What's happening
This bill provides additional state aid to New York school districts experiencing substantial overall enrollment growth or increases in English language learner students.
Why it matters
Targets districts facing sudden resource strain. By allocating extra state aid based on enrollment spikes or increased English language learner (ELL) populations, the bill aims to help districts that experience unexpected increases in student numbers, which can overwhelm existing budgets and staff.
Uses specific, recent enrollment data. The calculation methods rely on enrollment and ELL counts from particular school years, ensuring that the aid addresses real, recent growth rather than outdated or projected data.
Adjusts aid formulas to reflect actual needs. The bill differentiates between overall student growth and ELL student growth, using multipliers (such as two-tenths for ELLs) to more closely align funding with the specific costs associated with serving these populations.
Seeks to reduce inequities between districts. By providing additional funding to districts with rapid demographic shifts, the legislation attempts to level the playing field, ensuring that all students—regardless of where they live—have access to adequate educational resources even when their communities experience rapid change.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Boost School Aid for Growth
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to education
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to education
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.2206
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- 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.
Increase School Funding for Growth
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Anthony Brindisi
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4778
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 28, 2017
Introduced by Sens. HANNON, PHILLIPS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to aid for substantial enrollment growth and growth in enrollment of English language learner students
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3602 of the education law is amended by adding two new subdivisions 22 and 23 to read as follows:
22. Aid for substantial enrollment growth. For the two thousand seventeen--two thousand eighteen school year, each school district shall be apportioned the greater of: (a) the positive difference, if any, between the public school enrollment of the district in the two thousand fifteen--two thousand sixteen school year, as computed pursuant to subparagraph two of paragraph n of subdivision one of this section, and such enrollment in the two thousand fourteen--two thousand fifteen school year, subtracted by four tenths of one percentum of the two thousand fourteen--two thousand fifteen school year, multiplied by the selected foundation aid per pupil; or (b) the positive difference, if any, between the public school enrollment of the district in the two thousand twelve--two thousand thirteen school year, as computed pursuant to subparagraph two of paragraph n of subdivision one of this section, and such enrollment in the two thousand fifteen--two thousand sixteen school year, divided by three, subtracted by four tenths of one percentum of the two thousand twelve--two thousand thirteen school year, multiplied by the selected foundation aid per pupil.
23. Aid for English language learner pupil growth. For the two thousand seventeen--two thousand eighteen school year, each school district shall be apportioned the greater of: (a) the positive difference, if any, between the English language learner pupil count of the district in the two thousand fifteen--two thousand sixteen school year, and such
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09818-01-7
S. 4778 2
count in the two thousand fourteen--two thousand fifteen school year, multiplied by two-tenths and multiplied again by the selected foundation aid per pupil; or (b) the positive difference, if any, between the public school enrollment of the district in the two thousand twelve--two thousand thirteen school year, as computed pursuant to subparagraph two of paragraph n of subdivision one of this section, and such enrollment in the two thousand fifteen--two thousand sixteen school year, divided by three, multiplied by two-tenths and multiplied again by the selected foundation aid per pupil.
§ 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to aid for substantial enrollment growth and growth in enrollment of English language learner students
Purpose
Provide additional aid to school districts with growth in enrollment over .4% and increasing populations of English language learner students.
Summary of provisions
Section one provides the formula for determining a school district's apportionment for enrollment growth over .4 percent.
Section two provides the formula for determining a school district's apportionment for enrollment growth of English language learner students.
Section three provides the effective date.
Justification
Despite a public perception to the contrary, many school districts have experienced recent and dramatic increases in enrollment. A functioning Foundation Aid formula would normally adjust state aid to account for these additional students, but the formula has not fully done so since the 2008-09 school year. This bill will support districts and students with substantial enrollment growth until the Foundation Aid is fully funded.
At the same time, students who are English language learners need extra support in school. School districts throughout the state want to provide these students with extra supports to help ensure their academic success. However, the extra needs that these students present require additional resources. While the Foundation Aid formula includes a moderate and indirect adjustment for English language learner students, that mechanism has proven to be insufficient, especially while the formula is not running. This bill would make up for the flaws in the formula and help many school districts provide a quality education to their growing English language learner populations.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
Approximately $113 million in the 2017-18 school year.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2017.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.