Universal pre-K and full-day kindergarten are key to closing New York state's achievement gap.

  "Cost discourages many districts, since in the past money wasn't always reliably provided from the state," said Anthony Bottar, a member of the state Board of Regents from North Syracuse. "We will renew efforts to fund these programs. It's money well spent — especially in areas where the gap is more prevalent."

Bottar spoke on the topic during the Educational Conference Board's second annual policy conference last month in Albany. NYSUT is a member of ECB, a coalition of state education leadership groups.

A couple weeks after the meeting, Gov. Spitzer announced plans for a hefty increase in money for pre-K programs in his executive budget (see related article).

Other ways of addressing the achievement gap include standardizing and increasing staff development, making curriculum more relevant to students and lengthening the school day and school year, Bottar said.

"I was pleased to hear Regent Bottar addressing this vital issue," said NYSUT Executive Vice President Alan Lubin, an ECB vice chairman. The achievement gap was one of many topics addressed at the January event, which explored education's role in the new world economy. Other discussion issues included schoolwide bullying and a comparison of New York's Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit with similar suits in other states.

Speakers included James Wyckoff, a United University Professions member who is professor in the Nelson Rockefeller Graduate School of Public Affairs at SUNY Albany; and Manuel Rivera, the former superintendent of the Rochester district who is now Gov. Spitzer's deputy secretary for education.

Henry Levin, professor of economics and education at Teachers College, Columbia University, delivered the keynote address on the world economy's challenges for today's students.