NYS ALLIES FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION
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    • NYSAPE Update Data Privacy
    • NYSAPE-Remembers-RegentJudithJohnson
    • NYSAPE PR OPT REMAINS STRONG
    • NYSAPE PR Elia Resigns
    • NYSAPE PR OPT OUT SCARE TACTICS
    • NYSAPE PR - Vote NO to APPR Bill
    • NYSAPE Letter to BOR - Labeling Schools
    • NYSAPE ESSA Public Comment
    • NYSAPE Repeal Ed Transformation Act-APPR PR
    • CSM-NYSAPE ESSA Opposition
    • NYSAPE SED-BOR EPIC FAIL
    • NYSAPE PR Schools NOT Penalized for Opt Outs
    • NYSAPE Local Diploma Expansion Public Comment
    • NYSAPE PR Educational and Racial Justice
    • NYSAPE PR Student Data Breach
    • NYSAPE-MPDA PR Diploma Expansion
    • NYSAPE PR ESSA - CC
    • NYSAPE PR 2017 Opt Out Results
    • ESSA Public Hearings
    • NYSAPE-PR-Remove-Elia
    • NYSAPE-PR-OptOut2017
    • NYSAPE-CSM-SED-PrivacyIssue
    • NYSED-Survey-Mtg-OTL-alert
    • NYSAPE-Memo-SED-ESSA-TestRefusals
    • NYSAPE-PR-Cuomo-DeVos-Budget
    • NYSAPE Post Election
    • NYSAPE PR CC Revisions Response
    • NYSAPE ESSA Public Comments to NYSED
    • NYSAPE Grad Req Public Comments to NYSED
    • NYSAPE ESSA Public Comments to USDOE
    • NYSAPE PR Score Analysis
    • NYSAPE PR Opt Out 16 Results
    • NYSAPE Mulgrew Response
    • NYSAPE PR Albany Refused To Fix Ed Laws
    • NYSAPE PR Fix Broken Laws
    • NYSAPE PR Elia Test Policy
    • NYSAPE Press Release School State Aid Loss
    • NYC Press Conference
    • NYSAPE PR Support New Ed Legislation
    • NYSAPE Chancellor Election
    • NYSAPE Response to HANY
    • NYSAPE PR Regent Candidates Support
    • NYSAPE Regent Candidates
    • NYSAPE Response to Tim Kremer NYSSBA
    • NYSAPE Press Release BOR Leadership
    • NYSAPE CCM Reaction Data Privacy
    • NYSAPE PR Board Regent Candidates
    • Board of Regents Candidate Info
    • NYSAPE Funding Response to USDOE
    • NYSAPE Press Release CC Taskforce
    • NYSAPE Press Release Survey Results
    • NYSAPE CC Survey Results
    • NYSAPE PR Elia Survey
    • NYSAPE PR Response to Obama
    • NYSAPE Duncan King Response
    • NYSAPE Press Release Cuomo Task Force Response
    • NYSAPE Press Release - Parents Respond to Cuomo-Tisch-Elia
    • NYSAPE Objects to Permanent Adoption of Flawed APPR Scheme
    • NYSAPE Press Release 2015 Scores
    • NYSAPE-Elia-Mtg-Recap
    • EliaMeetingHandout080415
    • NYSAPE Press Release No Relief in Sight Opt Out Will Grow
    • NYSAPE-PR-STOP CUOMO EDUCATION TAX CREDIT SCHEME
    • Albany Continues to Ignore Parents Ensuring the Opt­Out Movement Will Grow
    • NYSAPE-PR-NY-Parents-Have-Spoken
    • NYSAPE Public Service Announcement on CBS
    • New York State Parents Reject Proposed Legislation that Does Nothing to Protect Students
    • Thousands of Parents Stand Together to Reject Governor Cuomo’s
    • NYSAPE Members Addressing the NYS Legislature
    • NYSAPE Comments on ESEA Draft Legislation
    • NYSAPE FOIL Request for State Aid Budget Figures
    • New Yorkers Call for an Immediate Independent Investigation of Governor Cuomo
    • Press Release - Response to Governor's Letter on Public Education
    • NYSAPE Response Letter to Governor on Public Education
    • Parents and Educators Erupt in Anger Against Governor Cuomo's Vow to "Break" Our Public School System
    • 250,000 High-Stakes Test Boycotts Planned Statewide: NYS Parents Fight to Reclaim Student Education from Excessive Testing and Data Collection
    • Governor Cuomo’s Education Positions Aligned to Privatize Public Education
    • Parents and Educators Reject the Tests, the Scores and Corporate Agenda of NYSED & Pearson
