Open Letter on Fixing Education

May 1, 2013

Dear [Constituent]: 

Thank you for taking the time to write. As an Assemblyman with a Degree in Elementary Education, and as someone who has taught in a classroom, I agree with you that New York State is on the wrong track when it comes to the unnecessary, over-testing of our children.

In an attempt to comply with the federal Race to the Top Program, the state has implemented regulation upon regulation, cumulating to a detrimental impact on our children’s academic experience, and hampering of our teachers and their ability to teach.

After talking to all of the schools in my district, I have made it very clear to the governor, members of the Senate, and to all of my colleagues in the Assembly, that complying with the regulations to receive funding from the Federal Government’s Race to the Top Program costs far more to implement than we actually receive from the Federal Government. Competing for the Race to the Top funding is tantamount to spending ten thousand dollars to get a two thousand dollar grant which does not make sense and is fiscally irresponsible. 

Further, complying with the Race to the Top program has had a detrimental effect on many of our children. 

Throughout New York State, the graduation rate in the low-needs and moderate-needs schools is seventy-three percent, which means that three out of every ten students is dropping out. In high-needs schools, the graduation rate is sixty two percent which means that four out of every ten students is dropping out. As much as we want all of our children to be nuclear physicists, that is not a reality. Many children end up getting frustrated and dropping out of school. 

These children have acquired no skills to participate in our economy. The State is doing a disservice to these children and to our state by not addressing this problem correctly. 

When I went to school, we had wood shops, automotive shops, electrical shops, metal shops, cosmetology, and many other trade based programs. We offered students the ability to acquire a general, as well as a regents diploma; A career track, as well as an education track. There is nothing wrong with a career in the trades. As a matter of fact, have you paid an electrician, a plumber or a mechanic lately? Trade schools give our children a future in many worthy careers. 

We need to return to what has worked in previous years. Government should not be tinkering with the education experience of our children, while ignoring the voices of the professionals in the classroom. 

I have been a strong advocate over the time I have been in office for the restoration of the proven methods listed above. Hopefully with added voices, such as yours, we can get government out of the classroom for the benefit of our children.

Once again, thank you for writing. Feel free to contact me with any further questions or concerns you may have in the future.

Sincerely,

Alfred C. Graf
Member of Assembly
5th Assembly District

My hearing with Dr. King, the New York State Commissioner of Education, can be viewed on YouTube using this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSher9XzK0s&list=PLFDBFEDE2CD5EBF28