Area educators are calling Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s harsh words regarding New York’s educational system a distraction, and say efforts to focus on teacher performance and cap superintendents’ pay are drawing attention away from the real issue a $1.5 billion cut in state aid to schools.
The governor recently released his budget, and the senate and assembly are set to release individual ones, with proposals such as a $163,000 salary cap for superintendents and a repeal of the Last In First Out law being discussed as well.
Cohoes City School District Superintendent Robert Libby, whose salary is $151,424, said these proposals have brought the focus off of what really needs to be done in the state, and that’s pass a fiscally responsible budget.
He [Cuomo] has set a distraction from what the real problem is,` he said. `The problem is a $1.5 billion cut in state aid to education. Rather than focus on that direct issue, he has created other issues to make people forget about how serious the problem really is.`
The state is not only in trouble, but the entire country is as well, and Libby said it is not superintendents’ salary that has caused the problem. Instead, the cause is runaway health insurance expenses and energy costs, two things Libby suggested Cuomo focus on.
He even suggested that the New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli lower pension contribution rates during the tough economic times.
Despite what happens at the state level, Libby has taken his own steps to save money for the district.
`In Cohoes, all central office administrators and the principals association have agreed to not take a raise,` he said.
The salary of the superintendent is negotiated with the school’s board of education, according to North Colonie Central School District Superintendent Joseph Corr, who is also taking a salary freeze for the 2011-2012 school year.
Corr, whose salary is currently $190,000, said such a move appears to be the state getting involved with situations normally dealt with by the local schools.
`I think right now the focus and intention has to be on developing a [school] budget that is good for both our children and our community,` said Corr. `I think given that, it is really where my focus should be other than a salary cap.`
South Colonie Central School District Superintendent Jon Buhner, whose salary is $179,185, agrees that what Cuomo has proposed is really just a distraction, and the main focus should be on passing a budget. He will also be taking a pay freeze, and said what he is really concerned about are the students, not his salary.
There is a lot of work that comes with being a superintendent, Buhner said, and there is a lot of responsibility that comes with the position.
`I understand it’s part of the job, and it’s all year round,` he said. `You’re in charge of the well being and the achievement of people’s most precious possession, their children. I have kids and I know how much I care about my own children. So, I take pride in the work that I do and take pride in being a public servant.`
There is also the bill that passed the senate on March 1, the repeal of LIFO (S.3501b), with no similar bill in the assembly, sponsored by Senator John Flanagan, R-East Northport.
Many schools in the state are looking to lay off a number of teachers, and with North Colonie closing Maplewood Elementary School, some teachers will be losing their jobs.
The LIFO bill is directed toward New York City schools, but has met with criticism across the state. Libby, Corr and Buhner said they already look at teacher performance instead of strictly seniority, but Corr added it is the law.
`LIFO is bound by negotiated contracts and by law. It’s just the way it is,` he said. `I value all of our teachers and I think they are all solid. I think that we have a good evaluation system in North Colonie. I do value student performance as a part of that.`
He added that all of the district’s senior teachers are strong, and that none of them have become content and lazy as time has passed.
`They mentor young teachers and provide experience,` he said. `I consider them an asset.`
Libby said his district has a list of 12 to 23 teaching positions that are currently at risk, but said the number is constantly changing since not all of the components of the budget have been put in place. But the state is currently in the middle of revising the evaluation process due to provisions in
the Race to the Top grant, which makes it hard to properly look into layoffs.
`New York state is in the midst of revising the Annual Profession Performance review process,` he said. `The whole system is in flux right now. We’re awaiting regulations from the state education department to inform districts how to rewrite APR plans.`
Buhner wants schools to be able to assess their own staff instead of having the state decide on that. He said on the state report cards, South Colonie saw 58 percent of its students graduate with an advanced regents diploma, adding that information of student performance is transparent.
`I don’t think I would go in there and tell them how to do their jobs, and I don’t think they should be telling us how to do ours,` he said. `I think for schools that have successful results in achievement, we feel that the expert in the fields should be making those decisions.`
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