Central New York School Boards Association

Michael A. Rebell, a national champion in the crusade to bring equality and fairness to the distribution of public resources to schools, has agreed to appear as the guest speaker at the Central New York School Boards Association Annual Meeting. The dinner meeting is scheduled for May 24 at the Lodge at Welch Allyn, Skaneateles Falls. Currently the Executive Director of the Campaign for Educational Equity (CEE) at Teachers College, Columbia University, Rebell is an experienced litigator in the field of education law. Most notably, he was co-counsel for the plaintiffs in Campaign for Fiscal Equity, Inc. (CFE) v. State of New York, a lawsuit that claimed that the State of New York was not adequately funding public schools in New York City. In 2006, the New York Court of Appeals ruled that billions of dollars more be spent on schools. The case earned Rebell widespread recognition for his work in education law. Rebell is a frequent speaker and panelist on the "poverty crisis" in public schools and how comprehensive services can increase achievement among students in low wealth/high needs communities. His work for CEE focuses on establishing comprehensive educational opportunity as a legal right, as well as research documenting whether New York is living up to its constitutionally mandated funding duties during this time of steep budget cuts across the state. “Gov. (Andrew) Cuomo goes around saying schools have to do more with less,” Rebell told the Wall Street Journal in December 2011. ‘Well, he's got a responsibility to do more than harangue the schools. ... We really want to pressure the powers that be to do their job.’’ “Michael’s insights about the equity issue and follow-up litigation will no doubt be of great interest,” said CNYSBA Executive Director Charles Borgognoni. “Given his busy schedule, getting Michael to come up for our dinner is a great reflection on the key role that CNYSBA and SSFC play in moving the equity agenda.”