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

Record Setting Inequality 5

6 Record Setting Inequality

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

Record Setting Inequality 7

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%

8 Record Setting Inequality

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.

Record Setting Inequality 9

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.

10 Record Setting Inequality

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

Record Setting Inequality 11

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.