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 

Public Education in our Region

School and Student Safety Issues

School districts welcome all children without exception, and strive to provide equity of resources and opportunity and a path to success for all.  Our schools are vibrant centers of learning that offer a broad choice of programs and services to meet the educational and social-emotional needs of our diverse student populations.  

Financial Adequacy and Equity

The LHEC is advocating for: a modified Foundation Aid formula calculated using updated and current school district factors; an appropriate Regional Cost Index to be applied to all state aid formulas; the ability for all public school districts to reserve funds for NYS Teacher Retirement System (TRS) employer costs; modifications to the 2% tax levy cap formula; and an updated tuition methodology for Special Act Public School Districts.

The LHEC is advocating for new flexible funding for public school districts to address increased mental health and school safety needs.  It supports legislation to provide school districts with the same "right of refusal" as other public buildings selected as a polling location.
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APPR - Measure What Matters

The LHEC is advocating for a research-based evaluation system that promotes teacher learning and professional growth.  A newly appointed committee of practitioners and subject matter experts should make recommendations to the Regents.  This should include the flexibility for districts to use locally determined multiple measures when evaluating teaching professionals, with management prerogative as to the selection of evaluation tools.