Download - New York State’s Opportunity Gap is Wider Than Ever8,733 per pupil, the largest in New York State history. —Andrew Cuomo, candidate for Governor, October 2010 “I think the inequity

RECORD SETTING

New York State’s Opportunity Gapis Wider Than Ever

www.aqeny.org www.otlcampaign.org www.opportunityaction.org

Table of ContentsIntroduction 3

RecordSettingInequality 4

CampaignforFiscalEquity 5

InequalityinFunding=InequalityinOutcomes 6

EndingInequalityinFunding 7

GovernorCuomo’s‘TaxFreeze’FurtherIncreasedInequality 8

FoundationAidorGapElminationAdjustment 9

EndingInequalityinOurSchools 9

RecommendedActionstoEndEducationalInequality 10-11

Record Setting InequalityNew York’s Opportunity Gap is

Wider Than Ever

NewYorkStatehaslongbeenanationalleaderineducationalinequalityandthe inequalitygapisgrowing.Weconsistentlyspendmuchmoreperpupilinwealthy communitiesthaninpoorones.

GovernorCuomodidnotcreatethisinequality.Infact,hepledgedtodosomethingaboutitwhenheranforgovernorin2010.

Despitehispromises,record setting inequalityinourschoolsisoneofthelegaciesofGovernorCuomo’sfirstterm.Thegapbetweenwealthyandpoorschooldistrictsgrewto$8,733perpupil,thelargestinNewYorkStatehistory.

—Andrew Cuomo, candidate for Governor, October 2010

“Ithinktheinequityineducationis probablythecivilrightsissueofourtime.Therearetwoeducationsystemsinthisstate.Notpublicprivate.Onefortherichandoneforthepoorandtheyarebothpublicsystems.

Thewaywefundeducationthroughthepropertytaxsystem,bydefinitionisgoingtobeunfair.Anditis.Thestateissup-posedtoequalizeorcomeclosetoequal-izingwithitsfunding.That’stheCFElaw-suitthatthestateisyettofullyfund.”

Record Setting Inequality 3

4 Record Setting Inequality

ThegraphaboveshowstheinequalityinNewYorkState’spublicschoolsandhowstudentsinpoorcommunitieshavebeenconsistentlyshortchanged.Thisinequalityhasbeenalong-termproblemandhasgrowntorecordsettinglevelsunderGovernorCuomo.

Infact,inthefirsttwoyearsthatGovernorCuomowasinofficethegapshotupfrom$8,024perpupilto$8,733perpupil.Thegapof$8,733perpupilisthelargesteducationalinequalitygapinNewYorkStatehistory.Theextra$8,733beingspentforeverystudentinwealthycommunitiesdoesnothingtobenefitstudentsinpoorcommunities.

Record Setting Inequality

Whiletheinequalitygaphasalwaysbeenlarge,ithasdramaticallyincreasedinrecentyears.

Infact,inthefirsttwoyearsthatGovernorCuomowasinofficethegapshotupfrom$8,024perpupilto$8,733perpupil.Thegapof$8,733perpupilisthelargesteducationalinequalitygapinNewYorkStatehistory.Tragically,themoneythatwaspromisedin2007tokeepclosingthisgapwasonlydeliveredfortwoyearsandthenGovernorCuomoledthe legislaturetostopfundingCFEandthegapwidenedagain. WhenGovernorCuomorepeatedlysaysthatNewYorkStateisoneofthetopspendingstatesinthecountry,heisignoringthefactthathispolicieshaveledtorecordsettinginequality. Theextra$8,733beingspentforeverystudentinwealthycommunitiesdoesnothingtobenefitstudentsinpoorcommunities—sothestatewideaverageisirrelevanttoeducationalopportunitiesandoutcomesfor studentsinpoorcommunities.

GovernorCuomo’sfailuretoclosetheinequalitygapisalsoamissedopportunitytocloseeducationaloutcomes..

1993:CampaignforFis-calEquity(CFE)wasfiledbyNewYorkCityparentsbecause New York State wasunderfundingitspublicschools.

2006:Finaldecisionwasgrantedbythestate’shigh-estcourt,theCourtofAppeals,ruledthatNYSwasviolatingitsconstitution-alobligationtoprovidea“soundbasiceducation”toallresidentchildren.

