Board Of Regents And Education Department Leadership Statements Regarding Passage Of Education Reform Legislation

"Today’s comprehensive legislative action is a landmark moment that will improve educational results for children in New York State for years to come," said Regents Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch.  "The Regents and I thank the Legislature and its leadership -- Assembly Speaker Silver, his staff, Assemblywoman Nolan, Senate Majority Conference Leader Sampson, Senator Oppenheimer, and Senate Minority Leader Skelos -- for their leadership and passionate commitment to creating the best educational opportunities for our children.  We offer a special thank you to our partners in the State’s education system who worked so hard to come to agreement on very challenging issues.  We thank Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein who demonstrated their commitment to our Race to the Top application and their support for the Regents reform agenda. NYSUT President Richard Iannuzzi and UFT President Michael Mulgrew deserve enormous credit for their invaluable leadership in developing a fair and equitable teacher evaluation system that will enhance the quality of education across New York State."

"Today the Legislature has taken a major step forward for the children of New York State," said Education Commissioner David M. Steiner.  "We believe that today’s action will support the Regents reform agenda to improve teaching and learning, increasing the opportunity of all students to graduate from high school ready for higher education and employment. New York’s competitiveness for Race to the Top funding is greatly enhanced by these legislative reforms.  We commend the many stakeholders -- the state’s school superintendents, school board members, BOCES district superintendents, local union leaders and charter school leaders -- who have strengthened the state’s application by submitting signed memoranda of understanding."

"Each of the laws approved today will drive student achievement throughout the state," said John King, Senior Deputy Commissioner.  "The new teacher evaluation system will help educators improve their craft by focusing professional development and coaching on their specific needs and recognizing outstanding teaching.   And the new law authorizing Educational Partnership Organizations -- non-profits with a demonstrated history of raising the achievement of high needs students -- to manage schools, will help turnaround our lowest performing schools. Finally, by raising the cap on the number of charter schools, and by improving the existing charter school law to add greater accountability and transparency, the Legislature has acknowledged the role these public schools can play in lifting student achievement. We believe that these reforms taken together will improve the education of children in all of New York’s public schools and build on the many excellent educational models in public schools across the state. "