The news is dominated by the Trump election, the Adams indictment, the new police commissioner, the healthcare corporation executive murder, the chancellor of the month, and, buried behind the headlines the battle over Foundation Aid, the formula that determines the distribution of state dollars to schools.
A little history: New York is a property tax state, school funding is based on local property tax and state funding based on a complex, politicized formula. Houses worth many millions and houses worth tens of thousands, from the North Shore of Long Island to the hollowed out upstate villages. There are 700 school districts in New York State, the “big five,” Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Yonkers and NYC, maybe twenty-five mid-sized cities, Albany, Schenectady, Elmira, Troy etc., and hundreds of school districts with three or fewer schools. With the enormous disparities in property taxes some have “natoriums,” (swimming pools) and football stadiums while others struggle to pay fuel bills.
Foundation Aid is a formula that drives dollars to school districts theoretically to ease the disparity in property taxes, the law passed by the legislatures and the Governor twenty years ago, as I noted above, is highly politicized, by region not by political party. Last spring the legislature and the governor kicked the ball down the road and tasked the Rockefeller Foundation, a SUNY-based think tank to present options, see here.
An example, the law contains a “save harmless” provision, Foundation Aid funding to a district may not be reduced, even if enrollment declines, the Citizens Budget Commission, a highly respected and conservative think tank released a detailed critical analysis and the key players pretty much said “this is just the beginning,”
The “save harmless” provision is enormously controversial, the governor suggested removing the districts losing population and the legislators supporting their districts rebelled. The governor recently suggested phasing out “save harmless” over five years, in the background a governor with a low popularity rating not looking forward to a June 26 primary and November 26 general election
The current Foundation Aid formula is unchanged for two decades and there is agreement, time to review, there are many questions:
* the “save harmless” provision: keep, remove, change
* Should “poverty” be a factor in determining aid, and, if so, how do we define poverty? Title 1 eligibility? Poverty risk load factors?
* Should numbers of students with disabilities impact funding?
* Should migrant children, children living in shelters, English Language Learners also require additional funding?
* Should students in state approved Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs receive additional funding?
* Should additional funding come “with strings?” For example, If low achieving schools who fail to meet state set goals: should the state intervene? take over the school/school district?
* Has State Education Department interventions improved school outcomes in the past?
*Should the state explore a mechanism to combine districts with the goal of reducing costs?
And I’m sure the list goes on …
A timeline: The legislature returns in January and the Governor’s State of the State message on January 14th, the speech, in broad terms usually sets forth goals.
President is sworn in January 20th and will sign innumerable Executive Orders, which may, or may not impact state budgets and federal funding
Late January, Governor releases preliminary budget, a 150 plus pages document describing the proposed budget in detail.
Late February/early March each house releases their budgets
March, the “three men in a room (these days two women and one man), negotiate The budget is due April 1, if the Governor and the legislature fail to agree the state moves to a crisis mode
Mid April to mid June the legislature reconvenes to consider non/-budgetary measures
The new US Secretary of Education can give states far more autonomy, or, tie federal funding to particular issues, for New York State placing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at the top of their agenda can conflict with the feds, if so, will the state challenge the feds or comply, a highly controversial issue within New York State
While NYSUT, the state teacher union represents locals with disparate interests, the UFT is far more targeted, and, there are billions of dollars at stake. The UFT, the NYC Department of Education and the Mayor, have to work together, and I believe they will, the stakes are high. Sadly the opposition caucuses are advocating “preparing to go on strike.” The Mayor and the UFT have to be on the same page, internal bickering can cost the city billions of education dollars.
btw, do you know your state legislators? Click here, and remember: “All politics are local”
Ed in the Apple: Blogging on the Intersection of Education and Politics Title 