NY State Governor David Paterson announced during a visit to Ithaca on October 10th that he had signed legislation into law that would create the New York State Center for Rural Schools to be operated at Cornell University. This will be the first center of its kind in the nation. The legislation that Governor Paterson signed was sponsored by State Senator George Winner and Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton who both serve on the commission on rural resources. The center will work with NY State and the 356 rural school districts in the state, half of which are considered high need districts. The center will become a hub for information and services targeted specifically at rural school districts to help them address the issues that they face. The center will also promote research that will look into other issues that effect education such as economic development, school organization, and school improvement.