2007:ThestateandthelegislaturesettledCFEonastatewidebasisbycommit-tingtoprovide$5.5billioninnewclassroomoperatingaidknownasFoundationAid,over4years.ThestatemadeitsfirstpaymenttoNYSstudentsinthe2007-08EnactedBudget.

2008:Year2oftheCFEphase-in.Programssuchasconvertinghalf-daypre-Ktofull-day,Saturdayacademies,programsforEnglishLan-guageLearnersandmanymorewereimplemented.

2009-2013:Frozenfundingandschoolaidcuts,inade-quatestatebudgetscauselossofalmost40,000educa-torsandotherstaff,reduc-tionsinart,music,summerschool,etc.

Campaign forFiscal Equity



Inequality in Funding = Inequality in Outcomes

Theinequalitygapcorrelatesdirectlywithadramaticgapineducationaloutcomes.Whiletherearemanyfactorsthatcontributetounequaloutcomes—particularlythecontrastingimpactsofpovertyandwealthoneveryaspectofchildren’slives—educationalresourcesaretheessentialingredientsschoolsprovidetoclosethegapineducationaloutcomes.Theseresourcesincludepre-kindergarten,smallerclasssizes,arigorous curriculumincludingart,musicandphysicaleducationaswellascoreacademicsubjectsandadvanced courses,mentoringandsupportstostrengthenteachers,programsforEnglishlanguagelearners,andsocial,emotionalandhealthsupportstomeetthediverseneedsofstudents.

Thegapingraduationratesforrichandpoorschooldistrictshasconsistentlybeenbetween25%and27%andnoprogressatclosingthisgaphasbeenmadeunderGovernorCuomo’sleadership.

Graduation Rates Year PoorestSchoolDistricts WealthiestSchoolDistricts Difference

2005-06 63% 88% 26%2006-07 62% 89% 27%2007-08 64% 88% 25%2008-09 64% 89% 25%2009-10 63% 90% 27%2010-11 66% 91% 25%2011-12 66% 93% 27%2012-13 65% 92% 27%2013-14 66% 92% 26%

Schoolsinpoorcommunitiesspendlessperpupil—andoftenmanythousandsofdollarslessperpupil—thanschoolsinnearbyaffluentcommunities,meaningpoorschoolscan’tcompeteforthebestteachingandprincipaltalentinalocallabormarketandcan’timplementthehigh-endtechnologyandrigorousacademicandenrichmentprogramsneededtoenhancestudentperformance.—The Equity and Excellence Commission, A report to the U.S. Secretary of Education, For Each and Every Child- A Strategy for Education Equity and Excellence, Washington, D.C., February 20, 2013


Ending Inequality in Funding is Essential to End Inequality in Outcomes

WhileNewYork’sinequalityinfundinghasledtohugein-equalityinoutcomes,NewJerseyhasbeenaneducationalleaderinbothfundingequityandoutcomes.Thetruthisthatstudentsinpoorcommunitiesactuallyneedmoreresourcesthanthoseinwealthycommunitiesinordertoendeduca-tionalinequality.

UnlikeNewYork,NewJerseyactuallyspendssignificantlymoreperpupilinpoorcommunitiesthaninrichones.Theoutcomesareimpressive.NewJerseyissignificantlyoutper-formingNewYorkingraduationratesforallgroupsofstu-dents—includinglowincomestudents,studentswithdisabil-ities,Englishlanguagelearners,blackstudentsandHispanicstudents.

Whiletherearemanyfactorsthatcontributetounequaloutcomes,educationalresourc-esaretheessentialingredientsschoolsprovidetoclosethegapineducationaloutcomes.Theseresourcesincludepre-kinder-garten,smallerclasssizes,arigorouscurriculumincludingart,music,andphysicaleduca-tion,aswellascoreacademicsubjectsandadvancedcours-es,mentoringandsupportstostrengthenteachers,programsforEnglishlanguagelearn-ers,andsocial,emotionalandhealthsupportstomeetthediverseneedsofstudents.

ThegapisevenwiderwhenwelookattherateofAdvancedRegentsDiplomas.

