Statement of NYSSBA Executive Director Timothy G. Kremer on the 2013-14 State Budget


FOR RELEASE:  March 28, 2013

CONTACT: Al Marlin
(518) 783-3723 or (518) 527-6933 cell
On Twitter: @nyschoolboards

The state budget passed by the Senate and now being deliberated by the Assembly provides over $1 billion in total state aid to school districts.  It will be the third on-time budget in a row, which is helpful to school districts working to add clarity to local budget deliberations. 

Our preliminary analysis shows that this budget begins to recognize school districts’ actual fiscal circumstances and their communities’ ability to pay. It provides increases in every aid category while giving districts flexibility and restores a large portion of the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA). It continues the predictability of two-year funding and does not shift any new costs to districts. The budget also: 

  • Provides a pension smoothing option to address soaring employer contribution costs.
  • Enables districts to extend the provisions of approved teacher evaluation plans and essentially eliminates the loss of state aid for failure to have such a plan in place.
  • Encourages retired police officers to serve as SROs (school resource officers) to enhance school safety. 
  • Forgives instructional days lost to Superstorm Sandy and addresses the large-scale loss of property value in some districts.

However, there is still more to be done to help school districts. State lawmakers should: 

  • Change the state school aid cap index to a 10-year rolling average of personal income growth. 
  • Provide special education waivers for mandates beyond federal requirements to help districts control costs.
  • Enable local school districts to form regional secondary schools.
  • Address the needs of special act school districts on the verge of bankruptcy.

School boards now have the state aid numbers they need to finalize their own spending plans in a timely, predictable manner. Now it’s up to boards to complete their local school district budgets for presentation before voters on May 21.

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