[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6316640,"mediaKeyId","2376463-24946d2e211b2c7ee0123bb7473a993a","parentId",2376463,"title","Cornwall budget preview: administrators seek staffing, safety system and special‑education support as property‑tax cap looms","audioSeconds",1354,"startMs",3186000,"endMs",4540000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2376463-24946d2e211b2c7ee0123bb7473a993a&start=3186&end=4540","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2376463-24946d2e211b2c7ee0123bb7473a993a/thumbnail_3186000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6316640/New-York/Cornwall-budget-preview-administrators-seek-staffing-safety-system-and-specialeducation-support-as-propertytax-cap-looms","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6316640-6eaa1b1d1e8fb1372724586d01e4a503/orig.mp4?Expires=1770735289&Signature=TXO8k5ZQgtMYbCqb5wcOpQ5zxxjL6wKyAHPnpph7RLRe2cgED0ZAFB801We6XEDabuDcICHKPesExD47NHSkrsz25GF9oo7XKwe3GPGymlbKUCVGkyZKqIQV~2dz8-JQBKOYAucKXpDv9-vDT9tJnPCysUgunj1DOJKKsfWSaJCZCApH1RvwmkSjoxa6uoUMy3vl43xtRAcY49AVspX18iWUFcmkhx0LWr~F4cU4c06aKdQxkjC3ZVtD966HHJg2npk7URCWujpF7~tfBtHjwdBDmhVPBiL1JZzCRLtJW~WiuXOU7X3sN0GwwL70G0q~p8bWIXCH6LvPOGPS53UJ5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-22T16:55:10Z","article","Cornwall Central School District officials presented a preliminary 2025–26 budget needs assessment on Feb. 10 that requests new staff, security upgrades and program supports amid rising retirement contribution costs and an uncertain state and federal funding picture.

Business official John Fink told the Board of Education the needs assessment totals about $1.4 million and highlighted requests including an elementary guidance split, additional early‑intervention staff, an ELL teacher at the high school, a committee‑on‑special‑education (CSE) chairperson, a high‑school custodian for pool/community lunch coverage and four safety monitors to staff new security vestibules. \"The total of our needs assessment here is $1,400,000,\" Fink said.

Why it matters: The district must balance rising mandated costs — including larger employer retirement contributions — with a property‑tax cap that limits levy growth. Fink said preliminary property‑tax cap calculations show a potential 3.08% levy increase (about $1.6 million) but noted that the tax‑levy cap and final state aid numbers are subject to change when the state finalizes aid runs.

Key requests and rationale: The administration proposed staffing additions to address increased workload and state mandates: a guidance department chair at the middle school to coordinate transitions; additional early‑intervention teachers to align supports across elementary buildings; a dedicated ELL teacher at the high school to address complex newcomer and credit needs; and a CSE chairperson to manage a rise in CSE meetings. Fink said the district has added about 24.1 FTE over the past four years, with staffing representing the largest share of recent budget increases.

Safety and capital: The administration proposed a $300,000 transfer to capital to begin installing a districtwide lockdown and emergency notification system (panic buttons, VoIP lockdown activation, selective strobes and administrative mobile access). \"You'd be able to lock down from any phone,\" Fink said, noting the project would be aidable and that building aid would be realized in a subsequent year if the work is completed in 2025–26.

Mandates and cost drivers: Fink reviewed unfunded or underfunded mandates affecting the budget, including rising employer contributions for the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) and Employees' Retirement System (ERS). He reported TRS employer rates up roughly 10% this year and ERS increases around 16.5% in recent years. He called health‑insurance increases \"modest\" at about 2.5% compared with prior larger jumps.

Revenue assumptions and risks: The district expects a roughly $1.02 million increase in state aid based on the governor’s run, with roughly $1 million of that in Foundation Aid; final aid will be set in April (sometimes May). Fink reminded the board that 1% of the tax levy equals roughly $525,000 in local revenue and that different transfer‑to‑capital choices affect the maximum allowable levy. He also flagged federal funding uncertainty and noted that congressional appropriations ultimately drive federal program dollars even if administrative agencies change.

Board questions and follow‑up: Board members asked for more detail on several requests: the scope of the proposed guidance chair role; why ELL staffing is needed at the high school (complexity of newcomer cases and credit recovery); how UPK expansion (98 seats) affects PPS/CSE workload; and whether the proposed $300,000 capital transfer would be sufficient to complete the system. Fink said quotes supported the $300,000 figure and that aid would follow in subsequent years.

