THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234
TO:		The Honorable the Members of the Board of Regents
FROM:		Theresa E. Savo
SUBJECT:		2008-2009 Budget and Legislative Development Process
DATE:		March 9, 2007
STRATEGIC GOAL:		Goals 1-6
AUTHORIZATION(S):

Executive Summary

Issue for Discussion

 

Should the existing unmet 2007-2008 budget, legislative and State Aid initiatives be considered in the development of the 2008-2009 proposals?  What modifications, additions and/or deletions need to be made?

 

          The development timeline for 2008-2009 again calls for the budget proposal, including the Regents priority legislative initiatives and the State Aid conceptual proposal, to be approved by the Full Board at the September 2007 meeting.

 

This is the first of several steps in the 2008-2009 budget and legislative development process as follows:

 

·       Review the existing budget and legislative initiatives to identify those components that are unmet and determine if the unmet components should be considered in the development of the 2008-2009 proposals (March 2007);

·       Discuss the draft legislative initiatives and the conceptual goals of the Regents State Aid proposal (May 2007);

·       Evaluate the 2008-2009 budget initiatives proposed by the program offices in the Regents Standing Committees (June 2007);

·       Discuss the proposed 2008-2009 budget initiatives and the State Aid conceptual proposal with the Full Board of Regents (July 2007);

·       Act on the 2008-2009 Budget Proposal, the Regents Priority Legislative Proposal and the State Aid conceptual proposal (submitted as separate Regents items) (September 2007); and

·       Approve the final 2008-2009 State Aid proposal (October 2007).

 

Reason(s) for Consideration

 

Board direction and input are sought at each step in the process of developing the Department’s annual budget and legislative proposals.

 

Proposed Handling

 

          Discussion

 

Procedural History

 

          The Department budget and legislative proposals are developed over several months and involve staff from all areas of the Department. The Department budget and legislative proposals are expected to:

 

·       be linked to the Department’s strategic plan and the 24-month calendar;

·       achieve the outcomes established by the Regents Goals; and

·       include all program areas in the development process.

 

Background Information

 

Each year, as the first step in the development process, the Board of Regents is invited to review the existing initiatives and suggest changes.  The Commissioner and Deputies then meet to make adjustments to existing initiatives or to develop new initiatives for the upcoming year.  Deputy Commissioners involve the respective Regents Standing Committees in the review and evaluation of the initiatives for the upcoming year.  The draft budget and legislative proposals, reflecting any changes recommended by the Regents Standing Committees, are then reviewed with the Full Board in July and the Regents act on the final budget and legislative proposals in September.

 

Recommendation

 

The Board needs to determine if the existing unmet 2007-2008 budget, legislative and State Aid initiatives:

 

·       align with the Regents priorities and the Department’s strategic plan;

·       should be considered for inclusion in the development of the 2008-2009 proposals; and/or

·       require modifications, additions and/or deletions.

 

Three attachments are provided to assist you in your determination:

 

1.     A summary of the current (2007-2008) three-year budget initiatives;

2.     A summary of the current (2007-2008) legislative initiatives; and

3.     A summary of the Department’s strategic plan.

 

Timetable for Implementation

 

          N/A