5 education take-aways from the New York State budget deal

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature reached an agreement on a $142 billion state budget Monday without taking on several key education reforms that initially had been sought as part of the package. Here are five education take-aways from the budget deal:

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature reached an agreement on a $142 billion state budget Monday without taking on several key education reforms that initially had been sought as part of the package.

Here are five education take-aways from the budget deal:

1. State aid: The budget deal calls for some $1.4 billion in state aid for education. The amount is more than the $1.1 billion Cuomo had proposed in his executive budget, but less than the $1.9 billion called for by the Senate and $1.8 sought by the Assembly. Legislators were still working out exactly how the school aid would be distributed.                                                   
2. Teacher evaluations: The Legislature delegated the task of developing a new evaluation system for teachers and principals to the State Education Department, to be worked out by the Board of Regents and the state education commissioner. As part of his package of reforms that he initially sought to attach to the budget, Cuomo had proposed that student test scores on state exams in math and language arts count for 50 percent of a teacher's evaluation. That set off union protests by members of the United Federation of Teachers and the New York State United Teachers.The state Education Department would have to take up the evalulation issue before June.
3. Teacher tenure: The budget would also make changes to the teacher tenure process. The teacher probation period would be extended from three to four years. Teacher evaluations would also be a factor, with teachers needing  to earn three "effective" ratings during that time. Cuomo's original proposal called for extending the probation period from three to five years, and having teachers earn five consecutive "effective" ratings.
4. Tax credit bill:  The Education Investment Tax Credit Bill, that would provide a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for donations to schools and other education-related entities, is off the table, and its immediate future is up in the air. Cardinal Timothy Dolan has been pressing legislators to pass the bill, which proponents say would benefit both public and parochial schools. Legislators did not make it clear whether they would take up the measure before June.
5. Mayoral control of city schools: Renewal of the bill extending mayoral control over New York City's public schools was also taken out of the budget deal. The law, last extended in 2009, is set to expire in June. Mayor Bill de Blasio has said he would like to see mayoral control made permanent. Cuomo argues the measure was meant to be temporary. Some legislators favor  a compromise that would extend mayoral control for seven years, through de Blasio's second term. Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani joined forces with de Blasio, in a recent letter aimed at convincing legislators that mayoral control is necessary for accountability and to carry out reforms.