The following is an excerpt from the NYSED Monitor’s December 2015 Report “Opportunity Deferred”

Governance and Rebuilding Community Trust

2. Appoint an independent election monitor for school board elections. New
York State’s educational system has long been one of local control, and the
typical “check and balance” on locally elected boards of education is the election
process itself. However, based on the crisis in East Ramapo, the election
process in the District is viewed with suspicion and the Monitors have heard from
many District residents that they lack confidence in the process. In order to
address significant trust issues within the District, the Monitors recommend that
the District engage an independent election monitor, recommended by the
Monitor(s) to, among other duties:

  • Observe final tabulation of school board election results;
  • Work in conjunction with the district clerk when the District is preparing for
    elections;
  • Recommend additional processes for voter notification of upcoming
    elections to better ensure broad, representative community participation;
    Establish forums with candidates to inform the community about the
    process and the positions of the candidates; and
  • Because voter populations have changed since the last time the District
    designated polling sites, review underused polling sites and identify new
    sites for the 2016 election to ensure greater accessibility to voting
    locations.