Rockland County, NY – After years of bitter words, hard feelings and tempestuous relationships, the future may be looking a bit brighter for the troubled East Ramapo School District, with a compromise bill that brings $3 million in additional funding to the cash starved district where yeshiva students outnumber their public school counterparts by a ratio of three to one.
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All sides involved are hailing the legislation, which passed both the Senate and the Assembly on Thursday, as a step in the right direction.
Sponsored by Senator David Carlucci and Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee, the companion bills would bring $3 million to the district next year to restore student programming, with state monitors to remain in place. While the legislation does give the state oversight on all new appropriations and the total budget for the district, it does not include provisions for any entity to have veto power over decisions made by the school board, which is comprised of mostly private school parents.
Carlucci praised the legislation which he said would restore vital programming to the district. In a Facebook post written last night after the final vote, Carlucci said that the bill would also allow for public feedback on future funding projects.
“The road has been long and our work is not yet done, however great progress has been made today in the investment of the students of East Ramapo,” said Carlucci.
School board president Yehuda Weissmandl also applauded the measure.
“This is a very positive outcome indeed,” said Weissmandl. “We will now be able to make a series of investments in academic programs and services. Our students will benefit greatly.”
The bill, which passed the Assembly by unanimous vote, and the Senate by a vote of 60 to 2, is headed to Governor Cuomo’s desk where it awaits his signature.