North Country Symposium April 7, 2014

1. North Country Symposium April 7, 2014

2. State of Our Schools 2014-15

3. Factors Impacting 2014-15 School Budgets & Programs • Governor Cuomo & State Budget • Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) • Employee Benefits • Lack of Mandate Relief

4. Factors Impacting 2014-15 School Budgets & Programs (Cont.) • Tax Cap Law • Common Core Implementation • Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) • Data Privacy • Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act

5. State Budget Proposals • Governor Cuomo’s Plan would increase school aid by $807 million or 3.8% but year-over-year increase for base education aid is actually 3.1% or $607 million (rate of personal income growth) • Freezes Foundation Aid and provides $323 million to reduce the $1.6 billion Gap Elimination Adjustment • Tax Rebate Plan—provides property tax rebate in first year for municipalities which stay at or below tax cap; second year rebates based on municipalities reducing budget by at least 1% through shared services and consolidations.

6. State Budget Proposals (Cont.) • The Board of Regents requested $1.3 billion in additional school aid • The Educational Conference Board (comprised of the major statewide education associations, including NYSSBA) determined that $1.5 billion in new state aid would be needed for school districts to meet the requirements of the tax levy cap without gutting educational programs and services • Joint group of 80 members of the State Assembly and Senate joined together to call for an additional $1.9 billion in state education spending this year

7. State Budget Proposals (Cont.) • The State Budget added $1.1 billion or $500 million over Governor’s proposal for aid to education. Overall a 5% increase in aid to schools with a larger share to reduce Gap Elimination Adjustments. • Foundation Aid increased by $250 million while GEA restoration was $602 million. However, there remains $1 billion in GEA which is shortchanging schools. • For Potsdam Central School, the additional state aid amounted to approximately $301,119 over the previous proposal from Governor Cuomo. The GEA restoration is $355,470 compared $680,139 in 2013-14. PCS’ GEA will remain at $1,229,351

8. State Budget Proposals (Cont.) • PCS still receives less aid from the state than in 2008-09 by approximately $430,000. • Does not overcome the over $10 million that has been lost to the District over the last six years due to the GEA. • Using $2,096,420 in fund balance and reserves which is up $491,420 from last year; otherwise we would need to cut this out of our budget which would be 7-8 employees. • State budget contains $300 million for full-day prekindergarten expansion in New York City and $40 million elsewhere in the state.

9. State Budget Proposals (Cont.) • Full funding of BOCES, Building, Special Education and Transportation Aid at an increase of $267 million.  • Does not include the education investment tax credit sought by private school advocates. • Tax Rebate checks will be provided next year to residential property taxpayers with incomes of up to $500,000 in districts which adopt tax increases within their levy limit.

10. State Budget Proposals (Cont.) • The freeze would continue for a second year.  Districts would again be required to adopt a levy increase within their levy limit andsubmit a plan demonstrating three year savings equal to at least 1 percent from consolidation, shared services and other efficiencies. • Budget proposes a $2 billion "smart schools" referendum in November to provide funding for technology upgrades.

11. The Potsdam CSD has lost over $10 million in state aid since the advent of Gap Elimination Adjustments, resulting in per-pupil cuts that are among the highest in the state:

12. Change in Potsdam School Aid since 2008-09(excluding Building Aids) Change in School Aid 2008-09 to 2014-15: (-$433,578) or (-3.56%) (excluding Building Aids) Source: New York State Council of Superintendents

13. Health Insurance

14. Healthcare Costs

16. Use of Reserves & Designated Fund Balance

18. Common Core in State Budget • Directs the Commissioner to impose restrictions on pre-kindergarten through grade 2 testing and a cap on total time spent testing.  • Test scores will not be included in permanent student records for grades 3-8 and students with disabilities will now be tested at their developmental, rather than their chronological age.  • Increases the number of questions released after each exam. • Calls for more educating of parents and the community about the Common Core. 

19. APPR & Data Privacy • NYSUT requested a three year moratorium on the use of student test scores in performance reviews. • The state did not impose a moratorium, but Governor Cuomo appears to be reevaluating this decision. • Student test scores can not be used as a primary factor in making student promotion or placement decisions.  • APPR plan revisions attempting to reduce testing time will receive an expedited approval process.

20. APPR & Data Privacy (Cont.) • SED will create transparency reports that detail all tests administered in each district. • The state will employ a “chief privacy officer” to ensure the protection of student identifying information. Parents will now have a Bill of Rights created by SED and posted on district websites. • The use of third party providers like InBloom was rejected, but the Regional Information Centers of BOCES may be used by the state to house student data.  Individual school districts may continue to contract with third party providers, while the state is prohibited from doing so.

21. Implications for Districts • Lack of mandate relief will continue to increase budget costs. • The GEA, inequitable state funding, and tax cap will reduce fund balances, cause cuts in staffing/programs, and lead to insolvency in some districts. • There will be continued pressure for consolidations despite the lack of tools provided by the state to merge schools. Ex. Regional high schools. • Schools will continue to find ways to improve student achievement in the face of adversity.

22. Community Collaboration in Difficult Fiscal Times

23. Potsdam High School Senior Capstoner Project

24. Goals The Capstoner Project is not simply a Senior Project – it’s a series of activities and tasks completed over three years that will, hopefully allow the student to: • Learn about themselves – their interests and their strengths • Discover a passion • See the relevancy in what they are learning in school • Apply “real-world” skills • Learn more about potential career fields • Build their resume – students will have something real to talk about during the college interview process! • Provide our Seaway Tech. students with an opportunity to showcase what they’ve learned. • Counteract “Senioritis” • Provide opportunities for staff to build relationships with students

25. Breaking Ranks: Strategies for Leading High School Reform31 Core Recommendations 22. “The content of the curriculum, where practical, should connect to real-life applications of knowledge and skills to help students link their education to the future.” 24. “The academic program will extend beyond the high school campusto take advantage of learning opportunities for all students that support and extend academic learning.” 28. “Teachers will be adept at acting as coaches and facilitators to promote more active involvement of students in their own learning.”

26. Overview • Guidance-related activities spread over the four years of high school. • Research papers each year so that students may demonstrate research and writing skills • A job shadowing experience to explore and practice applicable careers and skills • A portfolio to catalogue tasks, record reflective thinking and insights, as well as demonstrate responsibility for learning as work progresses through the entire process (still under development) • A product created through the use of knowledge and skills in a meaningful way to accomplish a goal • An oral presentation, during which students become a source of information communicating their project work before a review panel comprised of community members, school representatives, and, possibly, younger students

27. Senior Projects • Plan and execute an emergency drill for the HS in collaboration with the Potsdam Police Department. • Complete an energy audit of the High School • Organize a photography show. • Design a child care center to specifications • Create and deliver an educational program on the prevention of head injuries. • Develop a business plan and initiate a school coffee shop.

28. Potsdam Educational Opportunity Fund • Began in 2012 by parents concerned about cuts in school funding. • Collaboration with Clarkson University and Northern New York Community Foundation. • Since its inception, the group has raised close to $200,000 to support the District. Over the last two years, some of these fund have been distributed to staff for various projects and equipment. • Led to the creation of the Youth Philanthropy Council which will distribute $10,000 per year to organizations who assist worthy causes.