Jane Lerner

jlerner@lohud.com

Another monitor to watch over the deeply divided East Ramapo schools will be appointed to take the place of Dennis Walcott when he leaves later this month for a new job, state officials said Wednesday.

In the meantime, Walcott has agreed to be available pro bono while his successor is being chosen and to help with a transition plan, the state Department of Education said in a statement.

"The most important thing is finding the right person," a spokeswoman for Commissioner MaryEllen Elia said. "Our goal remains providing the most opportunities and the best education possible for every student in East Ramapo."

Lawmakers in Albany say the department has assured them that Walcott, a former chancellor for the New York City schools, will be replaced. The two other monitors on his team, John W. Sipple and Monica George-Field, will remain.

"It's very important for them to have a monitor on the ground," said state Senator David Carlucci, D-New City, whose district includes part of East Ramapo. "They are committed to replacing him," Carlucci said.

Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski, D-New City, was given similar information by both the state and Walcott.

Walcott, who along with the other two monitors has been paid a total of $180,000 over the last six months, told him that he remains very committed to the district, Zebrowski said.

Walcott also suggested the monitor job be a full-time position, he said.

Walcott and his team released a report in December calling for sweeping changes in the district. He also recommended a permanent monitor with veto power — a recommendation made by a prior report.

His work has been widely praised.

"Mr. Walcott did a superb job of helping the East Ramapo community reset a moral compass that can guide the entire community to ensure that all decisions are made in the best interests of all children," said Regent Judith Johnson, who lives in East Ramapo.

Advocates for the district said a new monitor needs to be named quickly.

“It’s almost budget time,” said Steve White, who has long advocated for the needs of children in public schools. “We need to have the right person in place. What’s the plan? I wish they would tell us.”

Walcott was named lead monitor of the troubled East Ramapo schools in August. Since then he and the two monitors have spent time in the district and attended meeting of the Board of Education, which is often at odds with the public school community.

The majority of children who live in the district attend private religious schools, and the Board of Education is dominated by Hasidic and Orthodox Jewish men who make decisions for public school students who are mostly black and Latino. The board has cut hundreds of staff positions and dropped many public school programs including full day kindergarten while increasing spending for gender-segregated busing to private schools and out of district special education classes and raking up big legal bills.

The district has the lowest graduation rates in Rockland. A report released last week by the state found that all districts in Rockland were in good academic standing except East Ramapo.

Lawmakers including Zebrowski and Carlucci tried during the last legislative session to win approval for a monitor. The measure passed the Assembly but stalled in the Senate. Both said they are taking up the cause again this year.

The school board opposes a monitor with veto power, saying it violates the rights of residents who voted for them. Board members blame inadequate funding for the district's problems.

Board of Education President Yehuda Weissmandl said through a spokesman that the board is sorry to see Walcott go and will continue to work with the other two monitors.

"While we are disappointed to lose Mr. Walcott, we are confident that the very constructive, collaborative process he helped set up will continue undiminished," the statement read.

Twitter: @JaneLernerNY