FOR RELEASE: April 20, 2024
NYSSBA welcomes the news that lawmakers have adopted a state budget before school boards need to complete their budgets, with deadlines beginning as soon as next week.
In an agreement with the Governor, the Senate and the Assembly have passed bills that will increase school aid in the 2024-25 school year by $1.3 billion, including $934 million in foundation aid and full funding of expense-based aids. Importantly, no school district will receive less foundation aid in 2024-25 than it received during the current school year (a longstanding practice called "hold harmless" or "save harmless.")
As part of the budget, lawmakers lowered the inflationary adjustment used for state aid. Current law called for 4.1%, and the governor proposed 2.4%. We now know it will be 2.8%. Although the Legislature improved the inflation factor over the governor’s proposal, a number of individual school districts will likely have to consider making layoffs to balance their budgets. That’s because half of the districts in the state will be getting flat foundation aid funding and a 2.8% inflation factor does not come close to meeting the ever-expanding demands that public schools face. For instance, schools face challenges involving moving to zero emission transportation, addressing the mental health needs of students, and responding to staff shortages.
The state budget also includes some helpful investments in school-based health centers and mental health supports, but these initiatives are modest compared to the challenges that school districts face.
Notably, the budget includes $2 million for SUNY’s Rockefeller Institute to conduct a study to overhaul the foundation aid formula. School boards are listed as one of the stakeholders to be consulted, and we look forward to participating (although we would have preferred for this study to be the responsibility of the State Education Department). Non-binding recommendations from the Rockefeller Institute are due by Dec. 1, 2024.