Administrator outlines regionalization work and Rockefeller Institute report on state school funding

An administrator summarized the Regionalization Initiative required by the New York State Education Department, explaining that districts were asked to inventory services and consider sharing functions across BOCES regions. The administrator said North Country districts have long shared services (transportation, mechanics, some athletics) and urged trustees to consider regional collaboration; the local BOCES will hold a dinner on Jan. 30 at 5:30 p.m. in Plattsburgh to discuss regionalization.

The same administrator reviewed a Rockefeller Institute report analyzing Foundation Aid and options to change the formula, including proposals to phase out "safe harmless." The administrator said the 315-page report offers many options and told the board the report's authors estimated that following all recommendations would increase statewide education spending by about 15%—a scenario the administrator called unlikely but illustrative of the scale of potential changes.