Both Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and his predecessor, David A. Paterson, dealt with the problem of rising pension costs by
pushing systematic changes through the legislature, including hikes in the amounts of money that teachers and other pension plan participants must contribute from their paychecks.
There is no doubt that CEA leadership feels that it has done an effective job
pushing back against the onslaught brought on by the politically - driven Common Core State Standards initiative, the unproven and rushed
change in standardized testing requirements, the
systematic yet false narrative of failing schools and ineffective teachers, and the questionable storing and sharing of private, personal, and confidential information on students and their families.