Comsewogue Takes Another Stand Against NYSED Signing New Anti-Data Dashboard Resolution

Monday night, the Comsewogue Board of Education took another stand against the New York State Education Department by adopting a resolution to not participate in the implementation of Data Dashboard Solution.

The solution, which is a part of the Education Data Portal (EDP), is designed by the state to make student data available to New York educators. However, as part of the referendum written on the New York State Education Department’s website, this system allows for the students information to be shared with “as many as three Data Dashboard solutions vendors” and “Local Education Agencies or schools.”

In the resolution adopted by the board, it said they have reviewed the material given to them by the state and deemed it in the “best interest” of the district to not participate in the program.

In an interview after the meeting, Superintendent Joe Rella said he would do everything in his power to not fight a program if it has no educational value for the students. “I was thinking about the effect this would have on the kids and that is all,” said Rella. “My focus has been exactly the same this has been abusive to children, it has to stop. If you could fix, fix it. But I don’t think you can. Then throw it out.”

This isn’t the first time Comsewogue has stood up against the state. In the past few months, the superintendent put out a letter with his opinions on the educational system, which went viral; held a rally against high stakes testing, signed a resolution against excessive exams, participated in a picketing movement in front of Senator John Flanagan’s office, and returned the Race to the Top funds. Rella said he didn’t mean to be a trailblazer, but he is rolling with it.

“This thing has taken on a whole life of it’s own and I think you are going to see a massive pushback from parents. They are not going to allow their children to go through this again,” said Rella. “The state needs to leave us alone and let us do our jobs…I am never going to be quite about what is going on with the kids. That is not a debate. We need people talking about this at the state level. This is universal.”