ACTION CENTER

Note: Thanks to everyone who took contacted their representatives to encourage them to take action on behalf of the BCSD for the 2017-2018 school year. There is still much work to be done - stay tuned!

We ALL need to contact our State representatives to implore them to take action to help the BCSD.

Please use the letter below as a starting point.

STEP 1: Add the updated addresses into your email by clicking this link: START MY LETTER!

*This link may not work for all types of email clients.If it does not work for you or you would rather send a letter through the mail, please see the information at the bottom of the page.

STEP 2: Use the subject line: Bedford Central Needs Your Help

STEP 3: Copy and paste the letter into your email

STEP 4: Personalize the text as desired

STEP 5: Sign your name!

Dear State Senator Latimer, State Senator Murphy, Assemblyman Buchwald and other respected state legislators,

I am sending this letter to ask for your help to provide the Bedford Central School District (BCSD) with a sufficient level of much needed NYS education funding.

I hope you are aware that the NYS Comptroller's office recently ranked the BCSD as the third most fiscally stressed school district in the state. Due to unfunded mandates and an increasing high need population, costs are rising significantly faster than revenues, despite the fact that programs have been cut, class sizes are increasing, and total employment is down. The BCSD needs financial aid from the state to maintain quality education.

The BCSD has a substantial and rising population of high need and at risk students comprised of English Language Learners (ELLs) and students in poverty who receive Free and Reduced Price Meals. Out of 46 districts in Westchester and Putnam counties, the BCSD is:

#4 in English Language Learner student growth

#7 in English Language Learner students as a percent of total enrollment

#11 in Free and Reduced meals percentage

Yet we are #40 in the amount of the state aid we receive. Districts across Westchester and Putnam counties are experiencing declining student populations. Many have a minimal number of high need students, yet they receive more aid than the BCSD.

State aid is intended to help districts that genuinely need it most. The aid should be provided for the students at risk. The BCSD represents a diverse community that is more heterogeneous than most districts in Westchester and Putnam, and state mandates are hurting districts with growing English Language Learners the most. We implore you to take action to help the BCSD and fix this funding imbalance.

We need you to advocate for us and generate results. We need additional NYS funding for the 2017/18 school year.

Sincerely,

If the link above does not work, manually copy and paste the following addresses into your email system: UPDATED!!

latimer@nysenate.gov

murphy@nysenate.gov

BuchwaldD@nyassembly.gov

Flanagan@nysenate.gov

JDKlein@nysenate.gov

SCousins@nysenate.gov

Marcelli@nysenate.gov

Speaker@nyassembly.gov

NolanC@nyassembly.gov

If you would prefer to send a traditional letter through the Postal Service, you can print out the letter below

and find the physical addresses here: Representative Addresses