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/01/23 445 4678

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Lrlc Mlhelbergel (716) 333-1123, nys.allles[gmall.com
Llsa 8udley (917) 414-9190, nys.allles[gmall.com
n?S Allles for ubllc LducaLlon www.nysape.org

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new ?ork SLaLe Allles for ubllc LducaLlon (n?SAL), a coallLlon of 43 organlzaLlons from around Lhe sLaLe, ls
endorslng Lhree candldaLes for Lhe new ?ork SLaLe 8oard of 8egenLs: Helen 8eglna 8ose, Audrey Marle 8aker,
and Mlchael 8ellly. 1he 8oard of 8egenLs seL educaLlon pollcy for Lhe sLaLe and appolnL Lhe SLaLe LducaLlon
Commlssloner. lour 8egenLs wlll be selecLed by Lhe SLaLe LeglslaLure ln March.

AL a Llme of unprecedenLed publlc opposlLlon Lo Lhe agenda pursued by Commlssloner klng, we are confldenL
LhaL Lhese Lhree candldaLes wlll LhoughLfully respond Lo and address Lhe concerns of parenLs and educaLors.
1hese hlghly quallfled candldaLes wlll sLeer Lhe sLaLe ln a new dlrecLlon -- Lo sLrengLhen our schools, raLher Lhan
undermlne Lhem, sald !eaneLLe ueuLermann, nassau CounLy publlc school parenL and founder of Long lsland
CpL-CuL (of LesLs) group.

1he candldaLes, lf approved, would replace Lhree of Lhe four lncumbenLs whose Lenure explres Lhls March-
8egenLs Wade norwood, !ames !ackson, !ames CoLLrell, and ChrlsLlne Cea. All four lncumbenLs have been
unresponslve Lo Lhe concerns of parenLs and have expressed llLLle or no opposlLlon Lo Lhe pollcles pursued by
Commlssloner klng.

Helen 8eglna 8ose ls applylng Lo represenL ulsLrlcL lll 8eglon (Albany, Columbla, Creene, 8ensselaer, Schoharle,
Sulllvan, ulsLer CounLles). Ms. 8ose ls a former speclal educaLlon Leacher wlLh over LwenLy years of experlence,
and was a member of Lhe klnderhook school board for slx years. She has a grandchlld ln Lhe publlc schools and
has been a sLrong and vocal advocaLe for all sLudenLs, especlally Lhose wlLh dlsablllLles. ln response Lo Lhe n?SAL
survey, 8ose wroLe, l cannoL undersLand how our enLlre publlc educaLlon sysLem ls belng LreaLed as an
experlmenL Lhey are bulldlng Lhe plane ln Lhe alr. We cannoL allow a generaLlon of chlldren Lo be used as gulnea
pigs. Ms. Roses resume and survey responses can be vlewed here hLLp://www.nysape.org/reglna-rose-survey-
resulLs-and-resume.hLml

Mlke 8ellly ls applylng Lo flll Lhe ulsLrlcL xll seaL on SLaLen lsland. Mr. 8ellly, a former pollce offlcer, has been a
respecLed communlLy leader for many years. Pls Lhree chlldren aLLend Lhe SLaLen lsland publlc schools. Slnce
2009, 8ellly has served as a member of the districts Community Education Council and slLs on Lhe 8oard of
Managers of Lhe SLaLen lsland ?MCA. Pe supporLs a moraLorlum on hlgh-sLakes, Common Core LesLlng and
opposes Lhe dlsclosure of personal sLudenL daLa Lo ln8loom lnc. or oLher vendors wlLhouL parenLal consenL.
resenLly, no member of Lhe 8oard of 8egenLs has a chlld ln our publlc schools. Mr. 8ellly would brlng a needed
parenL perspecLlve. Mr. Reillys resume and survey responses can be vlewed here
hLLp://www.nysape.org/mlchael-rellly-survey-resulLs-and-resume.hLml

