of regional service providers.

$15 million for the Port of Albany for enhancements to ensure Upstate New York is ready to handle the projected increase in volume of containerized cargo resulting from the Panama Canal expansion of 2016. The state’s investments will support improvements to the Port’s southern dock to expand shipping capacity and serve grain operations.

$10 million for the Port of Ogdensburg for improvements to the port’s facilities and equipment, including harbor deepening to accommodate larger ships and expanded grain and salt storage.

$50 Million to Transform State Fairgrounds
The budget includes $50 million in Capital Projects moneys for the State Fairgrounds. It has been over a hundred years since the New York State Fair embarked on a transformative capital project.

It was 1909 when the first of the major buildings were completed as a part of this development. This year we lay the groundwork for the next century of a new, dynamic State Fair, one that will support the economy of Central New York, showcase New York food and agriculture and revitalize Onondaga County in an unprecedented way.

Through this $50 million investment the New York State Fairgrounds will be transformed into a premier multi€use facility by enhancing the fairgrounds’ infrastructure and buildings as well as the surrounding community to create a world€class entertainment and tourism destination, making this the greatest State Fair in the Country and providing enhanced economic activity for decades to come.

$50 million to Expand & Protect Agriculture in the Southern Tier & Hudson Valley
The budget includes $50 million for the Governor’s proposed Southern Tier and Hudson Valley Farm Initiatives. These will support farms in the region by helping landowners maintain and protect farmland, as well as develop and grow farm, agricultural and related businesses.

Student Loan Relief
The budget includes student loan support that is designed to help eligible New York State residents who graduate from college and continue to live in the state to pay nothing on their student loans for the first two years out of school.

For graduates earning less than $50,000 per year, the Get on Your Feet program will supplement the federal Pay As You Earn (PAYE) income-based loan repayment program.

The amount a participant will benefit is based on the amount owed and their adjusted gross income. The program is estimated to assist 7,100 graduates in its first year and more than 24,000 participants annually by 2019-20.

Anti-Poverty Initiatives for Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton
The governor’s Opportunity Agenda included the creation of the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative to combat poverty.

In partnership with the Rochester Anti-Poverty Task Force made up of state agencies and other government representatives, the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative works to better coordinate existing resources, create integrated services, utilize data and information technology, develop more flexible funding arrangements, and evaluate services based on outcomes.

The budget expands this initiative to Syracuse and Binghamton/Broome County and includes $725,000 in support.

Increase investment in the Environmental Protection Fund
The enacted budget raises the Environmental Protection Fund to $177 million, an increase of 32 percent since Governor Cuomo took office. The $15 million increase will support increases in 14 categories, including land conservation, stewardship, and invasive species control and prevention. The increase includes a new sub-allocation for capacity grants to State Parks friends’ groups.

Support for Fort Drum
Fort Drum is one of New York’s treasures and an institutional anchor for its region. More than 50,000 North Country residents rely on this base for economic stability.

To ensure Fort Drum remains a strong fixture in New York and a worthy home of the 10th Mountain Division, the Budget includes $1.5 million to purchase land for training and $25 million for improvements along Route 26.

Brownfields Reform and State Superfund
The state budget extends the Brownfields Cleanup Program for 10 years, and includes important reforms to protect taxpayers and promote brownfield redevelopment, particularly Upstate.

The budget also includes a new $100 million appropriation and extends the State Superfund cleanup program for 10 years, which has been instrumental in identifying, investigating and cleaning up hazardous waste sites throughout the state.

Enhance Oil Spill Preparedness
In response to the increased volume of crude oil being transported through New York State, the budget provides funding for additional staff dedicated to oil spill planning, training and response, consistent with Gov. Cuomo’s Executive Order 125, which outlines steps the state is taking to improve oil spill response and prevention.

The budget also provides the necessary funding for planning and preparedness costs and ensures the solvency of the Oil Spill Fund by increasing fees for oil transported through New York.

Launch another $110 million round of NYSUNY2020 and NYCUNY2020
SUNY2020 and CUNY2020 are challenge grant programs designed to simultaneously strengthen academic programs at the state’s public colleges and universities while spurring economic growth at specific campuses and in nearby communities.

The programs provide incentive for capital development on and around SUNY and CUNY campuses. The budget includes $110 million to continue these programs.

Continue the Progress of the Regional Economic Development Councils
To continue the progress of the Regional Economic Development Councils (REDC), the budget includes $150 million to fund regional priority projects and $70 million in State tax credits for a fifth round of the REDC awards.

Since 2011, the REDCs have awarded over $2.9 billion in State funding through a competitive process to spur job creation based on regional priorities. This new strategy has resulted in 150,000 new or retained jobs in New York.

Strengthen Roads & Bridges Statewide
The budget includes $750 million for significant repairs and maintenance efforts on the state’s network of roads and bridges, ultimately enhancing the strength and resiliency of road infrastructure statewide.

Local Capital Aid for Extreme Winter Recovery
The budget includes an additional $50 million of capital to help municipalities repair and rehabilitate local roads and bridges impacted by the extreme winter.

Upstate Transit Aid Increase
Upstate transit systems will receive an extra $25 million this year, $10 million in operating and $15 million in new capital spending. This funding will help address the rising cost of operations and alleviate increases in fares and cuts in services.

Local governments have little say in permitting process

Apex Clean Energy – A 200-megawatt wind farm is eyed for the towns of Yates and Somerset along the Lake Ontario shoreline.

BARKER – Officials from the state Public Service Commission will be in Barker on Wednesday to detail a new process for permitting wind farms, a process that gives more control to the state.

A proposal for 60 to 68 wind turbines in the towns of Yates and Somerset would be the first wind project through the state’s new Article 10 process, which Orleans County officials say takes away home rule in permitting of the turbines.

Residents who oppose the project in the two towns have formed Save Ontario Shores. They have been attending many local government meetings, posting on social media and writing letters to the editor against the project.

“They’re putting pressure on the locals and they have no control,” Chuck Nesbitt, the county’s chief administrative, said at Friday’s board meeting for the Orleans Economic Development Agency.

Apex Clean Energy is working on “Lighthouse Wind,” and the cluster of turbines collectively would generate about 200 megawatts of power, enough to power 59,000 homes, Apex officials said.

The company will be available to discuss the project from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the Barker Firehall, 1660 Quaker Rd.

Public Service Commission representatives will also discuss the state’s role in the permitting process. The PSC will give presentations at 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.