Association celebrates its first 20 years.

MCSBA celebrated its twentieth annual meeting, in May 1989, by honoring its
nine remaining charter members and receiving proclamations from the Monroe
County and New York State Legislatures for its accomplishments.

At that meeting members elected Joanne Altland of West Irondequoit as 1989-90
President and Mary Salisbury of Rush-Henrietta as Vice President.  In her post-
election remarks, Ms. Altland praised MCSBA's accomplishments through
cooperative efforts and shared her vision for MCSBA:
 

(We) have come a long way since then...We have learned the value
cooperative action...We develop common goals and bring a con-
centrated focus to achieve beneficial legislative action.  We are
achieving effects that can only be realized by acting in concert.
 

During Altland's term a number of efforts were initiated to improve the Association's
ability to achieve results for member districts:
      

The Media Advisory Council
consisting of school board members, administrators and
MCSBA staff identified issues needing media attention, then
met with media representatives to discuss coverage of these
issues.  This year-long effort resulted in more in-depth
coverage of educational initiatives and successful programs.

The Sunrise Coalition
consisting of officers, legislative committee chairs and staff
for the Four County and Monroe County SBAs met regularly
at the Sunrise Inn next to a thruway exit (hence the group's
name) to identify common issues and develop common
strategies.  This effort was commended by many state
legislators.
 

Meeting with Commissioner of Education
President Altland and Executive Director Woods met with SED officials in Albany to
share concerns and discuss ways to involve school district leadership in developing
SED policies and regulations.  This meeting led to the formation of a Commissioner's
advisory committee of school board members from across the state.

In other business that year, because the Morin-Ryan Sales Tax Plan was due to
expire in June 1990, an ad hoc committee on sales tax distribution was formed to
recommend actions to protect this revenue source.  The distribution ratio was
extended by the county legislature before its expiration date.
 

At MCSBA's twenty-first annual meeting, members elected
Mary Salisbury of Rush-Henrietta as 1990-91 President and
Rayond Milne of BOCES 1 as Vice President.

Reaction to Recession

The 1990-91 school year witnessed the last increase in
state support for education for three years.  During the early
1990s our nation's economy is in a recession.  As the
economy worsened the State budget process took longer
and longer.  In late 1990, school districts were forced to
cope with the unprecedented mid-year withdrawal of

Drug Free Schools Network
President Salisbury wrote the plan for MCSBA's involvement as lead agency in the
Drug Free Schools Network, which developed strategies to implement recommenda-
tions in the 1990 "Greater Rochester Fights Back" plan of action.  She chaired the
Network, which consisted of sixteen representatives of educational and social service
agencies until it completed is work in Fall 1991.

MCSBA staff offered seminars on specific boardsmanship skills.  These seminars
continued for several years until decreasing attendance indicated a declining need.

Due to the effect of employee contracts on budgets, the Labor Relations Committee
prepared, and the Executive Committee approved, negotiating and bargaining
position papers, for the first time since 1984.

In an effort to reach the wider community about the fine programs worth protecting,
MCSBA organized a mall show at the Marketplace Mall featuring programs of most
member districts.  Districts showcased their efforts with a diverse audience on an
interactive level.
 

Sales Tax Distribution Attacked

The economy led to new discussions of the Morin-Ryan sales tax distribution formula.
To fill a predicted revenue gap, County Executive Robert King proposed, and the
County Legislature barely approved, the elimination of the Morin-Ryan agreement.
MCSBA became involved in several weeks of negotiations among affected taxing
jurisdictions and legislators that resulted in restoration of the Morin-Ryan plan and
approval of an additional 1/2% sales tax increase.
 

County Sales Tax Plan Revisited
In fall 1992 County Executive Robert King requested an
increase in county sales tax of another 1/2% to support the
expenses of county government.  His proposal led to negotia-
tions resulting in approval for the extra 1/2% increase with a
portion of that increase going to public schools.  Because of a
sunset clause for the increase,  MCSBA began an effort to
extend the increase beyond its December 1994 limit.
 

♦ An ad hoc committee considered whether or not to seek classification of MCSBA
as a BOCES service.  The Executive Committee decided that MCSBA should
remain an independent group.

