New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Education Incoming Correspondence Relating to Proposed Legislation

L0129-78: Alphabetical by topic of legislation.

L0129-03: Correspondence pertaining to non-public schools is arranged chronologically. Correspondence related to other topics is arranged by subject and/or bill number.

Correspondence received by the Assembly Education Committee during 1969 reflects public and professional opinion on proposed legislation. The correspondence was sent by a broad range of individuals and groups including: teachers and teachers' unions; school district administrators; members of local boards of education; parents and parent associations; physicians, engineers, and other professionals; concerned taxpayers; and associations and organizations involved with educational issues.

More than half of the correspondence relates to proposed reductions in state aid to education; the majority of opinion expressed was opposed to such cuts. The remaining correspondence relates to more than thirty other issues including: decentralization of New York City schools; increased state aid for handicapped education; implementation of a new health education curriculum with a controversial sex education component; increased teachers' retirement benefits; and freezing operating costs in hospitals and nursing homes.

L0129-03: This accretion consists of correspondence received by the Assembly Education Committee, chaired by Constance E. Cook, between January and May 1970. Most of the correspondence pertains to the controversial issue of state financial assistance to non-public schools and parents of students in non-public schools. In 1970, Assemblyman Alfred D. Lerner and Senator Edward J. Speno sponsored legislation that would provide grants to low-income families with children attending non-public elementary and secondary schools. The majority of correspondents expressed support of this legislation and state aid to non-public schools. However, the Speno-Lerner bill never reached the floor of either house of the legislature. Chapter 414 of the Laws of 1972 ultimately provided for grants to non-public schools and tuition reimbursement for low-income families with children attending non-public schools.

A small amount of correspondence pertains to pending legislation related to teachers' retirement benefits; teachers' tenure; financial assistance to registered nurses for continuing education; state aid to public school districts; and state funding for the education of children with disabilities.

L0129-03: These records were transferred to the State Archives by the State Library at an unknown date. They were accessioned in conjunction with a project undertaken by Archives staff in 2003 to describe or integrate estrayed or unidentified records.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.