Mark
Weprin
Reports to
the Community
Spring/Summer 2007
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Assemblymember Mark Weprin Reports to the Community Spring/Summer 2007 |
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STATE BUDGET PROVIDES RECORD
With the passage of an on-time budget for the third year in a row, historic investment in New York’s education system will help students to succeed in an ever-changing global economy. As part of the largest education investment in New York State history, New York City schools will receive $714 million more than they received last year, a ten percent increase. For years, Assemblymember Mark Weprin has fought for a meaningful statewide solution to the Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE) school aid court decision. This year’s state budget accomplishes this goal. The budget makes significant investments in our education system by finally addressing the Court of Appeals’ ruling in the CFE case. Included in the budget is a new foundation education formula for predictable, stable, and transparent funding. Particularly crucial is the assurance that at long last New York City, the focus of the original court case, will receive a forty-three percent increase in foundation aid. This builds on last year’s victory of providing financing for New York City’s capital needs by providing over $470 million more in operating aid. The 2007 budget requires New York City to prepare a Contract for Excellence that must include a plan to reduce average class sizes within five years in the specified grade ranges and for low-performing and overcrowded schools. Because of the importance of giving children a strong start early in life, the budget provides $60.3 million more for New York City schools to help make statewide universal prekindergarten a reality. The goal is to ensure that every four-year-old in New York State has the opportunity to get a head start on school. |
SMALL BUSINESS DAY Assemblymember Mark Weprin spoke to business leaders from across New York State who gathered for the 2007 Small Business Day event in Albany. Mr. Weprin is Chair of the New York State Assembly Committee on Small Business and a leading advocate for the interests of New York’s small business owners. |
| In the Community |
MetroCard Van The MetroCard Van travels around the five boroughs. Helpful staff on board sells Unlimited Ride MetroCards and Pay-Per-Ride MetroCards and add money to MetroCards and Reduced-Fare MetroCards. Call (718) 243-4999 for further information. |
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QUEENS FLAG DAY COMMITTEE HONORS MARK WEPRIN
At its 13th Annual Awards and Recognition Dinner, the Queens Flag Day Committee presented the Legislative Service Award to Assemblymember Mark Weprin. The Queens Flag Day Committee was established in 1994 in honor of the fallen soldiers who gave their lives for our freedom. Its purpose is to raise awareness of the sacrifices made by public service workers and military personnel and their families. The group honored Mr. Weprin for his years of dedicated service to the community. |
CELEBRATING 50+ YEARS OF MARRIAGE Assemblymember Mark Weprin officiated at a ceremony during which couples who had been married for at least fifty years renewed their marriage vows in honor of Valentine’s Day. The event took place at Service Now for Adult Persons (SNAP), a senior citizen center serving Eastern Queens. The senior couples, members of SNAP, were delighted to become newlyweds once again. |
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As Chair of the New York State Assembly Committee on Small Business, Assemblymember Weprin regularly meets with business owners to discuss the challenges they face, opportunities for growth and expansion, and ways in which the State could improve its business climate to benefit small businesses. Assemblymember Weprin has been Chair of the Committee on Small Business since 2005. |
| SPEAKING OUT AGAINST HIGH-STAKES SCHOOL TESTING |
While students, parents, teachers, and principals are all too familiar with the oppressive load of standardized tests in New York’s public schools, those who do not have regular contact with the school system are often unaware of the problem. With the No Child Left Behind Law up for reauthorization at the federal level this year, Assemblymember Weprin wants everyone to understand the extent to which testing has taken over our schools and urges those who are concerned to contact their congressional representatives. Parents, teachers, and principals gathered with Assemblymember Weprin to oppose high-stakes testing. Martha Foote of Time Out From Testing, a statewide coalition of parent, educator, business, community, and civil rights organizations in New York State committed to a “time-out” from excessive and high stakes exams joined Assemblymember Weprin, as did Michelle Bodden, Vice President of the United Federation of Teachers. Representatives of New York’s cultural institutions appeared at the event as well. Many leaders from the arts community oppose the extreme emphasis on high-stakes tests because the intense focus on test preparation often results in children having fewer opportunities to learn about and experience art, music, and culture. “I have heard upsetting stories from local elementary schools,” said Mr. Weprin. “In many schools, children received only math homework for an entire month before the statewide math test. The same was true before the English language arts and social