Senator Saland's Legislation To Reduce The Paperwork Mandate On Schools Passes The Senate

Senator Steve Saland (R,C Poughkeepsie) today announced that his legislation (S.5416) to reduce the paperwork mandate on school districts and BOCES by eliminating and streamlining planning and reporting requirements by schools has passed the Senate. This legislation would eliminate or consolidate 90 mandated reports.

This legislation eliminates and streamlines school district and BOCES planning and reporting requirements by reducing duplication and burdensome separate reporting systems. The bill requires that the Commissioner of Education reduce the paperwork burden while focusing planning and reporting on student results. The bill requires that the Commissioner conform state reporting and planning requirements to federal requirements, where possible, and to seek federal waivers where needed to align state and federal requirements.

"This legislation aims to reduce costly duplicative regulations that drain money from classrooms spent on paperwork and bureaucracy," said Senator Saland. "We need to keep measures in place that promote fiscal and programmatic accountability while removing those which are unnecessary and burdensome to districts."

The Commissioner's report of June 1, 2003, subsequently updated, found that federal and sate law and department regulations require school districts to submit what is now approximately 150 plans, applications and reports to the State Education Department annually.

"School districts throughout the state, as well as the State Education Department, would achieve considerable savings in the staff time required to prepare and review these reports, as well as the printing and mailing costs with this legislation," said Senator Saland.