FOR RELEASE: August 29, 2024
As schools reopen this September, a survey by the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA) finds that 60% of New York school board members believe their biggest challenge in the upcoming school year will be dealing with their districts’ finances – more than any other single issue.
Survey respondents said factors such as uncertainty over the amount of funding their districts would receive from the state next year and the loss of federal stimulus dollars made their districts’ finances challenging. NYSSBA’s survey, conducted in June and July, drew responses from 543 school board members.
Chief among school board members’ concerns was state school aid. This year’s enacted state budget directed the SUNY Rockefeller Institute of Government to conduct a comprehensive study of the formula that determines how much school districts receive every year in Foundation Aid, which is the largest discretionary category of school aid. The Institute’s recommendations are due by December 1, 2024.
"School districts are uncertain about what the funding formula will look like and how much aid they might expect to receive when the next proposed state budget rolls around in January," said NYSSBA Executive Director Robert Schneider. "NYSSBA supports comprehensive reform of the Foundation Aid formula."
Schneider cited formula components such as student poverty, weightings for high-need students, regional cost index and the local minimum contribution as in need of updating. In addition, school districts and the state must continue to meet growing student needs and adjust to changing technology.
Cell phones
In addition to state aid, school boards could be grappling with policies prohibiting the use of cell phones in class. Gov. Kathy Hochul has signaled an interest in making smartphones off-limits to students in schools during the school day. While no legislation has yet been proposed, the governor indicated that she is exploring ways to make that happen next year.
A survey of 564 school board members conducted by NYSSBA in March 2024 found that 43% said NYSSBA should support efforts to prohibit the student use of cell phones during the school day. Twenty percent said NYSSBA should oppose such efforts, and 37% preferred NYSSBA to be neutral on the matter.
"We appreciate Governor Hochul’s commitment to ensure that students are not distracted by cell phone use at school. While we welcome state guidance on the topic, ultimately, we believe that policies regarding student cell phone use best reside at the local decision-making level where school boards can include the input of students, families, and communities," said Schneider.