Welcome to LHEC
Established in 1976, the LHEC is a joint project of the Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents, Dutchess County School Boards Association, Rockland County School Boards Association and Westchester Putnam School Boards Association.  Our mission is to serve as a regional leadership hub in ​public education advocacy.
 ADVOCACY PRIORITIES 

School Funding Needs to be
​Adequate, Equitable & Predictable

Local Flexibility Benefits our Communities
The LHEC is advocating for:
  • Foundation Aid - Adequate and representative state aid should be calculated using current data that reflects changing demographics. enrollment, poverty, regional costs and special education needs.
  • Regional Cost Index (RCI) - The most recent RCI data should be applied to all State Aid formulas, and the Lower Hudson Valley should be included with the NYC/Long Island region.
  • Removal of Obstacles to Funding Public Education - Modifications to the tax cap formula are needed and districts should be provided with additional tools to fund public education and offset costs.
  • Funding of Special Education Services - The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) should be fully funded and the burden on districts reduced while maintaining services for students.
  • Non-Financial Compliance Mechanisms - School districts should not receive financial penalties as they work to comply with the ever-increasing requirements from NYS.
  • Special Act Public School Districts (SASD) - Fiscal and programmatic stability is needed for the specialized services SASDs provide to meet the needs of NY's most challenged students.
The LHEC is advocating for:
  • Mental Health & Student Safety - Flexible funding would allow for appropriate services, programs, and facilities to address increased mental health and school safety needs. 
  • Funding Flexibility for Pre-K Programs - State funding is critical in public school districts which have identified a community need, to ensure all preschool-age children have access to high quality pre-K.
  • Limiting Schools as Polling Places - Schools that are designated as polling locations should be allowed the same 'right of refusal' as other public buildings.
  • Time Off for Voting - The new provisions for time off for voting needs to be aligned with the operations of school districts.
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