On the evening of Monday, December 9th, all members of the Syosset Central School District Board of Education in Long Island, after a vote, unanimously decided to withdraw from the regionalization plan proposed by the New York State Education Department (NYSED).
In a statement, Syosset District spokesperson Philomena Hefferon stated that, “Tonight, the Syosset District Board of Education unanimously voted to withdraw from the formulation and implementation of the NYSED’s regionalization plan. The Board also voted to retain independent consultants to preserve the right to oppose any attempts that cross red lines – any actions that weaken local control or reallocate local resources.”
On Monday afternoon, the New York State Education Board agreed to change the wording of a provision in the new regulations, confirming that regionalization plans are voluntary and that districts have the right to opt out of the development process.
According to a report by Long Island Press, districts that opt out of regionalization will not be compelled to participate in the final approved plan.
The State Education Department introduced the Education Regionalization Project, which, according to the State Education Board’s website, aims to narrow regional disparities by cooperating on teacher recruitment, advanced curriculum development, and funding and assistance across regions. However, some districts and public representatives on Long Island oppose the project, arguing that it threatens local control and could weaken the island’s quality educational resources by sharing them with other districts.