Senator Carl L. Marcellino (R, Syosset), member of the Senate Education Committee, today announced Senate passage of his legislation which would require disclosure of the percentage of a school district’s budget spent on instructional expenses in its report card (S. 7283). The bill is carried in Assembly by Assemblywoman Nolan.
"As a former teacher, school administrator, and school board member, I have seen how poor schools limit our children’s potential and hurt their future. I have also seen how schools which invest in their classrooms work as well. By making sure that voters know how much of the school budget goes directly to the classroom we will be able to teach our students the values they will need to compete for the jobs of tomorrow: values such as honesty, integrity and personal responsibility," said Senator Marcellino.
Under Marcellino’s legislation instructional or classroom expenses would be taken directly from the Commission of Education’s regulations (Reg. 175.39). Some of these expenses include: curriculum development, research, planning and evaluation, inservice training, teaching, program for children with disabilities, occupational education, special education teaching and interscholastic athletics.
"People don’t mind investing in education, but they want real results and real accountability for their hard earned dollars. Last year, my School Accountability Act, which required audits be performed by the State Comptroller once every five years was signed into law. This legislation builds on this commitment to inform our taxpayers that their money is going to teach our children and not to funding a bloated bureaucracy," continued Senator Marcellino.
"I want to make sure that our school districts are accountable to the taxpayer. I want to make sure that schools are engaged in smart spending that will achieve real results for our students," concluded Senator Marcellino.
