Friday, April 8, 2016

Budget Update

NYS PTA Response to NYS Adopted Budget 
On Monday, April 4, school districts received their state aid allocations according to the final vote by the NYS Senate on Friday, April 1. An overview of funding issues that NYS PTA advocated for, with what was included in budget bills and what was not addressed, is now available from our website by clicking here.

At the end of the document, we also pinpoint certain items we believe will be discussed until the end of the legislative session in June. Your continued attention to advocacy efforts and our advocacy messages is important. 

During this session, many last minute issues were responded to with our Education Conference Board (ECB) partners in response to concerns from our constituencies.

UPDATE: An Opportunity for Parents to Share Your Voice on a NYS Learning Standards Committee
Last Thursday we sent out a Voter Voice email to all of our members that we also shared with other parent organizations throughout the state concerning the NYS Education Department (NYSED) request that parents help review and revise the ELA and Mathematics Learning Standards during 2016-17. 
The Standards revision is first; assessments will be addressed later. NYSED has asked the PTA to help with the marketing of this request along with working together on the nomination process that will determine who will be selected for these committees.
As of Thursday, April 7, 151 completed applications have been received. The breakdown of those applications is that 87 parents have applied to participate on the ELA Committee and 64 parents selected the Mathematics Committee.
The application deadline is April 14. For parents interested in being considered for one of these committees they can start the application process from going to our website by clicking here. 

Thank you for continuing to Communicate to Advocate with us for the children of NYS!

-Bonnie

NYS PTA® President
Communicate to Advocate!
everychild.onevoice.®

president@nyspta.org