Lawler: The Educational Equity and Choice Act To Solve The East Ramapo School Problem

Today, Assemblyman Lawler announced new legislation that would fundamentally change the equation and address the unique problem facing the East Ramapo Central School District: how we fund mandated services for private school students.

“Under the bill, the Educational Equity and Choice Act, or the EECA, those decisions and the funding mechanism would no longer be under the purview of the public school board, but rather New York State and the State Department of Education. The state would be fully responsible for funding those mandated services,” Lawler explained.

It would also mean that the sole focus of the public school board would be to ensure that the public school students receive the fully funded, quality education they deserve.

“This bill, in conjunction with other measures, will help ALL of the students in the East Ramapo Central School District by ensuring a steady, consistent stream of funding for both public and private schools.”

“It is my sincere hope that with this change, we can remedy some of the division we’ve seen in the East Ramapo Central School District, bring communities together, and begin healing some of the wounds that this battle over funding has created,” Lawler said.