Prohibits reductions in appropriations for the support of education during the state fiscal year

1 Co-sponsor

• John L. Sampson

BILL NUMBER:S1923

Title of bill

An act to amend the state finance law, in relation to prohibiting reductions in appropriations for the support of education during the state fiscal year

Purpose

To eliminate budget cuts in New York City public schools from July 1st up to and including the beginning of the September school year and allow for these schools to fiscally counterbalance their budgets and appropriate necessary monies toward administrative costs, personnel and physical costs without worries of another budget cut pending before the beginning of the school year.

Summary of provisions

A new paragraph (f) is amended into Subdivision 2, Section 40, of the State Finance Law.

Existing lan

While there is no current New York State law to block mid-year school aid cuts, these cuts will adversely impact students and faculty in the educational school system as class sizes increase with fewer teachers, the compromise of new reading materials and books, and oversight of physical projects that funds first made available could have possibly addressed.

Justification

Should the present continue where another round of allocated funds destined for programs in the school districts are cut, the results will be more open positions unfilled, further halting of purchases of new supplies, larger decreases in program and after-school funding, the scaling back of construction plans and an overall freeze on district spending.

The New York State School Boards Association have cite mid-year school aid cuts as devastating based on school districts already locking in contracts with employee unions and transportation companies; the set placement of student class schedules for the year where cuts will force students to enroll in classes that may not interest them, which impedes their education; and the only viable option for schools to cut costs since local tax bills axe sent out by July 1st. School districts are given little, if any, time to cope with these cuts before the pending school year.

Lastly, recent funding levels show that when New York State has not engaged in these mid-year budget cuts, English and Math test scores for grades 3-8 rose 14% and 13% respectively. Further cuts impede a student's ability to learn.

Legislative history

2010: 5.6467 - Referred to Finance. 2011-2012: 5.1270 - Referred to Finance.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.