Peekskill, Ossining School Communities to Participate in Rally for Funding
Officials, parents, teachers and students from the Peekskill and Ossining school districts were scheduled today (October 4) to take part in an 11-day, 150-mile trek to Albany to demand fair funding from the state.
The rally, organized by the Alliance for Quality Education, marks the 10th anniversary of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity court decision, which ruled the state is underfunding African-American, Hispanic and low-income students in many districts in New York.
Peekskill school officials maintain the district is owed $32.6 million since Foundation Aid was frozen in the 2007-08 school year. During that same time, Peekskill’s enrollment has increased by more than 800 students, as have the needs of ELS and Special Education students.
Ossining school officials claim they are owed about $14 million. Ossining’s enrollment is up 19.5%, there is a 42% increase in students living in poverty and a 56% rise in students eligible for free and reduced price lunches.
The walk, which started in New York City Sunday morning, was scheduled to stop Tuesday morning at Ossining High School for an event. Participants will then walk 11 miles to Peekskill Middle School, arriving at about 2:30 p.m.
The rally will end on Tuesday, October 11 at the New York State Courthouse in Albany.
The Alliance of Quality Education is a coalition that mobilizes communities statewide to keep New York lawmakers keep their promise of ensuring a high quality public education to all students regardless of where the schools are located. The coalition combines its legislative and policy expertise with grassroots organizing to achieve its goals.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
