Taylor Law 
  
The Lakeland Central School District is subject to the Public Employees’ Fair Employment Act, Civil Service Law §§200-214, commonly known as the Taylor Law. This statute regulates the employee relations of public employers and employees in New York State, including school districts.

The Taylor Law does the following:

• Grants public employees the right to organize and to be represented by unions of their own choice;
• Requires public employers to negotiate and enter into agreements with unions regarding terms and conditions of employment of their employees;
• Establishes impasse procedures for the resolution of collective bargaining disputes;
• Defines and prohibits improper practices by public employers and unions;
• Prohibits strikes by public employees;· Establishes a state agency to administer the Law – the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB).
• Under the Taylor Law, it is the superintendent of schools, as chief executive officer of the school district, who is responsible for negotiating and executing collective bargaining agreements. However, this is typically accomplished with input and guidance from the Board of Education.

The Lakeland Board of Education plays an active role in the negotiation process as well. Specifically, the school board plays two distinct roles at the conclusion of the negotiation process. First, the board may ratify a tentative agreement reached by the district and the union before execution of the agreement. Second, the board has the right to approve certain provisions of the executed agreement.