The state budget now includes the full restoration of education aid and the formal elimination of the GEA. We have successfully secured the return of these promised funds for our school districts. Please continue monitoring local board meetings to ensure these resources are allocated effectively in the coming academic year.
April 29, 2014
Final supporters
To be delivered to the Board of Regents, The New York State House, The New York State Senate, and Governor Andrew Cuomo.
We, the undersigned citizens of New York State, urge you to fully restore education aid to NYS schools by ending the GAP ELIMINATION ADJUSTMENT (GEA) in the 2014-2015 state budget. This is not a request for new or additional funds for education, but a call for funding already promised, but not delivered.
Currently, total state education aid remains below the level provided to NYS school districts in 2008-09, while at the same time expectations for educational outcomes and accountability have increased dramatically with the adoption of the Common Core Learning Standards and the implementation of the Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR). To say that New York schools are being asked to do more with less is a gross understatement.
Over the past decade, New York State aid for education has decreased sharply,* requiring schools to rely more heavily on property taxes and other local revenues to maintain educational standards. School districts, with the exception of a few select wealthy districts, cannot raise enough money locally to maintain adequate staffing and programs, much less to raise education standards to “college and career readiness” as charged by the Commissioner of Education, Dr. John King.
State spending has increased from $116B to $133B over the past five years, yet not a penny of that increased spending has gone to public schools.
Give New York State schools the aid needed to educate our students. This aid has already been promised to schools, but taken away through the GEA. Say “NO” to the GEA and “YES” to equal educational opportunities for all students.
We call on you to act now to:
Restore $1.6 billion in educational funding for the 2014-2015 school year by immediately eliminating all remaining Gap Elimination Adjustments.
* According to the 2013 Position Statement issued by the Rural Schools Association, the State’s share of aid has decreased from nearly 50% of shared state/local costs during the 2001-02 school year to around 40% during 2011-2012. See Rural Schools Association (2013) Position Statement:
http://education.cornell.edu/RSA%20Website%2011-14-112013%20Legislative%20Position%
20Paper%2011-1-12%20with%20Red%20Final%2011-14-12.pdf.
Updates
February 28, 2014
The petition reached 100 signatures this morning. I am now compiling the list of signers to include with the formal letter I am drafting for the Governor and the Board of Regents.
Reached 250 supporters
February 27, 2014
Reached 100 supporters
February 27, 2014
125 Comments
ALL of us pay in the long run by denying our children adequate funding for their constitutionally guaranteed education. Stop robbing our children's schools to pay NY's bills!!! End the GEA now!!
End the GEA and pay back the $14 million taken from our school district alone. Stop taking wages, healthcare, and education away from the poor and middle class to fund tax breaks and ever-increasing wealth for the few percent of the population at the top.
Fair funding in education is the RIGHT thing to do! With the implementation of the Common Core Learning Standards, how are our schools expected to do more with less?!
Restore funding for NYS education. You are telling us to do more with less and sacrificing the futures of our children! We shouldn't have to live in an affluent zip code to have adequate funding for our schools to offer highly effective programs!
If passed, Warwick NY schools will be forced to purpose a budget that will close yet another school and overcrowd the last 3 existing schools in addition to cutting the standard of education mandated by the State government.
No Cuomo
No Cuomo
Share Petition
Don't stop at signing, share the petition link with friends to multiply our impact
Copy link or share directly
The state budget now includes the full restoration of education aid and the formal elimination of the GEA. We have successfully secured the return of these promised funds for our school districts. Please continue monitoring local board meetings to ensure these resources are allocated effectively in the coming academic year.
April 29, 2014
Final supporters
To be delivered to the Board of Regents, The New York State House, The New York State Senate, and Governor Andrew Cuomo.
We, the undersigned citizens of New York State, urge you to fully restore education aid to NYS schools by ending the GAP ELIMINATION ADJUSTMENT (GEA) in the 2014-2015 state budget. This is not a request for new or additional funds for education, but a call for funding already promised, but not delivered.
Currently, total state education aid remains below the level provided to NYS school districts in 2008-09, while at the same time expectations for educational outcomes and accountability have increased dramatically with the adoption of the Common Core Learning Standards and the implementation of the Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR). To say that New York schools are being asked to do more with less is a gross understatement.
Over the past decade, New York State aid for education has decreased sharply,* requiring schools to rely more heavily on property taxes and other local revenues to maintain educational standards. School districts, with the exception of a few select wealthy districts, cannot raise enough money locally to maintain adequate staffing and programs, much less to raise education standards to “college and career readiness” as charged by the Commissioner of Education, Dr. John King.
State spending has increased from $116B to $133B over the past five years, yet not a penny of that increased spending has gone to public schools.
Give New York State schools the aid needed to educate our students. This aid has already been promised to schools, but taken away through the GEA. Say “NO” to the GEA and “YES” to equal educational opportunities for all students.
We call on you to act now to:
Restore $1.6 billion in educational funding for the 2014-2015 school year by immediately eliminating all remaining Gap Elimination Adjustments.
* According to the 2013 Position Statement issued by the Rural Schools Association, the State’s share of aid has decreased from nearly 50% of shared state/local costs during the 2001-02 school year to around 40% during 2011-2012. See Rural Schools Association (2013) Position Statement:
http://education.cornell.edu/RSA%20Website%2011-14-112013%20Legislative%20Position%
20Paper%2011-1-12%20with%20Red%20Final%2011-14-12.pdf.
Updates
February 28, 2014
The petition reached 100 signatures this morning. I am now compiling the list of signers to include with the formal letter I am drafting for the Governor and the Board of Regents.
Reached 250 supporters
February 27, 2014
Reached 100 supporters
February 27, 2014
125 Comments
Education has taken enough hits. Our children deserve the best education and you have made that virtually impossible between the GEA and the Tax cap.
ALL of us pay in the long run by denying our children adequate funding for their constitutionally guaranteed education. Stop robbing our children's schools to pay NY's bills!!! End the GEA now!!
End the GEA and pay back the $14 million taken from our school district alone. Stop taking wages, healthcare, and education away from the poor and middle class to fund tax breaks and ever-increasing wealth for the few percent of the population at the top.
Fair funding in education is the RIGHT thing to do! With the implementation of the Common Core Learning Standards, how are our schools expected to do more with less?!
Restore funding for NYS education. You are telling us to do more with less and sacrificing the futures of our children! We shouldn't have to live in an affluent zip code to have adequate funding for our schools to offer highly effective programs!
If passed, Warwick NY schools will be forced to purpose a budget that will close yet another school and overcrowd the last 3 existing schools in addition to cutting the standard of education mandated by the State government.
No Cuomo
No Cuomo
Share Petition
Don't stop at signing, share the petition link with friends to multiply our impact
Petitions like this
Other petitions you might want to support
Scan to share
Anyone who scans this can sign the petition.
Education has taken enough hits. Our children deserve the best education and you have made that virtually impossible between the GEA and the Tax cap.