State school funding distribution changes proposed by a New York City-focused independent budget watchdog would boost revenue to the city's schools.
The Citizens Budget Commission published a
The changes would only require a $569 million statewide annual funding increase, the CBC wrote in the Dec. 12 report, saying outdated measures of poverty understate or overstate need in many districts.
Under the CBC proposal, New York City would receive $610 more per pupil in Foundation Aid with Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse each getting more than an additional $3,500 per pupil. Long Island school districts would see some of the greatest increases led by Hempstead with an extra $9,673 per pupil and seven others with annual per-pupil increases between $6,487 and $8,934.
LaFayette in central New York would get a $7,961 annual per-pupil boost and Middletown in the Mid-Hudson region would get a $6,840 boost.
"The current formula is broken because it is providing more to the wealthiest school districts and less to the needier school districts," said David Friedfel, director of state studies for the CBC.
Friedfel added that the new formula would be a credit positive for poorer New York districts and the wealthier localities would not suffer since they would still receive adequate aid. The proposal would also benefit New York State finances, according to Friedfel, since it would cut down on the potential liability from lawsuits filed by districts seeking more funding.