Advanced Regents Diploma

Year PoorestSchoolDistricts WealthiestSchoolDistricts Difference2008-09 19% 48% 29%2009-10 18% 51% 33%2010-11 27% 49% 22%2011-12 18% 48% 30%2012-13 18% 54% 36%2013-14 18% 50% 32%


Foundation Aid or Gap Elimination Adjustment: Which one Provides Greater Equity?

Forhighneedschooldistricts,FoundationAidismuchmoreeffectiveatclosingtheinequalitygapthantheGapEliminationAdjustment(GEA).SeventyeightpercentofFoundationAidgoestohighneedschooldistricts,whileonly36percentofGEAdoes.Allcategoriesofhighneedschools:TheBig5,highneedsmallcitiesandsuburbsandhighneedruraldobetterunderFoundationAidthanGEA.TheGEAismostbeneficialtoaverageneeddistricts,butalsobenefitswealthydistrictsmuchmorethantheFoundationAiddoes.PrioritizingGEAoverfoundationaid,assomehaverecommended,wouldactuallyincreasetheinequalitygap.

Ablendedapproachwillensurethatalldistrictsbenefit,whileprioritizinghighneeddistrictsandprotecting

Governor Cuomo’s ‘Tax Freeze’ Further Increased Inequality

Statefinancedpropertytaxbreaksincreaseinequalitybysendingsignificantlymoreperpupiltowealthyschooldistrictsthantopoorones.TheBoardofRegentshasfoundthatwealthyschooldistrictsreceivethelargestSchoolPropertyTaxRelief(STAR)perpupilandthatpoordistrictsreceivethesmallest.

In2014GovernorCuomo’sstatefinancepropertytax“freeze”furtherwidenedinequality. UndertheGovernor’s“taxfreeze”residentsofthe100wealthiestschooldistrictsre-ceived$456perpupil,whileresidentsinthepoorestreceivedonly$58perpupil.ThissignatureCuomopolicy,wherethestatepaysthepropertytaxincreaseforschooldistricts,actuallyexpandedinequalityby$398perpupil.ThesefundscouldhavebeenusedbyGovernorCuomotonarrowtheinequalitygap.Instead,heexpandeditevenfurthe

Residentsofthe100wealthiestschooldistrictsreceived$456perpupil,whileresidentsinthepoorestreceivedonly$58perpupil.ThissignatureCuomopolicy,wherethestatepaysthepropertytaxincreaseforschooldistricts,actuallyexpandedinequalityby$398perpupil.


Ending Inequality in Our Schools

ForNewYorkStatetoendinequalityinourschoolsthestatemustmakeafour-yearcommitmenttofullyfundingtheCampaignforFiscalEquity.Ourschoolsareowed$5.9billioninFoundationAidandGapElimina-tionAdjustmentfunding.

IfthestateprovidesthefundingthatisduetoschooldistrictsinFoundationAidandGEA,asitcommittedintheresolutionoftheCFEcase,itwouldclosetheinequalitygapby$3,088perstudent.ThegraphbelowshowshowthiswouldimpacttheinequalitygapinNewYorkState.

•Does not includetheimpactoffederalandlocalfunds

averageneedschools.BoththeBoardof Regentsandthe EducationConferenceBoardhave recommendedsuchablendedapproach.TheRegentshaverecom-mendedroughlyanequalsplitbetweenFoundationAidandGEA,however,inordertomeettheneedsofstudentsinhighneeddistrictsandmakesubstantialprogressonclosingtheinequalitygapagreaterproportionoffundingshouldgotoFoundationAidthanGEA.


