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Westchester Arc Hosted a Regional Panel that Addressed Educational Access and Equity in Times of Economic Uncertainty
From left, Ric Swierat, Westchester Arc Executive Director; Mark Leinung, NYS Assistant Secretary for Education, Governor’s Chamber and Rebecca Cort, Ed.D., Deputy Commissioner, State Education Department at reception prior to meeting.
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| Tom Hughes, Westchester Arc Associate Executive Director, welcomed the panelists and invited guests to the meeting. |
The event was held Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at Westchester Arc’s Gleeson-Israel Gateway Center in Hawthorne, NY.
PANELISTS INCLUDED:
- Mark Leinung, NYS Assistant Secretary for Education, Governor’s Chamber
- Rebecca Cort, Ed.D., Deputy Commissioner, State Education Department
- Michael Schulman, Co-President, Council of New York Special Education Administrators
- Jay Worona, Esq., General Counsel, New York State School Board Association
- Suzi Oppenheimer, Chairperson of Senate Education Committee, New York State Senate
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| Suzi Oppenheimer, New York State Senator. |
The New York State PTA Westchester East Putnam Region Special Education (SEPTA) Committee and New York State Senator, Suzi Oppenheimer held a panel presentation, "Assuring Educational Access and Equity in Times of Economic Uncertainty”. The panel addressed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding, State and local budget issues, mandate relief proposals, and other topics pertinent to the education of students with disabilities in New York State.
Invited guests included Superintendents, School Board members, Directors of Special Education, and special education parent leadership representatives. “The purpose of the event is collaboration. This gathering was unique in that it is the first to bring together representatives of all stakeholder groups, including parents. There are current pertinent issues in education for students with disabilities that needed to be addressed collaboratively so that equity and quality be maintained.” said Naomi Brickel, who co-chairs the Special Education Committee with Tara Klein for the Westchester and East Putnam Regional NYS PTA. Tara added further, "Parent organizations, like SEPTA's and PTA's, must be recognized as an important resource in the budget process. Engaging parents in a meaningful way in the education dialog is critical to the ultimate success and appropriate education of all children."
Guests from various school districts and panelists throughout the county enjoyed touring Westchester Arc's newly opened Gleeson-Israel Gateway Center in Hawthorne.
