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Advocacy

The East Greenbush Central School District has an Advocacy Committee that meets throughout the year to discuss topics that affect our schools and organize advocacy efforts to improve the education we offer. The committee is led by the Superintendent of Schools and includes students, teachers, administrators, support staff, school board members and parents. 

The Advocacy Committee has developed the following priorities for the 2022-23 school year:

  • Advocate for changes in federal, state and local policy and practices to address teacher and staff shortages
    • Modify certain requirements such as teacher certification options
    • Add incentives for prospective teachers
    • Increase pathways to become a public school teacher, especially for individuals in other career fields who have a passion for education
  • Discuss state support for school safety
    • Increase access for school districts to hire School Resource Officers
  • Increased access to mental health services
  • Advocate for true Universal Pre-K that serves all eligible children
    • We offer a Pre-K Program for four-year-old children who live in the East Greenbush CSD, however, we are not able to accommodate all interested families based on cost and classroom space
    • 61 students were chosen through a random lottery from a pool of 128 applicants for the 2022-23 school year
    • Pre-K costs approximately $10,033 per child
      • We receive $5,400 per child in state aid
      • We are covering the rest of the costs through COVID federal funding so that there is no impact on our local taxpayers to provide this program
  • Ensure school stakeholders are engaged in any proposed changes to the state’s current plans for the Every Student Succeeds Act
  • Engage in discussions and options to enable schools to affordably transition to electric and zero emissions buses
    • The East Greenbush CSD supports a move to zero emission buses, however, the state’s current plan acts as an unfunded mandate
    • Our Transportation Department has 102 buses and we typically replace eight older buses each year (the state is mandating all school buses be replaced with electric vehicles by 2035)
    • An electric bus costs about four times as much as a diesel bus, not to mention the infrastructure costs that would be needed (e.g., charging stations, power upgrades from the grid, new lifts and maintenance equipment in the bus garage)
    • Utilize funds from the recently passed $4.2 billion “Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022”
  • Express concerns that state foundation aid increases and federal CRRSA and ESSER funds may not be sustained in order to permit district to sustain needed programs for students
  • Impact of inflation on school district expenses
    • Schools are not immune to the rise in costs due to inflation and supply chain issues
    • Our Capital Project has experienced higher costs and longer timelines than anticipated since it was approved by voters in 2017 due to the pandemic and resulting inflation
    • Regular items such as fuel, food, and cleaning supplies have all increased in costs

Students, parents, teachers, staff and community members are encouraged to advocate on behalf of our schools.

Contact Your Elected Representatives

Governor Kathy Hochul
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224
518-474-8390
Email form
Twitter: @GovKathyHochul
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KathyHochul

NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE

Assemblyman Scott Bendett
NYS Assembly District 107
Albany Office
LOB
Albany, NY 12248
Phone: 518-455-5923
Email: bendetts@nyassembly.gov

Assemblyman John McDonald III
NYS Assembly District 108
Albany Office
LOB 417
Albany, NY 12248
Phone: 518-455-4474
Fax: 518-455-4727
Email: mcdonaldj@nyassembly.gov
Facebook: Facebook.com/assemblymemberjohn.mcdonald
Twitter: @johnmcdonald108

Senator Jake Ashby
NYS Senate District 43
Albany Office
LOB, Room 706
Albany, NY 12247
Phone: 518-426-6985
Email: ashby@nysenate.gov
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JakeAshbyforNYSSenate

UNITED STATES CONGRESS

Congressman Paul Tonko
New York District 20
19 Dove St., Suite 302
Albany, NY 12210
Phone: 518-465-0700
Fax: 518-427-5107
Email form
Twitter: @RepPaulTonko
Facebook: Facebook.com/reppaultonko

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik
New York District 21
137 Margaret Street, Suite 100
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
Phone: 518-561-2324
Email form
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RepStefanik
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RepEliseStefanik

Senator Charles Schumer
Leo O’Brien Federal Office Building, Room 420
Albany, NY 12207
Phone: 518-431-4070
Fax: 518-431-4076
Email form
Twitter: @SenSchumer
Facebook: Facebook.com/senschumer

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
Leo O’Brien Federal Office Building
11A Clinton Ave., Room 821
Albany, NY 12207
Phone: 518-431-0120
Fax: 518-431-0128
Email form
Twitter: @SenGillibrand
Facebook: Facebook.com/KirstenGillibrand