Audrey Marle 8aker was a Leacher, prlnclpal and admlnlsLraLor ln Lhe n?C publlc school sysLem for over 33 years,
wlLh experLlse ln Lhe area of speclal educaLlon. ur. 8aker ls applylng for Lhe oLher open aL-large seaLs on Lhe
8egenLs. She holds over 14 llcenses and cerLlflcaLlons ln educaLlon. ln response Lo our survey she wroLe, As a
career educator, I hold myself accountable to the parents of NYS. She pledges Lo survey parenLs Lo ascerLaln Lhelr
concerns, and Lo meeL regularly wlLh key communlLy sLakeholders. She supporLs a moraLorlum on hlgh sLakes
Common Core exams, and an lndependenL sLudy of Lhe sLandards by a panel of experLs ln educaLlon and
developmenLal psychology. ur. Bakers resume and survey responses can be vlewed here
hLLp://www.nysape.org/audrey-marle-baker-survey-resulLs-and-resume.hLml

ln a splrlL of Lransparency, n?S Allles for ubllc LducaLlon senL lLs survey vla cerLlfled mall and emalled Lo 8egenLs
!ackson, CoLLrell, Cea and norwood ln early uecember 2013, asklng Lhem Lo clarlfy Lhelr poslLlons on a varleLy of
key educaLlon lssues. 1o daLe, noL one of Lhe lncumbenLs compleLed Lhe survey or responded ln any way Lo Lhls
requesL.

upon hearlng abouL Lhe currenL 8egenLs fallure Lo respond, Chrls 1anls, a new alLz parenL sald, Clearly, Lhe four
lncumbenLs do noL undersLand LhaL Lhey have an obllgaLlon Lo be accounLable Lo Lhe publlc and Lo clearly express
Lhelr vlews on Lhe currenL pollcles LhaL have aroused such opposlLlon among parenLs and oLher communlLy
members. 1he facL LhaL Lhey refused Lo respond Lo Lhe n?SAL survey and more lmporLanLly have lgnored Lhe
publlc ouLrage over Lhe pollcles pursued by Lhe SLaLe LducaLlon ueparLmenL -- makes a sLrong case for Lhe need
for new leadership.

AlLhough members of Lhe 8oard of 8egenLs are selecLed by Lhe LeglslaLure, Lhey have LradlLlonally kepL Lhelr seaLs
on Lhe board unLll Lhey choose Lo reslgn or reLlre. Whlle Lhe appolnLmenL process has escaped publlc scruLlny ln
Lhe pasL, Lhls year n?SAL wlll be urglng parenLs, educaLors and concerned consLlLuenLs Lo call on Lhelr Assembly
members and SLaLe SenaLors Lo nomlnaLe and voLe for candldaLes who wlll work Lo reverse Lhe currenL, dlsasLrous
reforms.

ln lebruary, Lhe chalrs of Lhe Assembly LducaLlon and Plgher LducaLlon CommlLLees, CaLhy nolan and ueborah
Cllck, wlll conducL ln-person lnLervlews of Lhe candldaLes. ln March, Lhe full LeglslaLure wlll voLe on candldaLes
pre-selecLed by lLs members, predomlnanLly Lhose ln Lhe Assembly.

Accordlng Lo Leonie Haimson, Executive Director of Class Size Matters: ln recenL monLhs, Lhere has been an
unprecedenLed ouLpourlng of concern and crlLlclsm dlrecLed aL Lhe agenda belng lmplemenLed by Commlssloner
klng lncludlng Lhe sharlng of personal sLudenL daLa wlLh ln8loom lnc., wlLhouL parenLal consenL. LlghL sLaLes
have pulled ouL of ln8loom or puL Lhelr daLa-sharlng plans on hold because of parenL proLesL and opposlLlon --buL
noL new ?ork. We need new 8egenLs who wlll be responslve Lo Lhe need Lo proLecL sLudenL prlvacy.

ln a recenL edlLorlal ln newsday, prlnclpals Carol 8urrls and !ohn Murphy noted 1he Llme has come for Lhe publlc
to insist that the appointment of Regents be more than pro forma. The fate of a generation of students is at stake.

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