    • Parents Outraged by APPR Albany Deal that Ignores the Children
    • State Test Refusals are exploding as Parents Discover Legislature Brings No Relief
    • NYSAPE Calls for End to Verbal Refusal Policies
    • New Yorkers Moved the Needle on the Board of Regents Vote & Process, but Not Enough
    • NYS Assembly Bill to Rein in “Regents’ Education Reform Agenda” is a Starting Point, but Not Nearly Enough
    • School Policies Regarding Test Refusals in Some NYS Districts Equate to Corporal Punishment for Students
    • NYSAPE Urges Legislators to Cast No Vote for Incumbents at Board of Regents Election if Nominated
    • Parents and Educators Outraged by Regents Unwillingness to Assume Responsibility and Change Course
    • New Yorker's Outraged by Governor's Flawed Common Core Panel
    • NYS Leadership Falls Short to Reverse Course of the Flawed Regent Education Reforms
    • NYSAPE Endorses Full Slate of Candidates for the Board of Regents
    • NYSAPE Reacts to NYSUT's Vote of No Confidence in Education Commissioner John King
    • NYS Allies for Public Education Endorses New Candidates for the Board of Regents
    • Governor Cuomo Continues to Avoid Addressing New Yorkers on Public Education
    • Community Forum Series - "Public Education Now: Reform and Resistance in NYS"
    • Senator Flanagan's Proposed Legislation Insult to the People of New York
    • New Yorkers Call on Governor Cuomo to Step Up to the Plate
    • Parents Demand More Accountability in the Appointment of Members of the Board of Regents
    • Parents Request Formal Public Meeting With NYS Board of Regents - Nov. 6, 2013
    • Twenty-Two Teachers' Unions Support Call for Education Commissioners Resignation
    • Past events
  • Take Action
    • NY Privacy Regs
    • NYSAPE-Call Albany to STOP APPR Bill
    • TAKE ACTION - NO TO APPR BILL
    • Action Alert - Give Back GATES Grant
    • NYSAPE ESSA Action Alert
    • ActionAlertNYSED-BOR-STOP-MISINFORMATION
    • Remove Commissioner Elia
    • Support OTL NY ESSA Plan
    • Education Legislation Action Alert
    • Field Test Action Alert
    • Support Ed Legislation to Repair Public Education
    • NYSAPE Legislative Agenda
    • Student Data Privacy Action Alert
    • Regents Position Paper
    • Legislators MUST Vote NO to Budget bill
    • Protect Our Schools Campaign
    • Resolution to Support the “I Refuse” Movement
    • Contact Your Legislators to Attend Regent Interviews
    • Demand Albany Stop Governor Cuomo and Chancellor Tisch's Assault on Public Education
    • Stop Mandatory Stand-alone Field Tests
    • DEMAND Education Commissioner John King and Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch RESIGN
    • Regents Vote Scorecard
    • Scorecard For Board of Regents Vote and ACTION ALERT
    • Local PTA's Supporting Informational Meetings On Opting-Out of State Tests
    • Action Alert - Cuomo Must Step Up to the Plate
    • Support Call for Commissioner John King's Resignation
    • Action Alert - John King Must Resign
    • Resignation of NYS Education Commissioner John King
    • Return to Sender, statewide drive
    • Resolutions Against Testing
  • Student Data Privacy
  • FAQ's
    • If My Child Refuses State Tests Will My School Lose Funding?
    • If My Child Refuses State Tests Will My School Become an LAP?
  • Other Resources
    • The Early Catastrophe: The 30 Million Word Gap by Age 3
  • Press Release: Launch of NYS Allies - August 23, 2013
  • NYSAPE Objects to Permanent Adoption of Flawed APPR Scheme
  • T-shirt images
  • Oswego Letter
  • School Scare Tactics to Parents
  • 2019 ELA Teacher Feedback
  • 2019 Opt Out Factsheet

