Sample Awareness Letter

[Your Name]

[Your Address]

[City, State, ZIP Code]

[Email Address]

[Phone Number]

[Date]

[Recipient’s Name]

[Title]

[School/District Name or Political Office]

[Address]

[City, State, ZIP Code]

Dear [Recipient’s Name],

We are writing to express our concerns regarding the Emergency Proposed/Rulemaking for the Development and Implementation of Regionalization Plans, listed in the September 25, 2024 New York State Register. While we understand that a systematic approach to improving educational outcomes is essential, we believe that regionalization, as proposed, may not be the most effective or equitable way to address the needs of our students and communities.

First, regionalization, while designed to improve operational efficiency and expand opportunities, could result in the erosion of local control and identity. Our community has unique characteristics, strengths, and challenges that cannot be fully addressed through a regionalized approach. Decisions about education are best made by those who are closely connected to the local context—parents, teachers, and administrators who understand the specific needs of the students they serve. A one-size-fits-all approach, even if tailored regionally, risks diluting the quality of personalized education that smaller districts and schools can provide.

Second, the assumption that shared resources automatically lead to improved educational outcomes may be overly simplistic. The coordination of resources across districts presents logistical and financial challenges that could outweigh the potential benefits. Differences in curriculum, student population, and resource needs between districts can complicate the process of pooling resources. This could lead to inefficiencies, rather than the streamlined solutions intended, and might divert attention from other pressing educational concerns.

Furthermore, while cross-district collaboration, as seen in current models such as Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), has had some success, expanding these structures through regionalization could place an undue burden on districts that are already stretched thin. Instead of increasing opportunities, there is a risk of spreading resources too thinly, which could compromise the quality of education in both larger and smaller districts.

We are also concerned that regionalization could exacerbate existing disparities between districts. Wealthier districts may be better positioned to benefit from shared resources, leaving less affluent districts at a disadvantage. This could deepen the inequities in our educational system rather than promote fairness and equal access to educational opportunities.

Lastly is the contradictory nature of this proposal as New York State school districts are responsible for providing a free and fair public education to those individuals living within the boundaries of the school district footprint. This is the model and law applied to all services, athletics and educational opportunities in each respective district. This directly correlates to the NY State foundation aid formula and state aid distributions resulting in varied amounts of taxes collected in each respective district. This proposal for regionalization does not address or discuss how this model will account for the transfer of educational responsibilities of students from district to district. 

In light of these concerns, we urge you to reconsider the regionalization proposal in its current form. Instead, we encourage a focus on strengthening individual districts and fostering collaboration that allows for flexibility and local control, rather than mandating regionalization. At a minimum, those elected to their positions as school board members throughout the state of NY should have a seat at the discussion table. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to continuing the conversation on how we can best support our students and schools.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]