Recommended Actions to End Educational Inequality

Fulfill the commitment to Universal Full Day Pre-K Qualitypre-Kprogramsareamongthemosteffectivemethodsofclosingtheopportunitygap,byensuringthatthe childrenmostinneed,thosewholiveinpovertyorareEnglishlanguagelearners,donotstarttheirK-12schoollifebehindtheirmoreaffluentpeers.Infact,childrenwhoattendpre-Karelesslikelytoneedremediation,morelikelytograduateandgotocollege,andmorelikelytohavehigherincomeasadults.Pre-KhasbeenoneofthegreatequalizersinNewJerseywhereallhighneeddistrictsofferfull-daypre-Kforallthreeandfouryearolds.In2014NewYorkStatemadeasubstantialcommitmenttofull-daypre-KinNewYorkCityandasmallcommitmentintherestofthestate.In fact,outsideNewYorkCityonly4%offouryearoldswerecoveredbytheGovernor’snewfull-daypre-Kfunding.Thestateshouldmakeasubstantialcommitmenttoexpandingpre-Kstatewide.WesupporttheRegentsrecommenda-tionfor$251millionforpre-Kexpansion.Wealsosupporttheirproposaltouseaportionofbanksettlementfundstoconvertthefull-daypre-Kprogramfrombeingareimbursableprogramintobeingaprogramwherethestateprovidesupfrontfunding.Thecurrentstructureofreimbursablefundinghasdeniedmanyfouryearolds,especiallyinhighneeds districts,accesstotheprogram.Convertingtoareimbursableprogramwouldonlybeaone-timeexpense.

Make a Serious Commitment to Community SchoolsCommunitySchoolsareaneffectivemodelforschoolreformparticularlyinhighneedscommunities.Theyalign academic,socialandhealthservices;provideyouthdevelopment;andengageallstakeholdersinacommunity.Oneoftheprimarycausesoflowachievementinschoolsispoverty.CommunitySchoolscannotaddressallofthe poverty-relatedopportunitygapsfacedbyNewYork’schildren.But,theyofferasensibleapproachtofillingsomeofthosegaps.Theseschoolsservemorethanjustthedirectacademicneedsofacommunity’schildren.Theyalsoserveas“opportunityhubs”forentireneighborhoods—bringingtogetherarangeofagencies,servicesandprovidersto addressthespecificneedsandinterestsofstudents,familiesandlocalresidents.ThemosteffectiveCommunitySchoolsarecommunityinstitutionsremainingopenintothenightandonweekends,sothatstudents,parentsandneighborscanaccessbasichealthcare;Englishorcitizenshipclasses;tutoringandotheracademicsupports;internships, communityserviceopportunitiesandmuchmore.ThetypesofsupportsofferedatCommunitySchoolsvarydependingontheneedsoftheneighborhoodandthecapacityoftheschooldistrictandthelocalgovernmenttocoordinateser-vices.ThemosteffectiveCommunitySchoolsrelyonasenseofcommunityownershipbyparents,students,educatorsandserviceprovidersoverthepurposeandactivitiesoftheschool,leadingtotheirgenuineengagementinrunningtheschool.CommunitySchoolscontributetoincreasedstudentacademicperformance,lowerdrop-outrates,higher attendancerates,fewerbehaviorproblemsandgreaterparentengagement.

GovernorCuomohassupportedamodestinitiativeforcommunityschools.Sofargrantshavesupported62 communityschoolsacrossthestate.Toputthisinperspectivethereare4,510publicschoolsacrossthestateandthereare248charterschools.Nowthereistalkaboutdramaticallyexpandingthenumberofcharterschools,insteadweshouldfocusonexpandingcommunityschools,sothateverystudentinhighneedscommunitiescanhaveaccesstotheservicesandopportunitiestheyneedtosucceed.

CommunityschoolsareaschoolimprovementstrategytheGovernorhassupportedbuttodateonlyonavery limitedbasis.AccordingtotheguidelinesfortheGovernor’scommunityschoolprogramtheinvestmentneededto createcommunityschoolsis$165,000peryearperschool.Theseresourcesaregiventoschooldistricts“thattargetschoolbuildingsas‘communityhubstodeliverco-locatedorschool-linkedacademic,health,mentalhealth,nutrition,counseling,legaland/orotherservicestostudentsandtheirfamiliesinamannerthatwillleadtoimproved educationalandotheroutcomes.”

