North Salem Board of Education examines ‘regionalization’

NORTH SALEM, N.Y. - It was Regionalization 101.

North Salem schools Superintendent Dr. Adam VanDerStuyf recently spelled out the ABCs of the new state initiative for the public and the Board of Education’s edification.

As defined by the New York State Education Department, which officially rolled it out last September, the strategy “is a collaborative regional planning approach for local districts to communicate what they need in order to ensure equitable educational opportunities for all students, leveraging the state’s existing capabilities, talents, and infrastructure.”

It applies to all schools in New York, including North Salem and the 17 other “component” districts that are within Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES’s (PNW BOCES) bailiwick.

(There are 37 Board of Cooperative Educational Services in New York. These partner with nearly all of the state’s school districts on programs and services.)

By engaging in regional conversations, schools and districts can “identify, explore, and choose” possible solutions to academic and operational challenges by “tapping into the full span of resources” that exist in their particular regions, the NYSED said.

The term “regionalization” itself spurred some confusion, which resulted in concerns from parents and school districts about the potential loss of local control and impact on the quality of education.

Most vocally against “regionalization” appeared to be many districts on Long Island, while those advocating for it were smaller ones upstate that “just don’t have the resources to fulfill a transcript,” VanDerStuyf said.

(A transcript is an official document that details a student’s complete academic record, including courses taken, grades given, and honors achieved. It’s usually issued by the school registrar and is often required for college applications or transferring to another school.)

He noted that districts, through its partnership with PNW BOCES, already has a “shared services” model that is working well. He blamed some of the initial pushback on the feeling that folks were being somehow “forced” to participate.

They aren’t.

The state explained that regionalization is NOT about reorganization – ie. mergers, consolidations, or annexations – nor does it “mandate” that district participate in particular activities under a regional plan.

(Even the NYSED agreed that using the word “regionalization” may not have been the best idea ever. However, since the branding campaign had already escaped the barn, it decided to keep running with it. VanDerStuyf dubbed it “daunting.”)

Lack of transparency was another issue cited by folks who claimed the plan lacked clear details and that it was launched without the proper outreach.

Defending the measure, state education officials said it aims to help local districts share resources to address disparities and increase opportunities for students, that it asks districts to fill out a survey about their “strengths and needs,” and that, most importantly, that the plan is “voluntary” and districts are NOT required to participate against their will.

Districts were asked to submit their “strengths and needs” surveys by Jan. 15.

VanDerStuyf updated the board about regionalization at its Dec. 18 meeting, telling trustees that the district had already sent the planning tool to the state.

According to a statement released by the board’s vice president, Brandy Keenan, district superintendents – after consulting with their school boards – could have opted out of the process by notifying the NYSED’s Office of Education Policy in writing.

“Some districts, depending on their BOE or stakeholder interest/response have chosen to make a public show of voting or, in Somers’s case, conducting a straw poll,” she told Halston Media in an email.

In nearby Somers’ case, four of its seven school board members indicated earlier this month that they would not formally vote to opt out should the resolution be presented. Two said they would and one, citing the need for more clarity, vowed to abstain.

If districts choose not to submit the “strengths and weaknesses” survey, “then they are out of the process, essentially closing the door,” Keenan said.

Somers schools Superintendent Harry LeFevre and that board’s president, Amanda Kandel, had argued at the early January meeting, that early participation would ensure that its “voice” is heard even if it decides to step aside at some point in the future.

Keenan echoed that stance in her statement.

“Once (the survey is) submitted, you can still choose to not participate at any stage of the process which does have the effect of saying to districts: ‘Hey, you still have local control. We aren’t compelling you to do anything and submitting the strengths and weakness doc is not a commitment; it doesn’t lock you in.”

As far as she was concerned, the state was looking to see if school districts “could maybe save money in the long run” by working together.

This is especially important considering the new graduation measures coming up, according to Somers’ Kandel.

(New York is proposing to change its high school graduation requirements to focus on proficiency in key areas, rather than on the Regents exam. They are expected to take effect in fall 2027.)

Town Hall 

Last month, state education chief Betty A. Rosa held a “town hall” meeting at the Yorktown BOCES to answer questions about pressing topics such as the regionalization initiative.

Close to 200 school superintendents, administrators, school board members, and public officials attended, including Keenan and VanDerStuyf.

