What's happening
This bill requires the education department to study and recommend small school district consolidations, with public input, referendums, and extra state aid for merged districts.
Why it matters
Focuses on small, often rural, school districts. By targeting districts with 1,000 or fewer students and those sharing borders or contracts with them, the bill could fundamentally reshape how small communities organize and deliver public education, potentially impacting school identity, local control, and access to specialized programs.
Requires extensive public involvement and transparency. The process mandates multiple public hearings, creation of citizen advisory committees, and referendums in each affected district, giving local residents significant influence over whether consolidations proceed and ensuring transparency at every stage.
Offers substantial financial incentives for consolidation. Consolidated districts would receive a significant state aid bonus (an extra 10% for 20 years, calculated using the most favorable aid ratio among merging districts), which could help overcome local resistance and address fears about resource loss or increased taxes.
Restricts use of extra funds to benefit students and taxpayers. The additional aid can only be used for consolidation costs, improving educational quality, or reducing taxes—not for increasing staff salaries or benefits—aiming to ensure that the financial boost translates into direct community and student benefits rather than administrative overhead.
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Who cares
School districts with 1,000 students or fewer and neighboring or contracting districts
They would be covered by a state consolidation study, with districts ultimately recommended for consolidation required to establish citizen advisory committees.
State Education Department
It would set consolidation criteria, conduct studies and hearings, and publish recommendations and feasibility reports under specified deadlines.
Eligible voters in districts proposed for consolidation
They would vote on consolidation after public hearings, with approval required from a majority in each district.
School boards and district employees
Consolidated districts would receive an additional 10 percent in state aid for 20 years for consolidation costs, educational improvements or tax reductions, but could not use it to increase administrator, teacher or staff salaries or benefits.
Headline styles
Study School District Mergers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- 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 School District Mergers
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Fred Thiele
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
S. 3690 A. 5412
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
SENATE - ASSEMBLY
February 12, 2019
IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to the consolidation of school districts
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 1509-a to read as follows:
§ 1509-a. School district consolidation. 1. The department is hereby authorized and directed to conduct a study to identify school districts within the state that may benefit from consolidation with one or more school district. The study shall be limited in scope to include each school district within the state with one thousand students or less and any school district that either: (1) shares a common border with such district; or (2) has an existing contract to educate some or all of the students of such district with one thousand students or less. Criteria used to determine which school districts shall be considered for consolidation shall be determined by the department. The department shall issue a report based on the findings of such study which shall clearly identify the school districts that the department recommends for consolidation.
2. The report issued pursuant to subdivision one of this section shall be completed within six months after the effective date of this section. Such report shall be made available for review by the public and shall be posted on the department's internet web page.
3. Each proposed consolidation identified in the report recommended by the department shall be the subject of public hearings in a manner to be determined by the department. A hearing shall be held in each school
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03189-01-9
S. 3690 2 A. 5412
district which is proposed to be part of a consolidation. Within thirty days after the completion of such public hearings, the department shall publish a final list of school districts that the department recommends for consolidation. Such list shall be made available for review by the public and shall be posted on the department's internet web page.
4. Each school district identified in the list directed to be made pursuant to subdivision three of this section shall establish a citizen advisory committee. The membership of each citizen advisory committee shall be established in a manner to be determined by the department.
5. The department is hereby authorized and directed to conduct a study for each proposed consolidation set forth in the list pursuant to subdivision three of this section on the feasibility of the consolidation of such districts. Each feasibility study shall be conducted in conjunction and cooperation with the local citizen advisory committee. The department shall issue a report for each school district based on the findings of each such feasibility study within ninety days after the publication of the list prepared pursuant to subdivision three of this section. Each report shall be made available for review by the community in which such school district is located and shall be posted on the department's internet web page.
6. Upon completion of each feasibility study authorized and directed to be made pursuant to subdivision five of this section, each school district shall conduct public hearings in a manner to be determined by the department. Upon the completion of such public hearings a public referendum to approve or disapprove such consolidation shall be submitted to the eligible voters residing in the consolidating school districts. A majority vote of each school district proposed for consolidation shall be required to effectuate the proposed consolidation.
7. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each school district consolidated pursuant to this section shall receive an additional ten percent of state aid for twenty years following such consolidation. Such additional state aid shall be calculated using the highest state aid ratio of the consolidating school districts.
8. Additional state aid granted pursuant to subdivision seven of this section shall be used solely for the costs of the consolidation and reorganization of such district, to improve the quality of education within the consolidated school district or to reduce taxes. No such additional state aid shall be used to increase salaries or benefits of school district administrators, teachers and staff.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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 the consolidation of school districts
Purpose
Relates to the consolidation of school districts.
Summary of provisions
The education law is amended by adding a new section 1509-a.
Justification
As communities and taxpayers across the state continue to be subjected to skyrocketing property taxes caused by increases in the school proper- ty tax, the Legislature has been seeking ways to reduce this financial burden on New Yorkers. One of the issues that remains as the forefront is the consolidation of local school districts.
Under the current statute, districts normally perform feasibility studies with a neighboring district. However, even if a favorable study is produced, there is nothing requiring or providing additional incen- tive for districts to follow through on a consolidation. In addition, there are instances where one district wishes to move forward, another does not, and potentially, the community taxpayer's may be missing out on lower property taxes and increased educational opportunities due to a consolidation.
It is the goal of this bill to direct the State Education Department to perform a study to identify school districts with one thousand students or less that could consolidate. Said completed study shall identify the districts that the Department recommends for consolidation. Each proposed consolidation identified in the report shall be the subject of public hearings in each respective school district. Upon completion of the hearings, the Department shall create a final list of school districts which they recommend to consolidate. Each one of these districts shall establish a citizen advisory committee.
The Department will then be authorized to conduct feasibility studies for each proposed consolidation in conjunction with the citizen advisory committee. Public hearings shall be conducted by each school district upon completion of their feasibility study. A referendum to approve or disapprove such consolidation shall occur after the public hearings.
For those districts who receive approved consolidation from the voters, they shall receive an additional ten percent of state aid for twenty years following said consolidation.
Legislative history
2017-18 S.3176/A.2396; 2015-16 S.2115/A.3046; 2014-15 S.2127/A.2293; 2011-12 S.1758; 2009-10 S.2549.
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.