Thestateshouldstartbymakingitpossibleforthe623schoolsthatareidentifiedbytheStateEducationDepartmentaseitherpriorityorfocusschoolstobecomecommunityschools.Theseareschoolsthatarenotmeetingstate standards.Allowingallofthemtheopportunitytoconverttocommunityschoolswouldbeasmartschool improvementstrategy.Thecostfordoingso,attheleveloffundingcontainedinGovernorCuomo’sprogram,wouldbe$100millionannually.However,NewYorkCityisimplementingamorerobustprogramintheneediestschoolsthatcombinescommunityschoolswithstrongacademicinterventions.Theaveragecostforthisprogramis$400,000per


schools.Thismorerobustinterventionmayprovidethemodelneededtoliftuptheschoolsidentifiedasfocusandpriorityschools.ThecombinationofsignificantlyexpandingthecommitmenttocommunityschoolsandfullyfundingCFEwouldallowforamorecomprehensiveinterventioninmanyoftheseschools.Thisoptionshouldnotbelimitedtotheseschools,infutureyearsanyschoolthatthestateconsidershighneedsshouldbeabletooptintobecomingacommunityschool.

Thestateshouldprovideeveryschoolthatservesasubstantialnumberofhighneedsstudentswiththeopportunitytobecomeacommunityschool.Inorderfortheseschoolstosucceedthereneedstobegenuinecommunityengagementintheredesignoftheschools,strongsocialandhealthsupportsandastrongacademicprogram.

Focus on High Quality Curriculum for all Students, Not TestingNewYorkStatehashadanenormouspublicdebateontheCommonCoreStandardsandroleofhighstakestestingineducationandthisdebateisexpectedtoextendthisyearastheteacherevaluationsystemisonceagainreexamined.Muchlessfocushasbeenplacedonthequalityofthecurriculuminourschools.NewYork’swealthiestdistrictsareabletooffertremendouscurriculawithcourseofferingsthatincludeTournament Debate, Advanced Placement Art History, Advanced Placement Chinese, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Wall Street: How to Become a Millionaire, and Personal Law (completewithmocktrials).Thesesamedistrictsoftenofferdozensofoptionsinarts,musicandperformingarts.MeanwhilestudentsinpoorcommunitiesarefortunatetohaveafewoptionsforAPcourses,areluckytohavemorethanoneforeignlanguageoffered,andhaveseencutbacksintheirlimitedofferingsofart,musicandhighschoolelectives.NotonlydostudentsinNewYork’spoorschoolsstartoutwithless(includinglessenrichmentbeforetheyreachschoolage),theyareofferedmuchlessopportunityintheirschools.

IfNewYorkisseriousaboutendingeducationalinequality,ourstategovernmentmustensurethatallschoolscanofferstudentsarichanddemandingcurriculum.Thequalityofthecurriculumshouldreceiveatleastasmuchfocusinthepublicdebateasdoestheroleoftesting.TheGovernorhastheopportunitytoensurethatitdoes.

Meet the Needs of English Language Learners NewYorkhasalargeandgrowingpopulationofEnglishlanguagelearners.TheseimmigrantstudentpopulationsarenolongerconcentratedonlyinNewYorkCity.Infactthesestudentsareincitieslargeandsmallthroughoutthestateaswellasinsuburbanandruralcommunities.Inaddition,someNewYorkcommunitieshavehadasubstantialinfluxofunaccompaniedimmigrantminors.Thesestudentsareinthestatewithoutfamiliesandourschoolsareresponsiblefortheireducation.

Thereareover200,000EnglishlanguagelearnersinNewYorkStateschoolscurrently.Morethan160different languagesarespokenbythesestudents.AccordingtotheNewYorkStateBoardofRegents“Inorderforthese studentstosucceedinmeetingrigorousacademicstandards,thestateneedstoprovideschoolswiththeappropriatetools,suchashomelanguageassessments,professionaldevelopmentandinstructionalmaterialssothatteacherscanprovideinstructionthatwillenablestudentstomeetouracademicstandards.”TheRegentshaverecommended$86millioninincreasedaidtosupportEnglishlanguagelearnersandanadditional$10milliontohelpschooldistrictsmeettheneedsofunaccompaniedimmigrantminors.

Close the Inequality Gap by Fully Funding SchoolsTheBoardofRegentshasrecommendeda$2billionschoolaidincreaseandtheEducationConferenceBoardhas recommended$1.9billion.AQEiscallingfor$2.2billioninnewfunding,whichwouldenablearealcommitmenttofull-daypre-Kstatewide,theexpansionofcommunityschools,improvementsincurriculuminhighneedschoolsandsupportsforEnglishlanguagelearners.

