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Innovation and School Reform

Innovation and School Reform

State Monitors: East Ramapo Central School District (ERCSD)

Summary

On June 30, 2016, the Governor signed into law Chapter 89 of the Laws of 2016, which, among other things, continued the appointment of up to three monitors for the East Ramapo Central School District (ERCSD). Subsequently, additional laws were enacted that continued to authorize State Monitor oversight of ERCSD’s fiscal and budgetary planning. On June 29, 2021, the Governor signed into law Chapter 173 of the Laws of 2021, which expanded the powers and duties of the monitors as well as the responsibilities of the District in regard to cooperating with the monitors.

The above legislation established the powers and duties of State Monitors. The current monitors are Mr. Bruce Singer, who was appointed by the Commissioner on March 5, 2020, and Dr. Shelley Jallow, who was appointed by the Commissioner in  July 2023. Both monitors are contracted employees whose reasonable and necessary expenses are paid by the school district.

Mr. Singer’s and Dr. Jallow's responsibilities include:

  • Working with the Board of Education to develop a long-term strategic academic and fiscal improvement plan that shall be updated annually by October 1;
  • Approving  or disapproving the appointment of a superintendent;
  • Overriding proposed or adopted resolutions or submitting a resolution for adoption by the Board of Education  in those instances where the school district is operating in violation of law or regulation or inconsistently with the long-term strategic academic and fiscal improvement plan; 
  • Mandating that Board of Education members, the superintendent, and/or other school district officers undergo up to 15 hours of training per year; 
  • Providing semi-annual reports to the Commissioner, the Board of Regents, the Governor and Legislature on the academic, fiscal, and operational status of the district, which includes all the contracts that the district enters throughout the year;
  • Reviewing annually the proposed district budget to ensure that it is balanced and, to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the district’s approved  long-term strategic academic and fiscal improvement plan;
  • Assisting in resolving disputes and conflicts, including those between the superintendent and the Board of Education;
  • Recommending cost-saving measures, including shared service agreements;
  • Serving as an ex-officio member of the Board of Education who is entitled to attend all meetings of the Board of Education, including executive sessions, and to access any necessary documents and records of the district and
  • Notifying the Board and Commissioner in writing regarding violations of the academic or financial plan.

Legislation (also see "Monitor Laws")

Appointment Letter/Press Release (see East Ramapo CSD Archive)

Public Hearings (see East Ramapo CSD Archive)

Five Year Academic and Fiscal Improvement Plans

Links to Regents Presentations

Annual and Quarterly Reports

Monitors Semi-Annual Report

State Monitor Budget Review

East Ramapo CSD Archive