It is a PTA's responsibility to promote the educational needs and values of the school community and to address how decisions by school administrators, the Board of Education and elected officials, meet those needs. Advocacy is an integral part of any PTA and occurs in every action designed to improve the lives of children.
The Legislation Committee's activities are designed to inform members and the community of pending and enacted legislation and proposals made by the Garden City Board of Education, including the District’s proposed school budget may have on our public schools. The Committee provides the tools necessary to empower members to be active participants in the decision process and affect positive change, by communicating concerns to key decision makers both within our district and beyond.
Through our affiliation with NYS and National PTA, we work to “secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth” and to support a system of free public education. The work of this Committee is nonpartisan and aligned with the National PTA and NYS PTA guidelines. The Legislation Committee works closely with District Administration, the Curriculum, and Health & Safety Committees other groups where appropriate to achieve PTA goals for children and youth.
Vice President Legislation
“The overall purpose of PTA is to make every child's potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children."
As the Covid-19 Pandemic has continued on into another calendar year, we are going to begin to further feel the financial impacts. Specifically, Budget cuts to Medicaid programs for home-based and community services are already feeling the loss of funding, as service agencies have seen a decrease in state reimbursement, an increase in the cost of PPE for programs, and an overall threat of further cuts to the budget. With these cuts, the financing that fuels the necessary and mandated programs for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to the Direct Support Professionals who support them will be decreased or lost.
We, the executive boards and members of both Garden City SEPTA and the Garden City PTA, write to you today to express our serious concerns about the loss of funding to our educational programs at the state level. Medicaid can and does directly reimburse school districts for many services, from nursing services, to to speech-language pathology, audiology, occupational and physical therapy, personal care services, counseling and psychological services and specialized transportation. These services are utilized by many in our community and a loss in funding would be detrimental to many of your own neighbors. The loss of funding for big programs, such as home and community-based services, is very troubling for us as advocates of our public education system and as parents and community members of Garden City and New York State.
Please click on this link and sign the pre-written petitions to send to your state representatives and the governor, to voice your concern and outrage over these cuts to funding as the 2022 New York State budget begins to take shape. You also have the option to edit the message to include your own comments and concerns. Speak out and advocate for the programs that are essential to so many families, from Garden City and all over New York State.
Budget 2021 Input Form
If you have any questions or comments regarding the 2021 School Budget please fill out this form.
Who is Responsible for Education in New York State?
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