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NYSUT President Melinda Person visited Giffen Memorial Elementary School on Friday morning to meet with teachers, Superintendent Joseph Hochreiter and Â鶹ӰÒô Public School Teachers Association President Laura Franz to discuss advocacy efforts urging the state to update its punitive receivership law. The City School District of Â鶹ӰÒô Board of Education also put forward a resolution with the New York State School Boards Association earlier this summer recommending the same changes. 

While the board and district believe receivership is fundamentally grounded in sound principles aimed at raising the knowledge, skill and opportunity of every student, we also believe the law goes too far with measures that perpetuate deeply held perceptions about low-performing schools and the communities they serve. 

The harsh consequences embedded in the current receivership law make it difficult for schools and school districts to attract and retain the high-quality, highly effective leaders and teachers needed for student success. 

Advocating for more supportive tenets in an updated receivership law will be among the district’s legislative priorities for the coming year.