Blaming the pushback on misinformation and “mal-information,” Rosa told the gathering that it was never the state’s intention to “force” districts to participate in the plan, lohud.com reported.

However, it subsequently removed certain language in the regulation, making it “less threatening” and “more palatable” in terms of what the next steps are, explained VanDerStuyf, adding that, to the best of his knowledge, “the majority of surrounding districts” had plans to submit, or had already turned in, their surveys.

If the initiative unfolds in any way that’s not a good fit for them, districts can elect to withdraw, he added.
VanDerStuyf also noted that districts had initially been given a very tight timeframe – about six weeks – to submit their “strengths and needs” survey, which he called a “very complex” document.

He reiterated that point at the board’s Jan. 22 meeting.

Fiscal Thinking 

Folks had also worried that the timing of the initiative might in some way be directly linked to “Foundation Aid” and the state budget.

It isn’t, school officials have said.

The state’s largest public spending program, public education accounts for more than 25 percent of all its operating spending and over 40 percent of local government spending, according to fiscalpolicy.org.

Funding is allocated to school districts based on formulas specified in state law, primarily through a formula known as Foundation Aid.

In Somers, LeFevre pointed out that the state had “dragged out” the “Foundation Aid” thing last year, long before the regionalization initiative was rolled out. 

Kandel acknowledged concerns but asserted that Foundation Aid “is not tied in any way, shape, or form to any kind of plan, action, or activities.”

Proponents see regionalization as a means for schools to save money in the long run by working more closely together.

This is especially important considering the new graduation measures coming up, she said.

(New York is proposing to change its high school graduation requirements to focus on proficiency in key areas, rather than on the Regents exam. They are expected to take effect in fall 2027.)

According to VanDerStuyf, PNW BOCES superintendent Neil Boyle took him aside after the meeting with Rosa to explain that he intended to meet with each of the component districts’ superintendents to get their “collective” thoughts on how regionalization can best work for them.

Hochul Unveils Budget 

Early in the last budget go-round, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced plans to axe the “hold harmless” – aka “save harmless” -- provision in the state’s Foundation Aid formula that guarantees districts won’t receive less assistance even if their enrollments decline.

That would have reduced funding for almost half of the schools in the state.

Subsequently, she contracted with the Rockefeller Institute of Government to study the formula itself and to recommend changes. It released its findings in December.

Hochul laid out the details of her $252 billion executive budget for fiscal year 2026 on Tuesday, Jan. 21.

In it is an “ambitious” proposal to “impose bell-to-bell restrictions” on cell phones and other electronic devices in classrooms, according to a press release.

Hochul also said she is “continuing her record investments in education and responsible improvements to the Foundation Aid formula.” 

The spending plan calls for a total of $37.4 billion in school aid, including $1.5 billion in Foundation Aid, “ensuring every district receives more funding than last year,” the release said.

According to media reports, education leaders and policy experts were still breaking down what that means.

Hochul could have proposed no changes, instead leaving it up to the state Legislature to implement recommendations in the Rockefeller report. She also could have completely taken the formula apart or just tweaked it a bit.

Lindsay Eidel, North Salem’s assistant superintendent of business and operations, announced at the school board’s Jan. 22 meeting that the district was guaranteed to receive at least 2 percent (the minimum) more in Foundation Aid.

Whether it gets an additional boost when the state Legislature releases its budget in April is unknown. 

But for now, North Salem’s Foundation Aid won’t decline.

“I’ll take that as a win,” Eidel said. “We’re just happy that it’s not a decrease.”

Saying she doesn’t consider the new formula to be perfect, Hochul told the media last week that the state will continue adjusting it.

Hochul chose to use updated census figures to determine poverty levels and “economically disadvantaged community data,” one account said, instead of the actual number of students who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches.

Each house of the state Legislature will get to weigh in on the governor’s proposal this spring.

A ‘Delicate Dance’ 

VanDerStuyf didn’t disagree in December that some sort of “fiscal thinking” could have played a part in worries about the regionalization initiative’s impact.

“If your state aid is reduced, you can still do all the great things that you do by working together with your neighbor.

The counterpoint (thought) is that ‘The reason I can do these great things is because I have the resources I have. They might not necessarily be so great any longer if my resources are reduced,’” he said, adding: “So it was sort of this delicate dance – initially – about what that means.”