After months of prep work, meetings, and research...
Our President Teresa, VP Alicia, and member Rebecca were busy sharing Gloversville Enlarged School District to members of the Senate and House for National Parent Teacher Association #LEGCON2025's Hill Day!
PTA representatives from all around the country had a chance to lobby for the children in their community, making their voice heard in meetings that took place over the course of 8 hours. Teresa had a chance to speak about the needs of our school district for the offices of Senator Chuck Schumer D-NY and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Rebecca shared the same message with Rep. Elise Stefanik 's office. And we were able to sit in on a meeting with Paul D. Tonko.
An ENORMOUS thank you to Gloversville Public Library for giving our PTA a workspace for the entire day. An equally as enormous thank you to New York State PTA leadership who really lifted our unit up today and nurtured and encouraged before, during, and after all of the meetings.
To quote Representative Paul D Tonko, "If we see this through the eyes of the children, we'll get it done right."
Our statement on school funding:
"73% of our students are economically disadvantaged, and with that our district's ability to raise local funds is significantly less than the average district in our state, and our student’s needs are considered moderately more than the state average. Of our district’s $78.1 million dollar budget, we receive $3.1 million in Federal Aid. Supporting these children and their full potential by funding our schools, supporting our teachers, and investing in mental health services only helps raise these children up to give them a chance. Education is crucial for kids to gain opportunities to break the poverty cycle. Reductions to programs like IDEA or Title 1 funding would disproportionately impact our most vulnerable students, exacerbating existing disparities and hindering their ability to reach their full potential. Diverting public school funding not only undermines the educational foundation of our students, but also weakens the community's economic stability. Our district urgently requires sustained investment in early intervention services, Special Education programs, and resources that support student mental health and well-being to address the evolving needs of our student population."
Asks for House Representatives Stefanik and Tonka: We ask that you oppose the Educational Choice for Children Act, HR 833. This would divert $20 billion in tax dollars over the next 4 years away from our public schools and toward private school vouchers. Public schools across the country, which educate over 80% of all students, would be negatively impacted by this bill. We are also asking that you support HR 869, Keep Our PACT Act. This would commit Congress to fully funding Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act and Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act over the next 10 years. And in addition to that, support for HR 94 that would assert Congress’ commitment to protecting the US Department of Education, emphasizing its role for families, children and schools and the importance of maintaining funding streams like IDEA and Title I that are managed by the Department. These programs are all essential to improving academic outcomes and student well-being. Reorganizing parts of the Department to other federal agencies poses a severe and devastating threat that will leave millions of students and families in our country behind.
Asks for Senators Schumer and Gillibrand: We ask that you oppose the Educational Choice for Children Act, S.292. This would divert $20 billion in tax dollars over the next 4 years away from our public schools and toward private school vouchers. Public schools across the country, which educate over 80% of all students, would be negatively impacted by this bill. We are also asking that you support S.343, Keep Our PACT Act. This would commit Congress to fully funding Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act and Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act over the next 10 years. And in addition to that, support for protecting the US Department of Education, emphasizing its role for families, children and schools and the importance of maintaining funding streams like IDEA and Title I that are managed by the Department. These programs are all essential to improving academic outcomes and student well-being. Reorganizing parts of the Department to other federal agencies poses a severe and devastating threat that will leave millions of students and families in our country behind.
