What's happening
This bill directs the education department to study and report on regional cost index values for Hudson Valley counties, especially Westchester, in the school aid formula.
Why it matters
Potential for More Accurate School Funding. By examining whether Westchester should be grouped with Long Island/NYC for the cost index, the study could lead to a funding formula that better reflects actual labor and wage costs faced by schools in those higher-cost areas.
Impact on Local Taxpayers and School Budgets. If the study finds that Westchester’s costs are underestimated in the current formula, this could result in increased state aid, potentially reducing the burden on local taxpayers and allowing school districts to better meet student needs.
Consideration of Construction Costs. The bill directs the review of regional costs specifically related to school construction, which could affect the amount of state reimbursement districts receive for building projects—an important factor for long-term infrastructure planning.
Broader Implications for Regional Equity. The study could set a precedent for re-evaluating how New York defines and updates cost regions in school aid formulas, potentially impacting other counties in future funding decisions and highlighting the need for formulas to keep pace with economic changes.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Study Westchester School Funding
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
4 Co-sponsors
History
- Held for consideration in education
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Study Westchester's School Aid Region
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Terrence P. Murphy
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8863
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
December 22, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. GALEF -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to direct the education department to study, review and report on the geographic cost variation of counties in the Hudson Valley labor force region to determine the appropriateness of the region cost index values for purposes of the public school foundation aid formula
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature hereby finds that the introduction of the regional cost index into the state public school aid formula provided a regional approach to recognizing the difference in labor market costs. In a June 7, 2006 report to the board of regents subcommittee on state aid, state education department staff noted in the combination of the city of New York and Long Island that there was "evidence that these two areas actually function as a single labor market region. With professionals, especially those in the education professions, moving to jobs across the lines between New York city and Long Island, it is necessary to consider this entire region as a single area, with similar wage costs". At this same time, the education department decided to keep the county of Westchester within the Hudson Valley for the regional cost index calculation. In 2016, this state enacted a new law to increase the minimum wage across the state. This legislation included the county of Westchester along with the counties of Nassau and Suffolk, in phasing in such wage increases, setting a new precedent that should be considered by the education department with regard to which labor market the county of Westchester should be included in.
§ 2. The education department shall, in consultation with the department of labor, study and review the geographic cost variations of the counties located in the Hudson Valley labor force region to determine the appropriateness of the regional cost index values used within the public school foundation aid formula, as well as county placement in the
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11473-03-7
A. 8863 2
Hudson Valley region. Specifically, the education department shall consider the movement of the county of Westchester currently within the Hudson Valley region into the Long Island/New York city region. Such department shall consult with the department of labor to review labor costs for the Hudson Valley region and the Long Island/New York city region.
The education department shall also review the regional costs associated with construction and study the impact on applying an up to date cost index on public school building aid reimbursement.
§ 3. The education department shall, on or before April 1, 2019, report the findings, conclusions and recommendations of such study to the governor, temporary president of the senate and speaker of the assembly.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.