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 

Legislative Advocacy

Board of Regents / NYSED Advocacy
The LHEC is advocating for:
  • Student Mental Health & School Safety - This is a critical need for all schools, requiring equitable access to address the increased needs of all students.
  • Foundation Aid Formula & Regional Cost Index (RCI) - Updated data inputs and adjustments to the current formula would ensure adequate and representative state aid to local school districts.  Additionally, the Lower Hudson Valley should have a regional cost index that better reflects the cost of operating in the NYC suburbs.
  • Tax Cap Revisions - It is essential that the Executive and the Legislature consider adjustments to the formula to reduce unintended consequences and to provide promised meaningful mandate relief.  
  • Zero-emission School Buses - Due to the significantly higher cost of electric buses and the operational difficulties of transforming school bus fleets in the coming years, NYS needs to provide assistance to school districts to help manage the transition to more environmentally friendly school buses.
  • Funding for Pre-K Programs - State funding is critical in public school districts which have identified a clear need in their community.
  • Special Act Public School Districts (SASD) - Measures are needed to ensure the fiscal and programmatic stability of Special Act public school districts.
  • Administrative Relief - The ability of Boards of Education to meet partially or fully virtual provides needed flexibility for local communities.
  • Mandate Relief & Transparency - A thorough review of existing mandates and increased transparency prior to the enactment of new mandates would assist school districts in managing the significant cost burdens of compliance.
  • Compliance Mechanisms - Relief and established notification requirements are needed for districts as they work to comply with the ever-increasing requirements from NYS.
  • High Cost of Special Education Services - Modifications to the special education process would reduce the burden on districts while maintaining needed services for special needs students.
The LHEC is advocating for:
  • Ongoing Accommodations for COVID-19 Pandemic - Continue to allow for the suspension of Regents examinations as a graduation requirement through the 2021-22 academic year. 
  • Options for Graduation - The current review of graduation requirements in NYS should focus on ensuring multiple pathways to graduation that maintain the high standards that a Regents diploma has been known for.
  • Flexibility in Teacher Hiring - As teacher retirements have increased due to the pandemic, school districts have had difficulty hiring a qualified, diverse teaching force, especially with certification in certain subject areas.
  • Reduce Burden of APPR - Local administrators are capable of assessing teaching quality in the classroom.
  • Certifying Substantial Equivalency - Many local school districts do not have the resources to effectively evaluate and monitor the substantial equivalency of instruction in the parochial and private schools in their geographic area.
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