🚨🎓 BREAKING: A VICTORY FOR NEW YORK STUDENTS! Today, the New York State Board of Regents took a major step toward ending the requirement that students pass a prescribed number of Regents exams to graduate from high school. As a former high school math teacher and Ranking Member of the Assembly Education Committee, I strongly support this change. For too long, New York embraced a one-size-fits-all, high-stakes testing system. We constantly moved the goalposts and “built the plane while we were flying it.” The result was a teach-to-the-test culture that did not deliver the improvements in literacy and numeracy we were promised. When I was teaching, I saw 11th and 12th graders who struggled to pass Algebra but were phenomenal students in other ways. Some had tremendous mechanical ability or wanted to learn a trade, yet they were being robbed of opportunities to pursue Career and Technical Education programs where they could discover their talents and succeed. That never made sense to me. Critics will say this is lowering standards. It isn’t. Before Regents exams became an exit requirement for virtually every student, New York had multiple pathways to graduation. Regents exams aren’t going away, and students will still be able to demonstrate advanced academic achievement. There are many ways to demonstrate mastery. Some students excel on traditional exams. Others understand the material but simply aren’t good test takers. A bubble sheet should not determine a young person’s future. There’s an old saying: If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its life believing it is stupid. We shouldn’t do that to our children. This is another important step toward finally ending the failed educational experiment era and returning to proven approaches like the Science of Reading, back-to-basics math, CTE and teaching the whole child. We’re not lowering the bar. We’re recognizing there is more than one way to reach it. This is a victory for students, parents, teachers and common sense.

Today, on Memorial Day, we remember those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Generations of Americans answering the call to serve a cause greater than themselves and giving their lives that we may be free. It may be a rainy day with many parades and events cancelled, but let us join together in silent prayer giving thanks for the life and liberty we have while remembering that freedom is not free. 🙏🇺🇸

Where is the leadership from Governor Hochul? New Yorkers deserve better!

Last I checked — the Sachem School District which is 70% of my Assembly District of 135,000 residents: sends 23 students to a Charter School. Along with almost $400,000 — I can tell you that in a school district of 11,000, we’re not saving $400k by educating 23 fewer kids!

The biggest issue for my constituents: their property taxes. We have excellent public schools on Long Island and with it high property values — there is NO NEED for my taxpayers to fund additional schools! There is NOTHING conservative about funding another school system!

Political violence has NO PLACE in the United States of America. 🇺🇸

“As Chairman of the Islip Town Republican Committee, I join in condemnation of the increasingly dangerous tactics taken by the ‘Islip Forward’ group. Today’s latest spectacle, where a far-left activist disguised himself in a hijab to infiltrate a women’s history month celebration in an apparent attempt to stalk Senator Monica Martinez is chilling in light of recent events across the country where elected officials have been targeted for violence. The Republican Party, our elected officials and our candidates, condemn this abhorrent behavior and hope that the ‘Islip forward’ group will cease these bizarre and offensive tactics that put the public on edge and serve no legitimate first amendment purpose.”

I have no sympathy for NYC having to raise property taxes: proportionally NYC has SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER property taxes (on some of the most valuable real estate in the world) than Long Island and other parts of New York State! Taxpayers from across our state already bail out NYC — ENOUGH!! Cut spending or raise your own taxes! Get your hands out of our pockets!

As the Ranking Member of the Assembly Education Committee, I am proud to attend today's Education budget hearing. I strongly support our public schools and will always fight to ensure New York students, families, and taxpayers continue to be heard!

We have the SAFEST Assembly District in New York! Congratulations to my friends, colleagues, and constituents: our District Attorney Ray Tierney & Sheriff Errol Toulon, as they are sworn in for their new term serving the people of Suffolk County! You will both continue to make us proud & keep us safe!

Last year, Assembly Democrats in the Banking Committee killed my bill to cap credit card interest rates at 10% — Glad to see President @realDonaldTrump & @SenWarren are now working together on this! It’s not a partisan issue: I invite Dems to join the GOP to finally get it done!

Congratulations to two of my favorite people and partners in government: my forever Vice Chair, our newly elected Islip Councilwoman DawnMarie Kuhn, AND our newly elected Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer Anthony Piccirillo! Thank you to the people of our community for your confidence to allow us to be your fighters and your voice in town, county, and state government. We will never let you down! 🇺🇸

I am proud to announce that I am running for re-election to the New York State Assembly this November! 🇺🇸 It has been an incredible honor to represent my home, where I grew up and where my wife and I are raising our daughter. Being elected five times by our community is humbling and something I have never taken for granted. We have delivered real results for our community. As Ranking Member of the Assembly Education Committee, I will continue fighting for our children, schools, and families. While I am honored that people have encouraged me to consider running for State Senate, public service has never been about any specific title for me; it is about showing up every day and working hard for the people and place I call home. There is more work to do, and I am ready to keep fighting for our community. I look forward to earning your trust again!

As we turn the page to a new year, we should remember that the most meaningful resolutions are the ones we live every day. Just like every year, I have only two resolutions: to do good, and to be better. Better in how we treat one another. Better in how we serve our families and communities. Better than we were yesterday. I invite you to join me in that simple mission. If each of us commits to small acts of kindness, steady self improvement, and doing what we can to help others, we can make this year one we are truly proud of. Wishing you and your family health, happiness, and a year full of opportunity. Let us do good. Let us be better. And let us do it together!

⚠️ As the snow falls, please stay off the roads if possible! THANK YOU to our Highway, DPW, and Parks crews at the Town, Village, County, and State Levels who will be working thoughout the night clearing the snow! Be safe out there! ❄️

As a parent, former teacher, and the Ranking Member of the New York State Assembly Education Committee, I am horrified to see what is being referred to as a “timeout box” allegedly used in as many as three special education classrooms as a so-called ‘behavioral calming measure’ at the Salmon River Central School District in Franklin County, New York. I support Commissioner Betty Rosa and the State Education Department’s full investigation of the matter. At this time, every adult in connection with this has been suspended by the district while this is fully investigated. If allegations are true, those in connection with approving this practice, or who failed to prevent it, should be held accountable! Parents trust that when they send their children to school, especially our most vulnerable students, they will be protected and safe, not treated like animals. If true, and this district needed additional support, they should have contacted the State Education Department and the Regional BOCES for assistance and best practices. This measure is completely unacceptable, and I believe would violate the state’s ban on “seclusion” practices which generally involve isolating and locking a student in a room. nytimes.com/2025/12/20/nyreg… nypost.com/2025/12/21/us-new… timesunion.com/news/article/…

So proud of my good friend Lisa Navarra who has been a strong leader in student behavior with respect to school transportation! She is making such incredible progress in this field! We absolutely need to ensure our students have a great experience and the social and behavioral skills they need from when they leave the house in the morning to when they return home after school! GREAT WORK!! stnonline.com/news/closing-t…

🇺🇸 On this Veterans Day, we stand united in honoring the courageous men and women who have served our country. Their selflessness, sacrifice, and unwavering dedication deserve our utmost gratitude. Today and every day, let us remember their bravery and express our deep appreciation for their service.