The2015-16budgetshouldcommitthestatetoafour-yearplantofullyfundingtheFoundationAidandtheGEA. Doingsowouldreducetheinequalitygapby$3,088.FundingshouldincludeablendoftheFoundationAidandtheGEA,however,FoundationAidshouldbeprioritized.While78%ofFoundationAidgoestohighneeddistrictsonly36%ofGEAdoes.Werecommendablendof75%FoundationAidand25%GEA.

Record Setting Inequality New York’s Opportunity Gap is Wider Than Ever

TheAllianceforQualityEducationwasfoundedin2000asacoalitionmobilizingcommunitiesacrossthestatetokeepNewYorktruetoitspromiseofensuringahighqualitypubliceducationtoallstudentsregardlessofzipcode,incomeorrace.Combiningitslegislativeandpolicyexpertisewithgrassrootsorganizing,AQEadvancesproven-to-workstrategiesthatleadtostudentsuccessandechoapowerfulpublicdemandforahighqualityeducation.

PPEFwasfoundedin1986toaddresscriticalsocial,economic,racialandenvironmentalissuesfacinglowandmoderateincomeNewYorkStateresi-dents.Ourareasofworkhaveincludedhealthcare,education,after-schoolprograms,voterparticipa-tion,economicdevelopmentandconsumerissues.PPEFusesmanytoolsinitswork,includinggrass-rootsorganizing,researchandpolicydevelopment,publiceducationonawiderangeofpolicyissues,andcommunityoutreach.

Footnotes1NYSBoardofRegentsStateAidProposal2013-14.

2http://www.nysut.org/~/media/files/nysut/news/2014/november/ecb2014finance.pdf?la=en

3HighscopePerryPreschoolStudyhttp://www.highscope.org/Content.asp?ContentId=282Groginksy,S,Christian,S.andMcConnell,“EarlyChildhoodInitiativesintheStates:TranslatingResearchintoPolicy,”StateLegislativeReport–Vol.23,No-14,June1998.Avaliableatwww.ncsl.org/issues-research/...report-early-childhood-initiati.aspxHull,Jim,“StartingoutRight:Pre-KandKindergarten.”CenterforPublicEducation,November2011.Availableatwww.centerforpubliceducation.org.Karoly,L.A.andBigelow,J.H.,havepublishedseveralstudiesonthecostsandbenefitsofpublicpreschoolprograms,whichdocumentthelong-termgainsforchildrenwhohaveaccesstohigh-qualityprograms.See,forexample“EarlyChildhoodInterventions,ProvenResults,FuturePromise”and“TheCostsandBenefitsofUniver-salPreschoolinCalifornia,”bothpublishedin2005.Availableatwww.rand.orgTheNationalInstituteforEarlyEducationResearchhasalsopublishedarangeofmulti-statestudiesontheshort-termandlong-termbenefitsofpublicPrekindergar-ten,aswellasanalysisofthecostsandbenefitsofstatePre-Kprogramswhichcanbefoundatwww.nieer.org.

4CoalitionofCommunitySchools:CommunitySchoolsResearchBrief2009

5CommunitySchools–ResultsThatTurnAroundFailingSchools:TestScores,Attendance,GraduationandCollege-GoingRates.NationalCoalitionforCommunitySchools,May2010.Availableat:http://www.communityschools.org/assets/1/AssetManager/Turning_Around_Schools_CS_Results2.pdf

OAbelievestheAmericandreambeginswitheverychildhavinganopportunitytolearn-fromPre-Ktocollege-regardlessoftheirzipcode.Itsmissionistoensurethisthroughanexpandingbaseofvoters,policymakers and advocates who work to enact and adopt evi-dence-based solutions.

TheOpportunitytoLearn(OTL)Campaignunitesagrowingcoalitionofadvocatesandorganizersfromacrossthecountryworkingtoensurethatallstudentshaveaccesstoahighqualitypubliceduca-tion.TheCampaignincludeslocal,stateandna-tionalorganizations,grassrootscommunityleaders,policymakers,youthorganizers,businessleadersandphilanthropicpartners.

Download - New York State’s Opportunity Gap is Wider Than Ever8,733 per pupil, the largest in New York State history. —Andrew Cuomo, candidate for Governor, October 2010 “I think the inequity

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