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GOVERNOR SPITZER SIGNS BILL TO RESTORE FISCAL STABILITY TO ROOSEVELT UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Legislation Provides Additional Grants to Improve Performance
Governor Eliot Spitzer today announced the signing of critical legislation to restore financial stability to the Roosevelt Union Free School District in Nassau County. The bill provides a one time $8 million grant to defray an accumulated deficit, allowing the district to move forward. Additional aspects of the fiscal relief package include increasing the district’s current $6 million annual Academic Improvement Grant to $12 million and extending the current $4 million advance to 2010-11, with a phase out by 2014-15.
“This legislation will start the lengthy process of improving this district’s fiscal stability,” said Governor Spitzer. “This important fiscal measure will allow the district to eliminate its current deficit and achieve a state of stable financial health. This announcement is a victory for the children, parents and taxpayers of the Roosevelt School District.”
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said: “For far too long the Roosevelt School District has been shortchanged. This legislation effectively brings per pupil spending for the Roosevelt School District on par with the rest of Nassau County. Assemblymember Earlene Hooper’s leadership and commitment have been instrumental in bringing this matter to a successful conclusion. This agreement, which has been signed by Governor Spitzer, represents the importance the People’s House places upon helping the Roosevelt School District.”
Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. said: “This funding will lift the financial cloud that has been over the school district for some time and return the focus to academic achievement and the needs of the children of the Roosevelt community.”
Assemblymember Earlene Hooper said: “The children of Roosevelt deserve no less than the State’s very best. This legislation represents both a tremendous victory for the Roosevelt School District community and a long-awaited end of the battle to get Roosevelt back on solid financial footing. My deepest thanks to Assembly Speaker Silver for his unwavering support of public education – particularly for his concern for education in the Roosevelt Union Free School District. Without his stalwart leadership and the Governor’s signature, enactment of this historic legislation would not have been possible.”
In 2002, the Roosevelt Union Free School District became the first school district in New York to be taken over by the State. The district has suffered from serious student performance and accountability issues at all levels of schooling, including high school, middle school and elementary school. As part of the State takeover of the district, the State appointed the school superintendent and a majority of the school board. In spite of this oversight, the Roosevelt School District currently faces an accumulated deficit of $8 million. The legislation announced today will address this deficit through the provision of a state grant of $8 million, which will help stabilize the district’s fiscal health.
The increase of the annual Academic Improvement Grant to $12 million will help the Roosevelt School District target resources toward improving the academic performance of their students.