NYSUT is waging a fierce campaign before the State Legislature to repeal New York’s school receivership law. The union also has filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Buffalo Teachers Federation, challenging a ruling by State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia relating to the takeover of five “persistently struggling schools.” This lawsuit could have statewide implications if the court rules in NYSUT’s favor regarding the constitutionality of a provision in the statute dealing with the way receivership agreements are negotiated and enforced.
While NYSUT challenges New York’s receivership statute on multiple fronts, a new report by the Center for Popular Democracy details how the trend of politically motivated school takeovers strips away the democratic rights of local citizens, school boards and elected officials — all while states themselves fail to meet their responsibility to ensure adequate resources are provided to students, especially those in high-needs districts.
State Takeovers of Low-Performing Schools: A Record of Academic Failure, Financial Mismanagement & Student Harm
