Education Patterns

Of New York State’s 695 school districts, 122 of them are in the Hudson Valley. We are the highest ranked state in terms of expenditure per pupil, yet rank between 31 and 33 in results. As a state, we invest $63 billion in our public schools annually. As a state, we invest $65 billion in our public schools annually. As a region, we are the most heavily taxed location in the nation—our school taxes are the reason. Nonetheless, many students still struggle to succeed and the majority graduate from high school unprepared for college or for the workplace. What can be done? Our work focuses on this question.

Many students struggle to succeed and the majority graduate from high school unprepared for college or for the workplace. In New York State, only 38% of students graduate from high school ready for college or career (as measured in standard Regents English and Math tests). As a result, more than 50% of students entering community colleges require remediation in math and English. Increasingly, employers are raising their voices to say that high school and community college graduates lack basic skills. Workforce training is essential to meeting the demands of employers in the coming decades. Finally, it is essential that we examine how we fund our schools so that we ensure it is equitably done. What can be done? We blame no one, but instead seek to engage in a dialogue that will result in moving us forward.