Contact:  Bill O'Reilly, 212-396-9117 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ASTORINO RELEASES BOLD 15-POINT PLAN TO

IMPROVE PUBLIC EDUCATION IN NEW YORK STATE

New York Spends Most Per Pupil in America;

Consistently Ranks in Middle of Pack in Results

New York--Sept. 6...New York gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino, who began his public service career as an elected public school board member, today released a 15-point plan to improve New York public schools and to better prepare children for a competitive job market. The announcement was made outside of a Westchester County elementary school. Two-term Westchester County Executive Astorino and his wife, Sheila, a special education teacher, send their three children to public schools.

"I am a product of New York public schools, and I have seen them serve as a ladder to success for a generation of New Yorkers," County Executive Astorino said. "Sadly, though, politics and bureaucracy have stifled the ingenuity of teachers in the classroom, and a one-size-fits-all mentality, in the form of the experimental Common Core curriculum, has come down on high from the bureaucrats in Washington, all but negating what's unique in each student. This bold plan will replace Common Core with high standards achieved at the local level, with the input of parents and teachers, and it will make the governor's office directly responsible for school improvements through an executive-appointed State Education Commissioner."

The Astorino/Moss Plan would create three new diplomas, giving New York parents and students more choices in fields of study, and it would increase the availability of vocational training and "STEM" study (Science, Technology , Engineering, and Math.) It would also begin foreign language instruction in elementary school.

"New York spends more money per pupil than any state in America; we have no excuse for ranking consistently in the middle of the pack in outcome," Mr. Astorino continued. "With higher standards, more educational choices that better suit individual talents, and increased parent involvement -- which I will champion as governor -- New York schools will improve significantly."

Mr. Astorino's running mate is Chemung County Sheriff Christopher Moss, who also serves as President of the New York State Sheriff's Association. Sheriff Moss is the product of New York public schools, and he and his wife send their son to public school as well. 

The Astorino/Moss Plan is below.

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Astorino/Moss Education Plan

The current governor famously once said he would be the student's lobbyist.  He has been anything but.  Whether it was disproportionately using education funding cuts to balance the state budget, rushing Common Core implementation or turning his back on thousands of lower-income students when he broke his promise to deliver on the Education Investment Tax Credit, Cuomo has not delivered for children.

Nothing is more important than a good education.  It's as vital as a loving, safe, healthy and happy home for a child.  

The Astorino/Moss Education Plan seeks to bring control of education back to the local level with great input from teachers and parents, to develop the best education possible for our children where they are prepared to compete in both the global economy and life.

The Astorino/Moss Education Plan will improve education in New York by:

• Replacing Common Core

• Reforming the Board of Regents

• Increasing the availability of vocational training and STEM study in schools

• Better preparing a child to succeed in college, career and in life.

• Creating 3 new diplomas and giving students and parents more choices for school and for study.

1. STOP Common Core and replace with better standards and curriculum developed by New York educators, with feedback and input from local teachers and parents, and greater control at the district level (one model could be the "Lost Standards" that were being developed by former Regent Saul Cohen's team from 2008-2010 before being scrapped in favor of Common Core and the federal money that came with it). Main reasons for Common Core opposition:

1. The standards are experimental, conceived in secrecy with no public hearings on the draft standards, and never tested.  

2. Few, if any, K-12 teachers were involved in writing the standards.

3. It is considered by many to be developmentally inappropriate in the early grades and not based on well-researched child development knowledge.

4. It is education guided at the federal level - not the state and local level.

5. It actually lowers standards according to many experts, including Dr. James Milgrim and Dr. Sandra Stosky - the two content experts on the Common Core validation committee who refused to affirm the standards.

2. Develop more accurate measures of student, teacher and school performance, reducing reliance on high stakes assessments, with a more balanced, portfolio approach.  

3. Reform Board of Regents by creating an elected 13-member board (regional districts electing their own representative to the Board).

1. This reform would shift the power away from the Assembly Speaker and to the people.

4. Governor appoints Education Commissioner who must be confirmed by the Board of Regents with a majority vote.

1. This reform would shift more responsibility for education to the Governor who is accountable to voters every four years.  His or her pick for Education Commissioner would work with the Board of Regents to determine education policy in NYS.

5. Increase availability of vocational training in schools for careers in home economics, carpentry, mechanics, electrical, etc.

1. In recent years, schools have moved away from vocational training.  This is a mistake as many students not interested in college would benefit greatly from learning a skilled trade and be ready to enter the workforce upon graduation from High School.

6. Increase coordination between community colleges, local school districts and local industry so students can be properly counseled on the present and future availability of jobs, the types of jobs, their pay and benefits, and the skills needed to do these jobs.

7. Increase Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in schools.

1. There is a gap in the growing number of hi-tech jobs and careers and the number of Americans qualified and trained to do these jobs.  To solve this, there needs to be a greater emphasis on STEM in schools.

8. Create three new diplomas

1. Career and Technical Education (CTE)

2. STEM Regents

3. Academic Regents

1. Offering more choices to students and parents will better capture a young adult's motivation in addition to his or her talents and interests.

9. Ensure full funding for special education services

10. Increase life skills training in schools

1. Nutritional literacy instruction in Middle School

2. Financial literacy instruction in High School

11. Provide more school choices for parents of children in schools determined to be failing.  

1. Once accurate measures of school performance are determined allow parents in schools that have failed for consecutive years other school options for their child.  Options can be a different public school or Charter school.  Last option could be voucher to be used for private or religious school.

12. Pass the Education Investment Tax Credit.

1. Governor Cuomo failed to deliver on his promise.  The EITC would allow for more scholarships to private schools and more funding for public and private schools.

13. Create a new marketing campaign to encourage greater parental involvement in their child's education.

1. Teachers will say, the best students are the ones with the most involved parent(s).  Greater parental or guardian involvement needs to be encouraged.

14. Combat the problem of chronic absenteeism in New York schools.

1. The first step to a good education is being in the classroom.  Chronic absenteeism is a serious problem that leads to all other sorts of issues for the child and the community.

15. Begin foreign language instruction in elementary school.

1. While mastering the English language will remain the priority, study of a foreign language is a critical step in building a well-rounded and global student.  Starting in the early grades takes advantage of a child's greater capacity to more easily learn a language as the brain is developing.