Continue the State Aid Commitment to Schools

Executive

Regents

State Aid

Proposes a $1.457 billion increase in General Support for Public Schools (GSPS), focused on high need districts.

Largest Executive increase in NYS history. Regents support the focus on districts that need the most help.

Foundation Aid

Continues Foundation Formula – school funding system now based on actual costs to educate students in successful schools. Increase of $899 million.

Support continued phase-in, but consider more aggressive pace.

BOCES Aid

Changes how aid is calculated, which could create disincentives for wealthier districts to participate, affecting BOCES's ability to offer shared services to remaining districts.

Cuts aid by $32 million below 2007-08 levels, reducing State reimbursement for expenses that districts have already incurred to provide shared services and student programs which individual districts would not be able to afford on their own.

Restore cut and return to present computation.

UPK Funding

Increases funding by $79 million to a total of $452.3 million for 2008-09, so that by 2010-11 PreK is available to every 4 year old.

Formula would reward districts that are fully committed to PreK; allows them to generate aid as entitlement rather than fixed-amount grant.

Support increase and continuation of formula.