Harrison Schools Host Forum With State Lawmakers

HARRISON, N.Y. -- The Harrison Central School District is hosting a community question-and-answer forum with state Sen. George Latimer and Assemblymen David Buchwald and Steve Otis on Monday from 7-9 p.m. in the Harrison High School Students Union.

Harrison Central School District Advocacy Committee members hand petitions to state Sen. George Latimer, D-Rye
Photo Credit: *Contributed*

by Alesha Hanson

02/18/2015 7:30 p.m.

Community members from all districts represented by these legislators are encouraged to attend. These legislators have been visible in representing their districts in Westchester on issues affecting school districts.

Issues include the total removal and restoration of funds lost as a result of the Gap Elimination Adjustment, a new proposed state teacher annual professional performance review and the governor’s withholding of state aid, an integral part of a school district’s budget planning process.

The Harrison Board of Education Advocacy Committee, under the leadership of board President Abby Mendelsohn and Trustees Rachel Estroff and Kelly Mangan, recently delivered thousands of letters signed by Harrison parents and community members urging legislators and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to restore Harrison’s $3.8 million in state aid that was lost as a result of the GEA since 2009-10.

State school districts, including Harrison, will continue to lose state aid as a result of the GEA even though the state produced a budget surplus last year.

Members of the Advocacy Committee met and discussed many of the educational issues with Latimer and Buchwald earlier this month.

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