New York’s School Funding Formula Faces Major Overhaul: What Changes Are Coming?
A new report urges significant changes to New York’s outdated school funding formula, impacting billions in aid for districts, including NYC schools.
New York City, School Funding, Foundation Aid, Rockefeller Institute, Gov. Kathy Hochul
The report highlights that the formula, which sends about $24.9 billion to school districts, is based on old data, like the 2000 Census for measuring student poverty. It doesn’t even consider important factors like the number of students living in temporary housing. Can you believe that?
While the recommendations from the Rockefeller Institute aren’t mandatory, they could spark some serious discussions when lawmakers head back to Albany in January. State Sen. Shelley Mayer mentioned that any changes will ultimately be up to the Legislature and the Governor.
The report calls for a significant overhaul, noting that schools today provide way more services than they did when the formula was first created. It suggests updating how inflation is factored in and changing the data used to assess student poverty. One controversial suggestion is to phase out a policy that protects districts with declining enrollment from losing funding, which has already faced pushback from some lawmakers and the governor.
Some folks think the recommendations don’t go far enough. Michael Rebell, who has been a key player in education equity, argues that we need a fresh look at what students need today, not just tweaks to an old system. He’s worried that the current approach doesn’t meet the state’s obligation to provide a “sound basic education.”
Advocates for Children expressed disappointment that the report didn’t address the needs of students in temporary housing or foster care. With over 146,000 students experiencing homelessness in NYC last year, they feel these issues are crucial.
As for the impact of these proposals, it’s a mixed bag. Some changes could help NYC schools, while others might hurt them. The city’s Education Department and teachers union are both reviewing the report, eager to see how it might affect students.
Looking ahead, the Rockefeller Institute emphasizes that the funding formula needs regular updates. They suggest that state officials shouldn’t wait another 17 years to revisit it. It’s clear that as student needs change, so should the funding strategies.