In 2004 four neighboring local school districts joined together to consider issues of mutual concern and come up with solutions. A dedicated advocacy group of board members and superintendents meet each month to discuss and respond to legislative issues like: 
- Fair and sufficient funding for all districts
- Relief from state and federal mandates
- More effective local school board function and control
- Relief from standardized tests
The five current READ districts are currently working directly with the media, local legislators, and the county-wide WPSBA, to further the interests of education in our region.
READ also works through the New York State School Board Association. Four READ resolutions were adopted at the 2005 and 2006 NYSSBA conventions [CLICK HERE for resolution texts].
READ has prepared a position paper on funding problems. A summary follows, or CLICK HERE for full text.
READ Districts Respond to the
School Finance Crunch
The READ districts (Brewster, Croton on Hudson, Garrison, Haldane, and Hendrick Hudson) need action by the state and federal government with the goal: stable and predictable costs and revenue. Our biggest worry is the stock market losses by the troubled state pension plans (TRS and ERS). When local school districts have to start to pay the piper in 2010-2011, the TRS and ERS bill is estimated at 11% of salaries, compared to 6-7% currently. The subsequent years may be as high as 40%. This amounts to tens of millions of dollars out of READ district budgets. READ calls for reform of this system by
- Permitting the formation of ‘TRS Reserves’, similar to the currently allowed ERS
- Spreading TRS/ERS charges over several fiscal school years with no penalty imposed.
- Starting a new ‘Tier 5’ to control future pension commitments (as Governor Patterson has already proposed)
- Applying some federal aid to the TRS/ERS shortfall
For 2009-2010, READ districts are reacting to the financial crunch by:
- Cost-sharing, conservation, and revenue-building programs
- Staff cuts, on the order of 60 full-time equivalent positions
- Spending restraint, with proposed budgets for next year running between -0.5% and +3.7% year-to-year
The READ districts have each come up with plans tailored to minimize the impact of financial pressures on their particular districts. Each READ district voters approved these plans in May of 2009.
It’s worth noting that the proposed budget-to-budget increases are all lower than the +4% ceiling on tax levy increases in the controversial Suozzi Commission’s tax cap plan.
