The Pittsford Board of Education is heavily invested in advocacy efforts to support all students within the District. As members of the Monroe County School Boards Association (MCSBA), we participate in year-round legislative work that enables our District to remain closely connected with lawmakers and government officials at all levels, at all times.

As part of MCSBA’s advocacy, we were invited to attend an annual legislative trip to Albany to meet with our elected officials in person. Our collective approach incorporates the needs of all school districts throughout Monroe County, as determined at the start of each school year. More often than not, the underlying factor for any of our educational priorities relates to funding; and 2024 is no exception.

On March 4th, Pittsford Board of Education members traveled to Albany to speak with our state representatives about the Governor’s proposed budget and the negative impact it presents to many school districts statewide. In addition to the budget, we also discussed the transition to zero-emission buses, proposed changes to APPR requirements, teacher and staff shortages, and the need for a new Foundation Aid formula.

Foundation Aid is the primary source of state funding that school districts across NYS depend upon. The current system benefits some while penalizing others and utilizes census data from the year 2000. Advocates across New York State are pushing for a reformulation that is beneficial to all school districts and reflective of the current student population.

As representatives of Pittsford Schools, we had the opportunity to share our district-specific needs based on our unique school community. We shared data to show the negative impact the Governor’s proposed budget would have on our District and advocated for our fair share of state funding necessary to ensure that our students have the resources that they need to be successful in school.

The Pittsford Board of Education values the partnership between government agencies, elected officials and local school districts. Working collaboratively, we can ensure that public education in New York State reaches its full potential by securing resources and funding necessary for educational excellence while keeping costs manageable for our public schools. As leaders in public education, student success remains at the heart of our work.