Remember, NYS Regents is headed by Merryl Tisch and they hired John King etc -- so if the 4 candidates win it limits her power and control -- By the way, the Staten Island candidate is Mike Reilly, a retired cop and pro true reform on education. Looking for a write in candidate for mayor and getting a pro-Reilly email I wrote in his name. Hope he wins this one -- remember, the state legislature votes, with Shelley Silver being the major power player.
Diane Ravitch’s blog
The New York State legislature will shortly decide which candidates, among more than twenty applicants, will be appointed to four Regents positions. There are four candidates who have made a firm commitment to oppose high stakes testing and would bring excellent experience.
Here is the press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 31, 2014
More information contact:
NYS Allies for Public Education Endorses Full Slate of Candidates for the Board of Regents
New
York State Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE), a coalition of 45
organizations from around the state, is endorsing a full slate of four
candidates for the New York State Board of Regents: Audrey Marie Baker,
Dr. Carol Mikoda, Michael Reilly, and Helen “Regina” Rose. The Board
of Regents sets education policy for the state and appoints the State
Education Commissioner. Four Regents will be selected by the State
Legislature in March and the interviews of more than 20 candidates will
take place on February 4th and 11th at the Capitol
Building in the Assembly Parlor. NYSAPE is urging all citizens to
contact their representatives and ask them to be a part of this
interviewing and nominating process.
“At
a time of unprecedented public opposition to the agenda pursued by
Commissioner King, we are confident that these four candidates will
thoughtfully respond to and address the concerns of parents and
educators. These highly qualified candidates will steer the state in a
new direction -- strengthening our schools, rather than undermining
them,” said Jeanette Deutermann, Nassau County public school parent and
founder of Long Island Opt-Out (of tests) group.
The
candidates, if approved, would replace all of the incumbents whose
tenure expires this March: Regents James Cottrell, Christine Cea, James
Jackson, and Wade Norwood. All four incumbents have been unresponsive
to the concerns of parents and have expressed little or no opposition to
the policies pursued by Commissioner John King and Chancellor Merryl
Tisch.
Audrey
Marie Baker was a teacher, principal and administrator in the NYC
public school system for over thirty-five years, with expertise in the
area of special education. Ms. Baker is applying for one of the
at-large seats on the Regents. She holds over 14 licenses and
certifications in education. In response to our survey she wrote, “As a
career educator, I hold myself accountable to the parents and students
of NYS.” She pledges to survey parents to ascertain their concerns, and
to meet regularly with key community stakeholders. She supports a
moratorium on high stakes Common Core exams, and an independent study of
the standards by a panel of experts in education and developmental psychology. Ms. Baker’s resume and survey responses can be viewed here www.nysape.org/audrey-marie-baker-survey-results-and-resume.html
Dr.
Carol Mikoda holds a doctorate in Educational Theory and Practice, with
a specialty in teaching writing. She has taught at the middle school,
high school and college level, for over thirty years. Dr. Mikoda is
applying for one of the two at-large seats on the Regents. Dr. Mikoda
advocates for literacy instruction that engages students even as it
builds reading and writing skills. She is concerned about the
over-emphasis on the reading of informational texts, which is part of
the Common Core. She is also deeply committed to ensuring that all
students receive a quality education. “I strongly support a move to
step away entirely from the Common Core Learning Standards. Before the
advent of Common Core Learning Standards, New York State already
operated with some of the best standards in the nation, and did not need
to look outside for guidance.” Dr. Mikoda’s resume and survey responses
can be viewed here www.nysape.org/carol-mikoda-survey-results-and-resume.html
Helen
“Regina” Rose is applying to represent District III Region (Albany,
Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster Counties).
Ms. Rose is a former special education teacher with over twenty years of
experience, and was a member of the Kinderhook Board of Education for
six years. She has a grandchild in the public schools and has been a
strong and vocal advocate for all students, especially those with
disabilities. In response to the NYSAPE survey, Rose wrote, “I cannot
understand how our entire public education system is being treated as an
experiment – they are building the plane in the air. We cannot allow a
generation of children to be used as guinea pigs.” Ms. Rose’s resume
and survey responses can be viewed here www.nysape.org/regina-rose-survey-results-and-resume.html
Mike Reilly is applying to fill the District XIII
seat on Staten Island. Mr. Reilly, a former police officer, has been a
respected community leader for many years. His three children attend
the Staten Island public schools. Since 2009, Reilly has served as a
member of the district’s Community Education Council and sits on the
Board of Managers of the Staten Island YMCA. He supports a moratorium on
high-stakes, Common Core testing and opposes the disclosure of personal
student data to inBloom Inc. or other vendors without parental consent.
