School leaders air views on NYS education funding in think tank-sponsored hearing
Lars Clemensen, president of the NYS Council of School Superintendents, at Tuesday's hearing at Weldon Howitt Middle School in Farmingdale. Credit: Newsday/Howard Schnapp
Dozens of Long Island school leaders and others lined up Tuesday in Farmingdale to air their views on the state's "foundation aid" program, with many agreeing the funding system is out-of-date and in need of an overhaul.
One point advanced by school administrators, teachers union representatives and others who spoke at Tuesday's public hearing was that additional money, or at least shifts of money, is needed to meet new expenses. Spending needs cited included the hiring of additional armed security guards, psychological counselors and teachers of English as a second language.
Foundation aid is the state's single biggest source of financial support for public schools, providing $3.6 billion annually in Nassau and Suffolk counties alone.
Tuesday's hearing was one of five being held across the state by the Rockefeller Institute of Government, an Albany-based think tank.
WHAT TO KNOW
- Dozens of Long Island school leaders and others lined up Tuesday in Farmingdale to air their views on the state's "foundation aid" program at a public hearing sponsored by an Albany think tank.
- Many speakers agree the funding system is out-of-date and in need of an overhaul.
- Foundation aid is the state's single biggest source of financial support for public schools, providing $3.6 billion annually in Nassau and Suffolk counties.
"Schools in 2024 look different than they did in the past," said Lars Clemensen, the superintendent in Hampton Bays. Clemensen also serves as president of the New York State Council of School Superintendents.
Clemensen later told Newsday that the number of students in his district regarded as economically disadvantaged had grown more than 150% since 2007-08, largely due to immigration patterns. He added some newly arrived teens attended classes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., in order to catch up in their studies of English or other subjects.
Hampton Bays enrolls 2,055 students.
Another speaker, Kevin Coyne, president of Brentwood's teachers union, said student poverty levels in his district are at a point where schools regularly stock food and clothing for families in need, while also providing guidance on obtaining jobs and housing. Coyne sits on the executive board of New York State United Teachers, a statewide union umbrella group.
"These expenses, on top of the rising costs of educating students, place an enormous financial burden on our school community," Coyne said.
Brentwood is the Island's biggest district, with about 18,000 students.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has instructed the Rockefeller Institute to conduct a $2 million analysis of aid funding and come back with recommendations for change by Dec. 1. Most likely, at least some recommendations could show up in the governor's January budget proposal.
Hearings began July 16 in Manhattan and will end Aug. 14 in the Albany area.
Not all participants in hearings have agreed schools are short of cash. Between 2021-22 and 2023-24, state aid rose by a record $1.6 billion on the Island alone. For the current year, the region's aid is up another $205 million.
Some taxpayer advocates have contended a portion of extra state money could be earmarked for property-tax relief.
"Any discussion of how to 'divvy up' their tax money should include Us," declared Andrea Vecchio, a longtime East Islip homeowner and advocate, in a statement submitted to Rockefeller Institute representatives.
Vecchio is a founder of Long Islanders for Educational Reform, a regional civic-action group.
A state budget law that authorized the Rockefeller Institute review in April states the analysis will be "comprehensive" and include such issues as New York's overall state and local system of public education compared with those in other states. Other narrower topics to be addressed include a state "hold harmless" policy that local school districts will be spared reductions in funding from year to year, even when their student enrollments are declining.
A number of state and regional school organizations, including the New York State Council of School Superintendents and the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association, have noted parts of the state formula used in distributing funding among districts are outdated and need to be revamped.
One example often cited is a so-called "successful schools" measurement once used to determine how much aid was needed to provide each student with a "sound basic" education required by the state Constitution. That measure has not been updated since 2012-13, experts said.
Some outside analysts have questioned whether the seven months scheduled for the Rockefeller Institute study will be enough to cover a subject involving more than $38 billion in annual funding for an educational system encompassing more than 700 districtsstatewide.
The institute's president, Robert Megna, acknowledged at Tuesday's hearing that timing was an issue.
"I try not to say this too often, but the deadline is ridiculous," he said.
Megna served as state budget director in three administrations, including Hochul's.
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John Hildebrand is Newsday's senior education writer and has covered school news and policy issues affecting Long Island for more than 40 years.
