Superintendent urges lawmakers to address electric buses, UPK funding and staffing shortages
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Summary
Superintendent Cecily Wilson Turner told the board the district is advocating with regional legislators on EV‑bus implementation (2035 deadline), proposed UPK funding increases toward $10,000 per pupil, and workforce issues including bus‑driver training and teacher certification pathways.
Superintendent Dr. Cecily Wilson Turner used the board meeting to outline the district's legislative priorities and staffing challenges, saying the district and regional superintendents are coordinating advocacy with local representatives.
Turner highlighted the statewide zero‑emission school bus timeline and local planning: "We've been very clear that we are working regionally to make sure this can happen...the deadline for 2035 has not moved," she said, and noted a temporary waiver that affects 2027 purchases. She said the district is planning capital work now so it can meet infrastructure needs when purchases are required.
On early education funding, Turner described the governor’s proposal to boost universal pre‑K per‑pupil allocations and said the proposal could raise per‑pupil allocations toward $10,000, which may allow Shenendehowa to better maximize available funds. She urged board members to participate in planned one‑on‑one meetings with representatives to press these priorities.
Turner also called out persistent bus‑driver shortages and proposed legislative changes to training and certification that would create a bus‑driver‑specific training pathway to shorten training time and improve retention. She discussed teacher‑certification pathways and civil service adjustments intended to accelerate hiring for hard‑to‑fill positions, and praised a retiree‑earnings waiver that simplifies hiring retired administrators for limited periods.
Board members asked clarifying questions about the district’s five‑year college attendance metric and whether it includes trade schools; Turner said the metric refers to college attendance after exit and does not include trade schools in that figure. The superintendent said the district will continue to bring data and cost estimates to state education officials to document infrastructure and cost challenges.