Who We are



NYS Allies for Public Education are parents, educators and community members who firmly believe in the power of public education and its fundamental link to the success of a thriving community and a transparent, democratic government.

We believe excessive testing and inappropriate sharing of private student data without parent consent threaten the future of our students, our schools, and our state. 

While meaningful assessments are an essential component of a world-class education, the NYS Common Core (Next Generation Learning Standards) standardized assessments are aligned with unproven reforms neither supported by vigorous research nor vetted by educators and parents.


Please CONTACT US and consider joining forces with our efforts to protect the best interests of students throughout NYS. 

NYS Allies for Public Education Steering Committee
​
Jamaal Bowman - Founding Bronx principal of CASA public middle school and parent. Prior, he was a guidance counselor, teacher, and Dean of Students at The High School of Art and Technology at the Martin Luther King Jr. Campus.


Deborah Abramson-Brooks - Nassau County, Long Island, parent of one child.  Public school advocate. Co-founder PW Advocates for Public Education; charter member National Parent Coalition for Student Privacy.  Former Assistant District Attorney for Nassau County.  Former Assistant Public Defender for Baltimore City. Served from 2015 to June 15, 2019

Chris Cerrone - Western New York parent of children ages 14 & 12, twenty-two year veteran educator, and Board of Education Trustee for Springville-Griffith Institute School. Co-founder of WNY for Public Education.

Jeanette Deutermann - Nassau County Long Island, parent of two children, ages 14 and 11. Parent advocate. Founder of Long Island Opt Out.


Amy Gropp Forbes — parent of 3 New York City public school children, parent advocate, and co-founder of NYC Opt Out. 


Johanna Garcia - Parent of three children in NYC public schools ages 10, 11 and 16. Parent and education advocate. President of CEC District 6. Co-founder of Dyslexia Plus in Public Schools. Executive Director at City College of New York. Former Chief of Staff to City Council Education Committee Chair, Robert Jackson.

Kevin Glynn - Long Island parent of children, ages 10 and 5 and teacher. Co-founder of Lace to the Top.

Eileen Graham - Rochester public school parent of a 5th grader and of a recent high school graduate who is now attending San Dominican University in CA.  Eileen is the founder of Black Student Leadership. 

Leonie Haimson - Executive Director of Class Size Matters, and former NYC public school parent for over fifteen years.

Michael Hynes, Ed.D - Long Island superintendent of Patchogue-Medford school district and father of 5 children. Public school education advocate. Served from 2016 to June 1, 2019


Jake Jacobs - NY BAT leader, lifelong professional artist,  ninth-year art teacher in New York City, and father of two school-aged daughters. Jacobs began researching education policy in 2013 when he heard the nonsensical announcement that math/reading test scores would be used to rank arts teachers.


Kemala Karmen - co-founder of NYC Opt Out and the parent of two children who attend a public 6-12 school affiliated with the New York Performance Standards Consortium. She lives in Brooklyn and is deputy director of NYCpublic, a design-thinking community engagement consultancy, as well as a producer/writer for the production company Shoot4Education.

Marla Kilfoyle - National Board Certified Teacher, 30 years in the classroom, Executive Director for BATs, public school parent advocate for Long Island Opt Out. Served from 2013 to 2018

Jessica McNair - Central New York parent of children two public school children, educator, advocate for children & public education.  Founder of Opt Out CNY. Served from 2013 to 2017

Lisa Rudley - Westchester County parent of 3 children, ages 17, 16 and 13 and advocate for special needs children. Ossining School Board Trustee.


Janine Sopp - Brooklyn parent of a high school freshman, parent advocate, co-founder of NYC Opt Out, ceramic artist and Director of Clay Space 1205

Bianca Tanis - Special education teacher, Ulster County parent of two children, ages 16 and 13.
​
Katie Zahedi, Ph.D - An administrator in the Mid-Hudson Valley and previously a teacher.  She is the mother of 4 children who all attended New York public schools.

Our Mission

NYS ALLIES FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION EXISTS TO ADDRESS MANY ISSUES INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING: 

1.)  EXCESSIVE STANDARDIZED TESTING IS CONSUMING 25% OF OUR CHILDREN'S ACADEMIC YEAR. IT FORCES TEACHERS TO "TEACH TO TEST", COSTS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, TEACHES CHILDREN THERE IS ONLY ONE RIGHT ANSWER, AND TAKES THE JOY OUT OF LEARNING.

2.)  OUR CHILDREN'S PRIVATE, PERSONAL INFORMATION IS BEING STORED IN LARGE DATABASES AND IS BEING PROVIDED TO PRIVATE COMPANIES WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF PARENTS, AND WITHOUT PROVIDING AN OPT-OUT PROVISION TO BE REMOVED FROM THE DATABASE.

3.)  UNITING REGIONAL GROUPS FROM ACROSS NEW YORK STATE IN ONE LOCATION WHERE WE CAN WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF EDUCATION IN NYS.
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