FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 1, 2014

More information contact:

Eric Mihelbergel (716) 553-1123; nys.allies@gmail.com
Lisa Rudley (917) 414-9190; nys.allies@gmail.com
NYS Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE) www.nysape.org
Governor Cuomos Education Positions Aligned to Privatize Public Education
New York State Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE), a coalition of more than fifty parent and educator
advocacy groups throughout the state, released a scorecard http://www.scribd.com/doc/238348598/NYSAPE-
Gubernatorial-Candidate-Scorecard-2014 comparing the key education positions of the candidates running for
Governor. NYSAPE personally communicated with all the candidates campaign teams. NYSAPE is committed
to communicating the most accurate information on issues that matter to parents, teachers, and other friends
of public education. New Yorkers who care about public education will have a clear choice for the Democratic
primary on September 9 and for the general election on November 4.
Governor Cuomo is the only candidate among the five who supports the Common Core standards. When it
comes to the hot-button issue of teacher tenure, Rob Astorino opposes the law as it stands now. Zephyr
Teachout, Howie Hawkins, and Randy Credico support teacher tenure. However, the Governor is
noncommittal as his reply was, Any change to the current law would have to be carefully reviewed". Similarly,
the four challengers are opposed to keeping John King as Education Commissioner. The Governors response
to NYSAPE was, It is inappropriate to comment on specific individuals in this context.
The four challengers also oppose APPR, which ties teacher evaluation to student test scores, while the
Governor, a prime sponsor of the law which created the system, fully supports it. All candidates support
significantly rolling back time spent on standardized testing. However, the Governor claims that the recent
legislation banning K-2 testing and capping test prep time will significantly roll back testing. In reality, it does
nothing to reduce standardized testing time for 3
rd
through 8
th
grade students.
As to education spending, the Governor opposes fully funding Foundation Aid, Rob Astorino is noncommittal
and said it depends on the states financials, while the other three candidates namely Zephyr Teachout,
Randy Credico and Howie Hawkins all support full funding. The candidates are similarly polarized when it
comes to charter schools. The Governor supports the expansion of charter schools; Astorino who supports
charters schools is noncommittal to the expansion, while the other three candidates do not support their
expansion.
Lisa Rudley, Westchester County public school parent and founding member of NYSAPE said, Governor
Cuomo has failed to listen to parents and he continues to ignore our concerns. Unlike every other candidate,
he does not oppose keeping John King as Commissioner, who has disrespected our views when it comes to our
opposition to the Common Core and our need to protect our childrens privacy.
Jeanette Deutermann, Nassau County public school parent and founder of Long Opt Out said, We must put
an end to the test obsession that has hijacked our classrooms. Its clear from this scorecard that Governor
Cuomo, while he claims he supports a significant rollback, his record says otherwise.
"The governor boasts the passage of four on-time budgets in a row and that he closed the budget gap. Do not
be fooled; these claims are self-serving at best. Cuomo siphoned billions of precious dollars away from public
education to satisfy cronyism and business interests. We must remember this come Septembers Democratic
primary election and Novembers general election," said Anna Shah, Dutchess County public school parent.
Governor Cuomo used his power in Albany to subsidize charter schools in NYC at the expense of our public
schools and against the wishes of our democratically-elected mayor, said NYC public school parent, Nancy
Cauthen. Our neighborhood public schools are hugely overcrowded, with thousands of students sitting in
trailers or on waiting lists for kindergarten. And now city taxpayers will have to provide charter schools space
in our public school buildings on demand or pay for their rent in private space, Cauthen further stated.
NYSAPE is providing this scorecard because it is imperative that voters in New York understand the positions
of each candidate running for Governor. APPR, the teacher evaluation system imposed by the Governor, is
harming students and teachers who are unfairly judged by this damaging system, said Katie Zahedi, Dutchess
County principal at Linden Avenue Middle School in Red Hook, New York.
"I find it startling that Governor Cuomo wont commit to supporting teacher tenure, but says that he would
have to carefully review the law. It is only because of tenure that teachers have the courage to stand up for
their students when student rights are abused, said Chris Cerrone, Erie County public school parent, special
education teacher, and Springville-Griffith Institute CSD Board Member.

Tim Farley, Columbia County public school parent, educator, and member of NYSAPE said, "The current
Governor refuses to listen to the concerns of parents and educators from across the state to make major
course corrections in his educational policies. We demand an end to high-stakes testing and the flawed APPR
system, and we want our children's sensitive data protected once and for all. If he refuses to listen, we will put
someone else in office who will."

###
2014
Issues
Andrew Cuomo
(D-Incumbent)
Zephyr Teachout
(Democrat)
Randy Credico
(Democrat)
Rob Astorino
(Republican)
Howie Hawkins
(Green)
Winner of
Primary
(Democrat)
Party Endorsements
Democrati c,
Worki ng Fami l i es
Party, Independent
Pri mary Cuomo on
9/9/14
Pri mary Cuomo on
9/9/14
Republ i can,
Conservati ve
Green Democrat
Running Mate Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul Ti mothy Wu None Chri stopher Moss Bri an Jones
Common Core Standards SUPPORTS OPPOSES OPPOSES OPPOSES OPPOSES
Significantly Reduce NYS
Standardized Testing Time
SUPPORTS, but hi s
recent l aw doesn't
accompl i sh thi s.
SUPPORTS SUPPORTS SUPPORTS SUPPORTS
APPR tied to Standardized
Tests
SUPPORTS OPPOSES OPPOSES OPPOSES OPPOSES
Fully Fund Foundation Aid
(CFE)
OPPOSES SUPPORTS SUPPORTS NONCOMMITTAL SUPPORTS
End the Gap Elimination
Adjustment
OPPOSES SUPPORTS SUPPORTS SUPPORTS SUPPORTS
Teacher Tenure NONCOMMITTAL SUPPORTS SUPPORTS OPPOSES SUPPORTS
Commissioner of Education,
John King
NONCOMMITTAL OPPOSES OPPOSES OPPOSES OPPOSES
Privately funded Regents
Research Fellows
NONCOMMITTAL OPPOSES OPPOSES NONCOMMITTAL OPPOSES
Charter Schools SUPPORTS OPPOSES OPPOSES SUPPORTS OPPOSES
Charter school expansion SUPPORTS OPPOSES OPPOSES NONCOMMITTAL OPPOSES
The Dream Act
SUPPORTS, but
hasnt gotten i t
passed i n 4 years.
SUPPORTS SUPPORTS OPPOSES SUPPORTS
Public Campaign Financing
SUPPORTS, but
hasnt gotten i t
passed i n 4 years.
SUPPORTS SUPPORTS OPPOSES SUPPORTS
NYSAPE Gubernatorial Candidate Scorecard - Education Policy and Funding Issues
September 9th: Democratic Primary November 4th: General Election