A report from the Rockefeller Institute concludes New York state is experiencing an educational funding crisis, and some Long Island schools are hurting.
Long Island public K-12 schools are currently underfunded by a total of $6.9 billion. The region’s 10 most financially disadvantaged districts are made up of at least 80% students of color, according to the report.
Only two of the 19 districts that recorded a funding surplus had similar student bodies.
“Those districts are most harmed by the money that they’re not getting because they’re using the outdated formula,” said Elaine Gross, cofounder of the Long Island-based nonprofit ERASE Racism. “They are also the districts that have the least ability to raise money through local taxes.”
The formula in question is the New York State Foundation Aid formula.
Started in 2007, the idea was to calculate the amount of state funding each district in New York should receive to properly accommodate students and the schools’ overall functions.
However, the formula has largely not been updated since its inception and still uses the data from almost 20 years ago to calculate how much funding is dispersed to every district.
Gross said there are flaws in the formula.
“There needs to be an annual assessment determining whether or not there needs to be changes in the formula and updating things like inflation, for example,” she said. “With this increased funding, they could hire more professional staff, and they could help students who need greater attention, whether it's through tutoring or, you know, extra assistance.”
Earlier this year, the state Senate and Assembly proposed a 2% increase in funding, but in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed budget, around two-thirds of districts could be limited to a 1% minimum increase.
Last year, districts in New York were granted $27.1 billion in Foundation Aid through the state budget. That number is expected to increase this year, but it’s not clear yet by how much.
