Griffo Calls For Re-Allocating Aid and Rewarding Schools That Met Deadline

Senator Joseph A. Griffo (R-C-IP, Rome) today called upon Gov. Andrew Cuomo to reallocate school aid the state has said it will withhold from districts that have not field the required teacher evaluation plans and share it with schools that met the state deadline.

“Developing this teacher evaluation system was a difficult process for many schools, but they stuck to the reform concept offered by this plan and filed their plans by the state’s deadline,” Griffo said. “This represented extensive labor especially for the small rural districts in areas I represent that do not have the vast administrative systems of larger urban districts. The administration has made it clear that without plans, aid would be withheld. The concept I advance is very simple: Reward those who turned in their work on time.”

Griffo’s letter to Cuomo reads, “At a time when the challenges of funding education in this state have never been greater, and school districts all across this state have committed themselves to reform by investing countless hours in developing and submitting teacher evaluation plans, I believe that these schools that have done their work and met all required deadlines should be rewarded for their efforts.

Districts have been told for months that failure to file by this deadline could lead to the revocation of millions of dollars in state aid. At a time when we in Albany are requiring responsible action on the part of all branches of government to use existing resources to the fullest, I believe that money in aid that would have gone to districts that failed to meet the deadline should be reallocated  and sent to the many schools – some very small with minimal administrative staffing – that rose to the challenge.”

[attached - Letter to Gov. Cuomo from Senator Griffo]