NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8325
SPONSOR: Blumencranz TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to enacting the "our
schools our rules act"
PURPOSE:
This legislation protects the autonomy of local school districts by
blocking any state-mandated regionalization policies or plans, as
proposed by the State Education Department and the Board of Regents,
that would require school districts to share resources, operations, or
services.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 stipulates that this act shall be entitled the "Our Schools,
Our Rules Act."
Section 2 Includes legislative findings and intent, outlining the impor-
tance of local control for maintaining high-quality education, partic-
ularly on Long Island, and the risks posed by state-mandated regionali-
zation policies.
Section 3 amends the education law by adding a new Section 1528, which:
defines a "regionalization plan" as any state-mandated policy requiring
school districts to share resources or administrative operations with
other districts or educational institutions; prohibited the Commissioner
of Education, the State Education Department, and the Board of Regents
from mandating regionalization plans; allows districts to voluntarily
enter shared agreements but ensures they are not state-mandated; nulli-
fies any existing regulations that mandate regionalization plans; and
protects local school districts' autonomy over governance, budgeting,
and operations.
Section 4 sets forth the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Local school districts, especially on Long Island, have consistently
provided high-quality education through locally controlled governance.
The State Education Department's proposed regulations in Part 124,
mandating the development and implementation of regionalization plans,
pose significant threats to local control. Forcing districts
to.consolidate operations or share resources undermines the unique
strengths and needs of individual communities, particularly those with
successful school systems. Regionalization may dilute the quality Of
education by imposing onesize-fits-all mandates, disrupt established
district operations, and lead to higher administrative costs without
clear benefits to students or taxpayers.
Further, Long Island's taxpayers have invested heavily in their school
districts and deserve to have a say in how their schools are governed.
This legislation ensures that local schools retain their autonomy and
prevents any top-down mandates that could interfere with the quality of
education or the efficient operation of local school systems. Voluntary
co operation among districts may be encouraged, but only at the
discretion of the districts themselves.
This bill preserves the time-honored principle that local communities-
not bureaucrats in Albany-know best how to serve their students.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
S.9944; Referred to Rules
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None. This legislation ensures that school districts will not incur
additional administrative burdens or costs from state-mandated regional-
ization plans.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8325
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 13, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BLUMENCRANZ -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to enacting the "our
schools our rules act"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
2 the "our schools our rules act".
3 § 2. Legislative findings and intent. The legislature finds that local
4 school districts in the state, particularly those on Long Island, have
5 historically maintained high standards of education through locally
6 controlled governance and decision-making processes. The recent proposal
7 by the education department and the board of regents to mandate the
8 development and implementation of regionalization plans, as outlined in
9 part one hundred twenty-four of the commissioner of education's regu-
10 lations, threatens to undermine local control, dilute the quality of
11 education, and impose significant administrative burdens on local school
12 districts. The intent of this act is to preserve the autonomy of local
13 school districts by prohibiting any state-mandated regionalization of
14 local school districts.
15 § 3. The education law is amended by adding a new section 1527-b to
16 read as follows:
17 § 1527-b. Mandatory regionalization plans prohibited. 1. For the
18 purposes of this section, the term "mandatory regionalization plan"
19 shall mean any rule or policy that requires the sharing of resources,
20 administrative operations, or instructional services among two or more
21 school districts, boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES),
22 charter schools, private schools, or any combination thereof, pursuant
23 to a regulation, order, or directive issued by the commissioner, the
24 department, or the board of regents.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01778-01-5
A. 8325 2
1 2. (a) No local school district shall be required by any regulation,
2 rule, or policy of the commissioner, the department, or the board of
3 regents to develop, implement, or participate in a mandatory regionali-
4 zation plan, including but not limited to mandatory regionalization
5 plans related to shared resources, operational efficiencies, or joint
6 educational programs.
7 (b) The department and the board of regents shall not enact, imple-
8 ment, or enforce any regulation, rule, or policy that requires local
9 school districts to develop, implement, or participate in a mandatory
10 regionalization plan.
11 3. Any regulation enacted or proposed by the commissioner that relates
12 to boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES) and requires the
13 development of regionalization plans by local school districts shall be
14 deemed null and void. The department and the board of regents shall not
15 make any effort to implement any such regulation.
16 4. Nothing in this section shall prohibit local school districts from
17 voluntarily entering into agreements or partnerships related to shared
18 services with other school districts, boards of cooperative educational
19 services (BOCES), charter schools, and private schools.
20 5. Local school districts shall retain full autonomy over such school
21 district's governance, budgeting, and operational decisions without
22 interference by the department pursuant to this section.
23 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
