The East Greenbush CSD Advocacy Committee meeting with Assemblymember John McDonald in Albany on Friday, March 7.
Members from the East Greenbush Central School District’s Advocacy Committee, including teachers, staff, administrators, students and board of education members, visited with state legislators on Friday in Albany as part of Legislative Lobby Day.
The annual event is an opportunity for the school district to discuss important education topics with individuals who work on the state budget and who represent residents of the East Greenbush CSD in the state legislature. The committee met with Senator Jake Ashby, Assemblymember John McDonald, and Assemblymember Scott Bendett.
“Our best advocates are our stakeholders – students, parents, staff members and board of education members impacted by state aid and other issues which affect our schools,” said Superintendent Jeff Simons. “Our annual trip to the legislature provides an opportunity for our legislators to hear our concerns. We appreciate our legislators’ accessibility and their well informed advocacy for our schools.”
Some of the key issues that the Advocacy Committee discussed, included:
- Preserve proposed changes to the state Foundation Aid formula that replaces outdated demographic data and funds school districts based on current student and community needs
- Support an increase in the amount of state reimbursement for Universal Pre-K funding
- Extend the waiver of the retiree earnings cap so school districts across the state, including the East Greenbush CSD, can fill vacancies in staff shortage areas
- Allocate dedicated funding to enable schools to hire additional school resource officers and make improvements to school safety programs
- Provide dedicated funding to cover additional costs associated with zero-emission buses, provide a state-funded study to determine routes within all districts where zero emission buses are viable, and require independent verification of range limits for all bus manufacturers
- Increase funding for career and technical education opportunities
- Revisit the requirements of Tier 6 in the state retirement system so we can incentivize our best and brightest to choose a fulfilling career in public education
Three Columbia High School seniors attended the trip to the legislature so they could share what classes they are taking, what they plan to do after graduation, and what topics are important to them. The students included Ei Aung ‘25, Alexander DeMarco ‘25, and Shreya Malge ‘25.
“This experience allowed me to collaborate with fellow students and engage in meaningful discussions on issues that directly impact our school district, extending my learning beyond the classroom,” said Malge. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to speak with Assemblymember McDonald, Senator Ashby, and Assemblymember Bendett, gaining valuable insights into policymaking and government.”
The committee members also discussed important education topics with the legislators such as cell phones in schools, chronic absenteeism, alternative energy sources for schools, and college and career readiness.
View Letter Sent to NYS Legislators
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