studies tests.” In another instance, a school suspended its basketball program for several months to accommodate test preparation in the classrooms. In the era of the childhood obesity epidemic, Assemblymember Weprin believes it is ridiculous for schools to neglect sports and physical education in favor of constant test preparation. Students learn teamwork and cooperation when they participate in organized sports; they cannot learn either from test preparation drills. Assemblymember Weprin said that the diminished time for sports and recreation is just one reason why many young children are starting to dread going to school. “Children should love school,” said Mr. Weprin. “It should be fun, engaging, and exciting for them. School is about a lot more than rote drills and frequent test-taking.” Noting that New York City’s children are going to school in the cultural capital of the world, Assemblymember Weprin said that focusing on test preparation limits opportunities for exploring the rich art, music, and civic experiences that the city offers. Instead of becoming better test takers, students could be visiting world-class museums, participating in theater workshops, and exploring other cultural benefits of New York City. With the world at their fingertips, New York’s students should have varied, vibrant, hands-on experiences, the value of which far surpasses that of frequent standardized tests. Mr. Weprin noted that we want our children to become informed citizens, dynamic leaders, and well-rounded individuals, not test-taking robots. Even worse, recent years have seen several instances when parents received scores well into the following school year, leading them to conclude that the test results have no bearing on their children’s education, and that the youngsters and their families needlessly suffered with stress and anxiety about the tests. Assemblymember Weprin favors a comprehensive approach to academic assessment. Schools should use a variety of tools, including tests, writing samples, and teacher-designed evaluations to assess student achievement. |
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IMPROTANT LEGISLATION PROTECTING CHILDREN ON THE INTERNET With the steadfast support of Assemblymember Mark Weprin, the Legislature passed a measure to strengthen the prohibition against using the Internet to expose minors to indecent material. Governor Eliot Spitzer signed the bill into law. Previously, the law banned communications to children that depict certain content that is harmful to minors. The new measure prohibits inappropriate language as well. Under the law, soliciting minors with explicit language is a Class D felony, punishable by up to seven years in prison. JONATHAN’S LAW The Legislature passed Jonathan’s Law, which will allow parents and guardians of individuals with mental disabilities to access investigative records pertaining to their loved ones. Governor Eliot Spitzer signed the bill into law. This bipartisan legislation will help parents of individuals with disabilities to get the information they need to ensure their loved ones are receiving proper care. Jonathan’s Law will make sure our most vulnerable children and adults are protected within the state mental hygiene system. ETHICS REFORM Landmark ethics reform legislation pushed by Assemblymember Mark Weprin passed the Legislature and Governor Eliot Spitzer signed it into law. The new law will curtail gifts from lobbyists to legislators and create a comprehensive watchdog agency to ensure the integrity of state government. The reforms close loopholes, reduce the influence of lobbyists on our democratic process, and help restore public confidence in state government. WORKERS’ COMPENSATION REFORM With unanimous approval from the Legislature and Governor Eliot Spitzer, New York State enacted long-awaited reform of the state’s workers’ compensation system. The landmark legislation, which received the support of business and labor organizations, will protect workers and reduce costs to businesses. Assemblymember Weprin was a cosponsor of the measure. Under the new law, the weekly benefit to injured workers will be raised significantly and, for the first time in the state’s history, an on-going maximum benefit rate increase will be indexed so that it no longer requires further action by the Legislature or governor. The plan establishes a more effective and just compensation system for injured workers while also providing insurance premium savings to employers. The result will be a more hospitable environment for economic development and job creation throughout New York State. |
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Back |
Mark Weprin visits Middle School 172, the Irwin Altman School, in Floral Park.
(photograph by Howard Koplowitz)
Assemblymember Mark Weprin greets MetroCard Van customers in front of the Bayside
Senior Center, located at 221-15 Horace Harding Expressway
left to right: Queens Flag Day Chairperson Barbara Quigley Barba,
Assemblymember Mark Weprin, Senator Frank Padavan, Queens Flag Day
Executive Director Dr. John J. Farrell, Sr.
left to right: Executive Director Tess Yu; Irene Cheung, a member of Assemblymember
Weprin’s office staff; Assemblymember Mark Weprin; President Thomas Chen
left to right: President Pauline Chu, Chinese-American Parents’ Association;
Vice President Michelle Bodden, United Federation of Teachers; Councilmember
Michael McMahon; Councilmember Robert Jackson; Assemblymember Mark Weprin;
Councilmember David Weprin
