By Hank Russell
A New York State Assemblyman derided a recent rally opposing the state’s Regionalization Initiative, calling it “political theater,” while those against the initiative argued that it would result in state control of the schools.
On October 31, a rally was held at Locust Valley High School in which local elected officials and school administrators protested the New York State Department of Education’s “emergency plan” to implement the Regionalization Initiative. Locust Valley School Superintendent Kristen Turnow was quoted as saying that the Education Department’s actions are “not a democratic solution.”
According to the Education Department’s website, “The Regionalization Initiative is a collaborative regional planning approach for local districts to communicate what they need in order to ensure equitable educational opportunities for all students, leveraging the state’s existing capabilities, talent, and infrastructure. By engaging in regional conversations, schools and districts may identify, explore, and choose whether to pursue a variety of possible solutions to the academic and operational challenges they face by tapping into the full span of resources that already exist in their larger region.”
Under the initiative, BOCES and school districts are required to submit a plan of what their needs are, where they are strongest and where they need improvement. In addition, they are given the option to share educational resources with other districts.
New York State Assemblyman Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove) said the option of districts agreeing to share services was a byproduct of the New York 2024-2025 budget, which was prepared in the summer of 2023 in anticipation of another recession. He said those who took part in the demonstration “falsely characterized” the Initiative as “a state takeover of our schools.”
In a letter to the Nassau County school superintendents dated November 12 and obtained by Long Island Life & Politics, he wrote, “There is no such danger, there is no such threat. The rally may as well have been called to warn of the impending approach of the menacing tag-team of Bigfoot and the Sasquatch.”
Deputy Commissioner Jeffrey Matteson sent a letter to all school districts and BOCES superintendents regarding the concerns about the name of the initiative. “Some have encouraged the Department to rename the initiative, noting that the term ‘regionalization’ can be interpreted by some as a mandate to merge programs/districts,” he wrote. “NYSED has been clear in every presentation and in all related literature, that this is not the case. As educators, all of us must set an example for our students by ensuring that accurate information is shared. Therefore, we have determined that any rebranding of the initiative would confuse the field.”
But Assemblyman Keith Brown (R-Northport), who vehemently opposed the initiative, claimed that it may be in violation of the State Administrative Procedure Act (SAPA). Brown — along with Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick (R-Smithtown) and Mario Mattera (R-St. James) — wrote a letter to state Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa asking her not to fast-track the initiative.
“While there is no requirement for school districts to participate in the sharing of resources for now, the Board of Regents’ regionalization plan for our school districts could potentially erode local control and place additional mandates on the schools,” Brown said. “Rather than force this initiative on school districts, the proposal should be presented under the non-emergency procedures mandated by the State Administrative Procedure Act (SAPA), so as not to overwhelm our schools and communities.”
“The residents are right, it’s absolutely true,” added Assemblyman Michael Durso (R-Massapequa Park). “Don’t let the vague title of ‘Regionalization’ fool you, it is indeed a state takeover of our school districts and school boards. We must fight it at all costs to protect local control and our children’s education.”
Lavine dismissed their claims. “Held on Halloween, the October 31 rally was nothing more and nothing less than political theater designed to frighten the public,” he said. “While engaging in pandering and demagoguery on this issue is for some an obligatory political stunt, it does absolutely nothing to help our students.”