New York State per pupil expenditures are the second highest in the nation, but
achievement scores still rank below the U.S. average. New York has responded with changes
in educational standards and with legislation to allow charter schools. Will that be
enough?
On Thursday, May 6, from 3 to 6 p.m. in the Nott Memorial, a panel of education leaders
will discuss “Education in New York State: What Really Needs Reform?” The
discussion will be taped for broadcast on New York State public television beginning in
June.
Seating is reserved. For information, call ext. 6238.
Panelists will include state and local school officials, teachers, school reform
advocates, union leaders and representatives of academia. (See complete list below.)
Moderator will be Ed Dague, anchor of NewsChannel 13, the area NBC affiliate.
Panelists include Dale Ballou, professor of economics, University of
Massachusetts, whose research has focused on regulation and incentives of education
reform, particularly as they affect training, recruitment, retention and compensation of
teachers; John J. Faso, Republican minority leader of the state Assembly, who has
sponsored Charter School legislation and supported funding of abstinence-based education
programs; Lewis Golub, chairman, New York State Business Council, who serves on
college and community boards, and is CEO of Golub Corp., parent company of Price Chopper
Supermarkets; Clifford Janey, superintendent, Rochester City Schools, whose
performance benchmarks have set a national standard; Richard P. Mills,
commissioner, state Education Department, who serves as CEO of the board of regents, which
oversees the most comprehensive state educational system in the nation; and Terry
Weiner, professor of political science and sociology at Union College, who has done
extensive research on problems disabled children face in public schools. He served nine
years, including president, on the Niskayuna School Board, and was a founder of
Union's MAT program.