Post by Logan on Jul 3, 2016 3:44:29 GMT -6
EAST RAMAPO, N.Y. - Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday afternoon signed a historic compromise bill on the East Ramapo school district into law, ending an inter-neighborhood strife that had descended into bitter battles in recent years.
The law, which was agreed upon by Cuomo, the Democratic-led Assembly and the Republican Senate last month, takes effect in September. It denies the veto-empowered overseer some legislators had sought. Instead, it earmarks an additional $3 million for next year solely for the district’s dwindling public school population. It also mandates that the entire approximately $225 million annual school budget be submitted to state Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia for recommendations.
The board that serves the district, which comprises the Torah centers of Monsey, Spring Valley and New Square, has come under increased scrutiny the past three years. They have been forced to use their limited school funds to cover required services the burgeoning network of private schools, such as busing, special education and textbooks. This sometimes came at the expense of non-required programs for public schools.
Elia was seen as an acceptable alternative to the appointment of a monitor with veto power, as local state lawmakers and anti-Orthodox Rockland County groups preferred.
Read more: hamodia.com/2016/06/30/cuomo-signs-east-ramapo-bill-ending-years-long-strife/
The law, which was agreed upon by Cuomo, the Democratic-led Assembly and the Republican Senate last month, takes effect in September. It denies the veto-empowered overseer some legislators had sought. Instead, it earmarks an additional $3 million for next year solely for the district’s dwindling public school population. It also mandates that the entire approximately $225 million annual school budget be submitted to state Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia for recommendations.
The board that serves the district, which comprises the Torah centers of Monsey, Spring Valley and New Square, has come under increased scrutiny the past three years. They have been forced to use their limited school funds to cover required services the burgeoning network of private schools, such as busing, special education and textbooks. This sometimes came at the expense of non-required programs for public schools.
Elia was seen as an acceptable alternative to the appointment of a monitor with veto power, as local state lawmakers and anti-Orthodox Rockland County groups preferred.
Read more: hamodia.com/2016/06/30/cuomo-signs-east-ramapo-bill-ending-years-long-strife/