Votes and next steps: At the working session the board adopted the 2025–26 budget calendar (item 4) after a motion; the motion passed with two abstentions, the presentation outlined future budget dates (budget adoption Apr. 24 and a budget vote May 20), and the administration will return with further detail on specific line items and supporting documentation at upcoming budget workshops.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","CCSD Board of Education Meeting Monday February 10th, 2025 @ 7 00PM","oneSentenceSummary","District business official John Fink outlined a needs assessment that includes new counselors, an early‑intervention teacher, ELL staff, safety monitors, a $300,000 transfer to capital for a districtwide lockdown/notification system and estimated revenue and mandate pressures ahead of the May budget vote.","taxTitle","CORNWALL CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, New York","taxId",60462,"location","New York","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6316644,"Cornwall committee selects i‑Ready for K–5, IntoMath for middle grades after yearlong pilot process",763,671000,1434000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2376463-24946d2e211b2c7ee0123bb7473a993a&start=671&end=1434","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2376463-24946d2e211b2c7ee0123bb7473a993a/thumbnail_671000.jpg","/articles/6316644/New-York/Cornwall-committee-selects-iReady-for-K5-IntoMath-for-middle-grades-after-yearlong-pilot-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6316644-08c386f1f14df48d207ade88615925ab/orig.mp4?Expires=1770735289&Signature=h-sFNhl8XRdgDP-15InjqpCmzWiK-7QABi-7zhqur5-Nmbyc6rNxQYPtwT7mjKgbr2SxPmGGpD8v65bbwjq6tEVVEuJPkBK-YV~S~83aKc7QVsKFuWA~VzdlMR6qFzmgWTwVNqtzTFPb6L553dLpUAzSjBlbCr5SxpfpVgpr761RcWx0PS3vy-ay7AVaIWlhoiqWE9twoBGAt9G0ElRrtMs6qqP~cEEFX2KFkRiBuVDDd5R3s6GVs5yWYEOVwmuocJlhl-JaVXImUYHbNrTiV4h0l4xi~Q-Cak385gz5nEPOibla~UkeAa914Dpghfjhys3WGORJSUnv2RQ7O7cahA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cornwall Central School District’s curriculum committee recommended adopting i‑Ready for kindergarten through grade 5 and IntoMath for middle‑school math after a yearlong review and classroom pilot program, presenters told the Board of Education on Feb. 10.

The recommendation follows vendor presentations in March–April 2024, classroom pilots, teacher feedback forms and a six‑hour committee analysis using a 12‑component rubric, Curriculum Presenter Mrs. Argenio said. \"No program is perfect, and we know that we're gonna need work to do,\" she said, describing the process of norming the rubric and tying teacher evidence to each component.

Why it matters: The district has used Go Math since 2013; the current Go Math edition sunsets at the end of the school year, meaning the district must select and implement a new elementary/middle resource for fall 2025. Board members said teachers and families will need materials, training and supplemental supports if the change is adopted.

What the committee reviewed: Mrs. Argenio told the board the committee—composed of building and department chairs and district administrators—met with multiple vendors and scored materials on 12 components including online platform, differentiation, diagnostic tools, lesson pacing, supplemental materials and family support. After pilot feedback and rubric scoring, \"our K–5 program will be i‑Ready and our K–6 and advanced algebra program will be IntoMath,\" she said. (The committee noted strengths and gaps in both programs and identified areas for summer curriculum work and SIP‑meeting follow‑up.)

Board reaction and requests for data: Several board members pressed for the scoring rubric and the underlying teacher evidence. Christian (board member) said he wanted to see the precise metrics used to rank vendors. \"I'd be curious to see how the scoring was done,\" he said. Another board member, who earlier reported mixed feedback from school visitation, asked whether the committee had investigated why neighboring districts (including Washingtonville and Newburgh) had reduced or stopped using i‑Ready. Committee members responded that Washingtonville had implemented only the diagnostic and built its own materials around it, making sustainability difficult.

Teachers and special programs: The committee noted that the diagnostic tools will be used by AIS (academic intervention services) teams to identify gaps and guide tier‑2 instruction. Mrs. Argenio said AIS staff will be trained on the diagnostic tools and that pilot teachers and administrators will continue planning through SIP meetings, summer curriculum hours and fall 2025 rollout. Board members and parents asked for family supports to help caregivers understand different problem‑solving approaches used by the new programs.

Implementation steps and supports: District presenters said next steps include training AIS staff on diagnostics, continuing pilot teacher training through spring and summer, ordering materials as soon as practicable, and preparing supplemental materials to fill identified gaps. Mrs. Argenio described ongoing summer curriculum hours and principal‑led planning to build alignment by grade level.

Concerns and caveats: Board members raised concerns widely reported in teacher reviews and national coverage about i‑Ready—including gamification, adaptive‑assessment limits and the potential for students to game diagnostic routines—though committee members emphasized mixed district experiences and said local evidence showed student growth on the pilot diagnostic, which the district analysts reviewed. One board member summarized the district’s stance: curriculum resources are tools to help reach New York State standards, and high‑quality instruction and targeted small‑group work remain central regardless of the vendor chosen.

What happens next: The presentation did not record a formal board vote adopting a curriculum; it reported the committee’s recommendation and described training and implementation steps. Board members asked the administration to provide the full rubric and teacher evidence used in scoring before final procurement and to continue building teacher and family supports.","A district curriculum committee recommended i‑Ready for kindergarten through grade 5 and IntoMath for middle‑school math after a year of vendor reviews, classroom pilots and a six‑hour rubric analysis; board members pressed for the underlying rubric and teacher input before full implementation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Cornwall budget preview: administrators seek staffing, safety system and special‑education support as property‑tax cap looms

Cornwall committee selects i‑Ready for K–5, IntoMath for middle grades after yearlong pilot process