East Meadow board votes to opt out of state regionalization planning; two trustees abstain

The East Meadow Union Free School District Board of Education voted to notify the New York State Education Department that the district will not participate in the department's planning process for regionalization, the board president read and the board approved during the meeting.

Board members said the decision was driven by uncertainty about what the state's planning process would require and by concern that opting into planning could expose the district to fiscal penalties or loss of local control. "Nobody seems to be able or willing, including in the legal guidance documents that we've received from our attorneys, to provide an answer as to whether or not there will be penalties of any kind for opting out of the regionalization," Trustee Dr. Luce said during the discussion.

The resolution directed the superintendent to provide written notification of the district's election not to participate in the development of a regionalization plan to the New York State Education Department's Office of Education Policy before Jan. 15, 2025, and to include "an express reservation of the school district's rights and remedies respecting its decision not to participate." The motion to adopt the resolution was made by Trustee Miss DeLuca and seconded by Trustee Miss Widman.

Trustees spent more than an hour debating the strategic risks. Several trustees said they worry the state could withhold state aid or otherwise penalize districts that decline to join planning, though no official written threats were cited. Superintendent Tim Rosner summarized the district's exposure in dollar terms when asked: "We get about $70,000,000 in state aid a year," he said when trustees asked how much could be at risk.

The roll call on the resolution was five in favor, none opposed and two abstentions. One trustee said on the record, "I'm abstaining ... because I don't have the information to say that I'm comfortable risking the possibility of $70,000,000." The minutes show five trustees voted to send the opt-out notification and two trustees abstained.

Board members noted the opt-out decision applies only to participating in the state's planning process, not to any future mandate that the state might impose. Several trustees said their intent in opting out was to avoid providing planning material to a process they view as predetermined by the state.

The board also referenced related legal action; members noted the district previously joined an Article 78 lawsuit opposing the regionalization process. The superintendent was directed to transmit the opt-out letter and reservation of rights to the state by the stated deadline.

The board moved on to other business after completing the vote.