The New NY Education Reform Commission is specifically looking for solution-oriented input on:
The Structure of New York’s Public Education System –The Commission aims to examine the structure of New York’s education system and propose improvements to better meet the needs
of our students while respecting the taxpayer, including:
o Reorganization, such as district consolidation and/or shared services;
o Ways to reduce costs and improve effectiveness;
o Spending in high-need school districts in order to address problems that may require additional or different services to meet the needs of those students;
o School funding and the distribution of state aid, including district and state level costs and expenditures on a cost per student outcome basis.
Teacher and Principal Quality and District Leadership – The Commission aims to examine factors in preparing, recruiting, training, and retaining high quality teachers and principals, and
factors in developing district leadership to improve student learning and raise student achievement, including:
o Incentives to hire and retain our best teachers and principals to keep them in New York;
o Teacher preparation, certification and education programs to ensure that teachers are properly trained to best educate our students;
o Expectations and accountability systems for teachers and principals, including the implementation of APPR, as well as superintendents, administrators, and school boards.
Student achievement and family engagement – The Commission aims to examine factors in raising student achievement from prekindergarten through high school including parental involvement and support systems to put students on tract to graduate high school and be college/career ready, including:
o Educational programs that improve student achievement and college and career readiness, including use of technology in the classroom;
o Access to high quality educational programs, including early childhood programs and distance learning;
o District and school level policies to address student attendance issues, student achievement support, and parental engagement;
The New NY Education Reform Commission seeks testimony on all matters in public education, but specifically on the three areas listed above in which the Commission has subdivided. The Commission intends to recommend an action plan, and seeks actionable, solution-oriented input.
Testimony will be divided up into each area for presentation purposes.
In order to sign up to testify, please send your full written testimony to NYEducationReformCommission@exec.ny.gov no later than 2 days before the hearing so that members of the Commission can review.
Speakers are asked to summarize their testimony.
At the end of this hearing there will be 30 minutes set aside for public comment for those who did not sign up to testify. The first ten individuals who indicate that they wish to make a public comment when they sign-in will be given no more than three minutes to make their comments.
Those who are given the opportunity to speak are asked to email their comments after the hearing to
NYEducationReformCommission@exec.ny.gov.
If there is not sufficient time for you to speak, or if you cannot attend the hearing, you are still encouraged to submit your comments on the Commission website, www.NYPuttingStudentsFirst.com, and they will be shared with the Commission Members.
To find out more about the New NY Education Reform Commission please visit