School Board forms community advocacy group to address financial challenges

The July 10, 2025, meeting of the VCS Board of Education in New York focused on addressing the district's financial challenges and the formation of a community advocacy group. The meeting began with a significant acknowledgment of the board's efforts to create a collaborative initiative aimed at improving the district's financial situation, where expenses are currently outpacing revenues.

The board discussed the necessity of advocating for increased state aid while also exploring alternative revenue sources beyond state funding and taxes. The superintendent emphasized the importance of leveraging community resources, including partnerships with local universities, colleges, and businesses, to enhance student learning experiences at reduced costs.

A total of 42 potential community partners were identified for this initiative. The plan is to form a working group consisting of 15 to 25 members. The superintendent will reach out to these individuals for formal invitations, aiming to finalize the group by July 25. The board will also decide on the inclusion of one or two members from the board itself in this group.

The first meeting of the newly formed advocacy group is anticipated to take place in early August, where the financial situation will be presented, and ideas for generating additional revenue will be discussed. The board plans to provide a more detailed update on the group's progress during the next meeting on August 14.

Following this discussion, the meeting moved on to item 8h, which involved a review and signing of the school district officer and employee code of ethics policy.

Overall, the meeting underscored the board's proactive approach to addressing financial challenges through community engagement and collaboration, setting the stage for future discussions and initiatives.