Change in MCSBA Leadership

The major issue of the 2000-01 school year was 
the change in MCSBA Executive Director.  Early 
in the school year, Dr. John Woods announced 
he would retire in February.  A committee to 

Increasing rates of change caused by outside forces

The 2001 legislative season saw greatly increased advocacy efforts 
due to a large number of state and federal political initiatives.  
Organized efforts to affect legislation continued beyond June 30 into 
the next school year under the threat of no NYS budget for the year.

At the same time Congressional initiatives included support for 
vouchers, public schools of choice, and testing for all students with a 
level of federal financial support that would leave all federal mandates 
un-funded or under-funded.

Other Business That Year:

♦ E-mail became the primary means of communication, saving time 
and postage costs.

♦ WWW.MCSBA.ORG was updated and revamped.  MCSBA staff 
took over management of the site.
 

That year:

♦ The Steering Committee adopted a proactive 
leadership role, setting goals for itself in the areas 
of finance and communications, which led to a 
new investment policy, establishment of reserve 
funds, and improved communications.

♦ The Monroe County Education Coalition (MCEC) of parents, 
teachers, administrators and school board members assumed 
responsibility for hosting the annual fall reception for legislators in 
October, and distributed a brochure describing the county's schools 
as a powerful economic and cultural force.  MCEC members also 
met with editorial boards and wrote op-ed pieces.

♦ MCSBA entered into a new coalition, New Yorkers for an On-Time 
Budget (NYOB), to advocate for an on-time responsibly prepared 
annual state budget.  This coalition of business, education, health 
care, and human service agencies disbanded in the fall of 2002 upon 
the withdrawal of the business representative from the group after the 
consolidation of the Rochester Chamber of Commerce and the 
Industrial Management Council into the Rochester Business Alliance.

♦ A second, half-day school law conference co-sponsored by MCSBA 
and MCBA was added to the calendar in March 2002.  Educational 
leaders from 29 districts in 8 counties attended a discussion of 
"Tight Money Tight Times" that reviewed laws governing down-sizing, 
budget building and contingency budgets.

♦ The Association adopted one state legislative position for the 2002 
session: state funding that ensures adequacy, equity, flexibility, 
predictability, and clarity.  The number of participants in the bus trip to 
Albany was higher in 2002 than previously, an indication of the serious 
issues facing local decision makers due to state initiatives.
 

Sherry Johnson

Fighting Back

Much of the Association's activity during the  
2002-03 year was a result of increasing 
numbers of expensive, un-funded or under-
funded state and federal mandates during 
a economic recession.

♦ Anticipated state revenue difficulties led 
MCSBA to organize a second, fall trip to 
Albany to meet with key staff people with 
major responsibilities for budget building.

♦ The Governor's proposed budget for the coming year included  cuts 
to most state programs and services, but the most serious cuts were 
to public schools.  Therefore MCSBA organized a major effort to 
restore as much state aid as possible.  The Association co-sponsored 
a well-attended media conference, presented testimony to the 
Assembly Ways and Means Committee, and prepared a number of 
op-ed articles for local newspapers to explain the devastating effects 
of the proposed cuts on public schools, in addition to the regularly 
scheduled spring bus trip to meet with legislators and legislative 
leaders in Albany.

♦ Rapidly changing issues, based on new state and federal legislation, 
led the Legislative Committee to major revisions of its state and federal 
legislation to focus on the numbers and cost of expensive un-funded 
mandates.

Also in 2002-03, the Monroe County Education Coalition (MCEC) 
developed a newsletter published three times each school year that 
is uploaded onto the MCEC web site <www.mcsba.org/mcec>.  
These publications seek to keep all members of the coalition (parents, 
teachers, administrators, board members) current with current issues 
facing public schools.

At the thirty-fourth annual meeting, MCSBA members elected Kim 
McCluski of Pittsford as 2003-04 President and Tom Nespeca of 
Webster as Vice President.

Members also heard Michael Resnick, Associate Executive Director 
of Advocacy and Issues Management for the National School Boards 
Association, review the issues raised by federal legislation such as 
the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).

Kim McCluski

2003-04 School Year:
Re-focusing Association Efforts