LONG ISLAND BULLETIN BOARD

Does anyone know when the state ELA scores come back?

The state tests are a joke. Waste of time and money. The Math regents had several mistakes. One question had 4 choices, all incorrect. The ELA exam used the same exact essay from several years ago. If we are going to test kids, there should be a nationwide test done on the computer. You can than fairly compare students across the island, state, and country. Too many variable the way it is now. Many of the NY State Certification Exams are done online now. Wake up Albany.

Not having standardized curriculum that can be fairly tested is the joke. Wake up Albany the educrats and NYSUT gave us the most expensive and the 37th least effective education system in the USA.

Where is the money going to come from to provide a computer for every single student in the state so they could all take the exam simultaneously? Do you have any idea how many computers that would require? Who will pay for setting up the huge network that would be required to administer the tests? What arrangements would have to be made for handicapped students who cannot use a keyboard?

Are you volunteering to write a check or help pass a bond issue? I'm sure Fred isn't. With the tax cap on the horizon, I don't see the money being available through the budget, either.

I totally support standardized testing. But, I view the standardized test as a minimum standard. The Regents in my subject area lets me know if I am getting the subject matter across to my students. I can also go back and look at the questions my students answered incorrectly. If a number of them get a particular question wrong, I know I have to sharpen my lessons on that topic. It is a useful diagnostic tool. Yes, there are occasionally bloopers on the exams, and there shouldn't be. But, that is not a reason for wholesale condemnation of the exams nor an excuse for their elimination.

I also believe that some of the elementary exams should be spaced out, so that there are 1-2 each year, not a whole bunch in 4th grade as presently occurs. Why not do the ELA in grade 4 and math in grade 5?

Finally, I would award state scholarship funds based on performance on the Regents exams. Scholarships should be based on merit, not need. A key cornerstone of turning this country around is rewarding merit and hard work and eliminating the entitlement mentality that has corroded our national work ethic.

The Governor is going to veto the TRS Bonding.

I have won Senate support for my idea on how to level TRS bills and am working the governor.

Set a standard (median) portion of payroll to level TRS payments for 20 years. I think it would be between 7.5% to 8.5% of payroll
Permit Districts to borrow when the rate is above, lets say 8.5%. When the TRS falls below 8.5% the difference must be reserved. The reserves must be depleted when the rate again pierces 8.5% before borrowing can benign again.

This is the best way to level the TRS cost. It prevents BOE from spending when rates are low and prevents spikes. It is more a balancing then a borrowing.



GOVERNOR CUOMO VETOES PENSION BORROWING LEGISLATION

Veto protects taxpayers from bill that would have deferred expensive pension costs to future generations, authorized over a billion in new borrowing without voter approval

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today vetoed a bill that would have allowed school districts to issue new borrowing to cover short term expenditures, passing the bill to future taxpayers at a much higher cost.

The bill (A.6309/S.04067-A) would have allowed school districts- without voter approval- to borrow over $1 billion through bonds to cover current pension costs. The bonds plus interest would be paid off over 15 years, forcing taxpayers in some cases to pay back significantly more than the amount originally borrowed.

"The people of the State of New York have made it clear that they will no longer tolerate the fiscal irresponsibility and reckless spending that has driven their property taxes through the roof," Governor Cuomo said. "Families across the state have been forced to cut back and live within their means and governments and school districts must do the same. New York has no future as the tax capital of the nation and this veto sends a strong message that we will not put today's tough decisions on tomorrow's taxpayers."

Governor Cuomo's veto will protect taxpayers from the massive tax increases in the future that would be needed to cover the costs of borrowing, and ensures that the recently passed 2% property tax cap, a hallmark of the Governor's campaign and a priority of his administration's first year, will remain intact

The Regents exams have become a joke. They don't test competence anymore. They've been manipulated by same powers (educrats, teachers unions) to make it appear the school system in accomplishing something. For the math and science exams a student needs to get less than half the available points to pass thanks to scoring curve. Add to that that the multiple choice doesn't penalize guessing and the free response scoring guide encourages giving one or two points (out of 5) for pretty much anything the students write and a student has to have almost zero knowledge to not pass.