Presently, no member of the Board of Regents has a child in our public
schools. Mr. Reilly would bring a needed parent perspective. Mr.
Reilly’s resume and survey responses can be viewed here www.nysape.org/michael-reilly-survey-results-and-resume.html
In a spirit of transparency, NYS Allies for Public Education sent its survey www.nysape.org/regents-candidate-information.html
via certified mail and email to Regents Cea, Cottrell, Jackson and
Norwood in early December 2013, asking them to clarify their positions
on a variety of key education issues. To date, not one of the
incumbents completed the survey or responded to our request.
Upon
hearing about the current Regents failure to respond, Chris Tanis, a
New Paltz parent said, “Clearly, the four incumbents do not understand
that they have an obligation to be accountable to the public and to
clearly express their views on the current policies that have aroused
such opposition among parents and other community members. The fact that
they refused to respond to the NYSAPE survey – and more importantly
have ignored the public outrage over the policies pursued by the State
Education Department -- makes a strong case for the need for new
leadership.”
Although
members of the Board of Regents are selected by the Legislature, they
have traditionally kept their seats on the board until they choose to
resign or retire. While the appointment process has escaped public
scrutiny in the past, this year NYSAPE id urging parents, educators and
concerned constituents to call on their Assembly Members and State
Senators to nominate and vote for candidates who will work to reverse
the current, disastrous reforms.
On February 4th and 11th,
the chairs of the Assembly Education and Higher Education Committees,
Assembly Members Catherine Nolan and Deborah Glick, will conduct
in-person interviews of the candidates along with other members of the
Assembly. In March, the full Legislature will vote on candidates
pre-selected by its members, predominantly those in the Assembly.
According
to Leonie Haimson, Executive Director of Class Size Matters: “In recent
months, there has been an unprecedented outpouring of concern and
criticism directed at the agenda being implemented by Commissioner King –
including the sharing of personal student data with inBloom Inc.,
without parental consent. Eight states have pulled out of inBloom or
put their data-sharing plans on hold because of parent protest and
opposition --but not New York. We need new Regents who will be
responsive to the need to protect student privacy.”
In a recent editorial in Newsday, principals Carol Burris and John Murphy noted “The
time has come for the public to insist that the appointment of Regents
be more than pro forma. The fate of a generation of students is at
stake.”
The
New York State legislature will shortly decide which candidates, among
more than twenty applicants, will be appointed to four Regents
positions.
Please
take the time to email your state senator or assembly member, and
insist that they actively participate in the interview and selection
process. Let them know that you support: Mike Reilly, Regina Rose,
Audrey Baker and Dr. Carol Mikoda. You will find a sample email below.
Here is an easy way to access your senator and assembly person’s contact information:
If you have the time, also contact Speaker Sheldon Silver, and Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan. We are hearing that keeping incumbents is “tradition”. This is not an acceptable response in a democracy.
Thank you for your efforts on behalf of our students. The sample email follows.
Sample email
Dear :
On February 4, and then again on February 11,
Assemblywomen Nolan and Glick will lead interviews for four positions
on the Board of Regents. It is my understanding that there are many
candidates for these positions.
I
am writing to let you know that I do not believe the four incumbents,
Regents Cea, Jackson, Cotrell and Norwood, should be reappointed. We
need Regents who are actively engaged with parents and communities and
who listen to educators who know our children best.
As
your constituent, I am asking that you attend those interviews. I also
ask for your support of the following three candidates: Michael
Reilly, Regina Rose, Dr. Carol Mikado and Audrey Baker. All
four candidates know that our children are more than a number or a data
point. As Regent Board members these candidates will fight for
authentic and quality education for all children in New York State.
Thank you. I look forward to watching your participation in the interview process.
Sincerely,
