Statement by Senator Carlucci on Senate Passage of Spin-Up Legislation for the East Ramapo School District

"Today, I am pleased the Senate voted to pass spin-up legislation that will help restore vital services for the East Ramapo School District.  Altogether, this amounts to $3.5 million dollars in accelerated aid from New York State Lottery revenues that would ordinarily have been disbursed in later years.  Make no mistake about it – the district has a unique set of problems that requires a plan to find many long-term solutions.  In the meantime, it is upon the district to fulfill its responsibilities by restoring specific programs and activities initially on the chopping block.

“As I said from the outset, this was one of my top legislative priorities as part of a multipronged approach to reform this troubled school district. My bill will provide strict oversight and guidelines as to how it can spend these funds.  Vital and necessary programs stand to gain from this beneficial agreement.  It allows the Superintendent to work collaboratively with a district-based advisory team to ensure that our parents and advocates also have a voice in the process. 

“We have made a substantial leap of progress this evening, yet there remains much more work to be done.  I look forward to continuing to push legislation and work with all stakeholders who have a vested interest in providing our children with a top-notch quality education.”

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