♦ MCSBA co-sponsored seminars with other organizations on a variety of topics of
interest to members.  These collaborative efforts, especially with the University of
Rochester's Warner Graduate School, would continue for years.

♦ Due to the continuing recession, 11 of the 17 MCSBA district budgets presented
for voter approval were defeated at least once. 
 

Efforts to Improve the Finance Picture

The Steering Committee identified school finance as its priority
for the year.  Standing committees devoted meetings to the topic
and sponsored general membership meetings to explore ways to
improve school climate and control costs.  Increased state aid
and 3020-a reform were also sought.
 

Sales Tax Issue Finally Resolved

The Sales Tax Coaliton (of school district leaders including
MCSBA, teachers, parents, city and town officials) worked to
gain a share of the additional 1% in county sales tax revenues. 
An intensive effort and support from our Albany delegation
resulted in a compromise in May 1995 that provided some

In other business:

♦ A Gannett-WXXI initiative in early 1995 resulted in extensive coverage of education
issues.  Staff met with all local media to provide information.  This initiative coincided
with school budget votes and may have helped to effect the approval of 16 of the 17
budgets.

♦ Programs for members dealt with values policies, negotiations platforms, performance
assessment.  A program for presidents on controlling meetings and a workshop for new
board members were presented.
 

State Support of Public Education Compromised

In spite of lobbying efforts by MCSBA and other groups state
wide, the state budget was not approved until the end of the
1995-96 school year.  In addition, the state budget office
stipulated that the last BOCES Aid payments that year would
not be paid until July 1997, forcing districts to borrow or attack
budget reserves.
 

MCSBA and the regional NYS United Teachers sponsored a discussion led by NYSUT
President Tom Hobart and Regents Chancellor Carl Hayden on collaborating to improve
education.  This event attracted 300 participants and led to the formation of the Monroe
County Education Coalition, adding the area National Education Association, the Monroe
County Council of School Superintendents, and the Genesee Valley District PTA to the
planning group.

Also that year, www.mcsba.org came on line.  Since its inception, the site has grown more
comprehensive, providing visitors with better connections to its member districts as well
as information on issues affecting public education.
 

Association Report on Cost Control

In response to public accusations of fiscal irresponsibility by
school districts, MCSBA re-formatted earlier internal reports on
cost savings measures into a public report on these strategies

Other business that year:

♦ During a state-wide campaign to call for a constitutional convention in NYS, MCSBA
members working through the Legislative Committee met with scholars and debated the
pros and cons but were unable to agree on whether or not to advocate for such a
convention.  The measure was eventually defeated during the 1997 general election.

♦ Committee meetings became more and more a vehicle for reaching board members
who are not committee members, as all members were invited to attend any standing
committee meeting of interest to them.  Meeting topics that year including advocacy
strategies, assessment practices, reform through negotiations, superintendent searches,
probationary supervision, and block scheduling.
 

MCSBA Notifies Communities about STAR
In 1997 the NYS Legislature passed the so-called STAR
legislation that cut property taxes and reimbursed districts for the
lost revenues from such taxes.  Since school districts were made
responsible for informing all residential property owners about
STAR, member districts asked MCSBA to organize the required
mailing on a county-wide basis. Notification was mailed just
before Thanksgiving to give recipients time to file for exemptions
before the March 1998 deadline.
 

♦ The Facts & Figures publication was enhanced to provide a two-page spread on each
member district, including descriptions of two of its exemplary programs and other data
requested by realtors and relocation officers.

♦ The MCSBA office moved to its current location at 1250 Scottsville Road, to a space
more appropriate for Association purposes and centrally located for all members.
 

That year the Association-

♦ Produced an updated version of Cost-Savings Strategies and
Shared Services to publicize new strategies and services;

♦ Welcomed NYSSBA conventioneers to our area at its
hospitality booth with popcorn, video clips of our educational
programs, copies of MCSBA publications, help with meal
reservations and door prizes.
 

Both the Information Exchange and Labor Relations Committees
attracted large numbers of Association members and administra-
tors by providing a year-long focus on particular issues--meeting
student needs and instructional improvement, respectively.

That year a task force was established to investigate ways to
involve urban and suburban students and teachers in common