What's happening
This bill requires the New York education commissioner to study and report on the adequacy of current education aid formulas and recommend improvements.
Why it matters
Directly addresses equity and adequacy in school funding. by requiring an in-depth review of how current state aid formulas meet the diverse needs of school districts, considering factors like local wealth, rising costs, and mandates.
Mandates a detailed look at the impact of New York’s property tax cap. on school funding, which could reveal whether schools are being financially constrained and unable to meet student needs.
Could lead to substantive policy changes. by requiring specific recommendations for new or improved aid formulas, potentially influencing how billions in education funding are distributed in the future.
Promotes transparency and accountability. by setting a firm deadline for public reporting to state leaders, ensuring that findings and recommendations are delivered for legislative consideration rather than being indefinitely delayed.
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Who cares
State Education Department
The commissioner would have to study the sufficiency of education aid formulas and recommend improvements in a report due by December 31, 2020.
School districts
The study would examine each district’s rising costs and changes in wealth, along with the effects of the tax cap and state mandates on funding needs.
Governor and legislative education leaders
They would receive findings and recommendations for new aid apportionment formulas to inform potential changes in school funding.
Headline styles
Review School Funding Formulas
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4233
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 5, 2019
Introduced by Sen. JORDAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT requiring the commissioner of education of the state of New York to conduct a study on the sufficiency of current education aid apportionment formulas, make recommendations for improvements to such formulas and deliver a report of such findings and recommendations and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The commissioner of education of the state of New York shall conduct a comprehensive study analyzing the sufficiency of current education aid apportionment formulas, make recommendations for improvements to such formulas and deliver a report of such findings and recommendations.
§ 2. Such report shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:
(a) an assessment of the impact of the tax cap on increased funding needs;
(b) increased costs to each school district;
(c) changes in wealth of each district;
(d) increased requirements placed on districts through state mandates, including the implementation of higher learning standards and testing;
(e) recommendations for new aid apportionment formulas; and
(f) any additional information the commissioner of education deems pertinent for the purposes of this act.
§ 3. For the purposes of this act, the commissioner of education may conduct such study in conjunction with any other department, division, board, bureau, commission, agency, or public authority of the state deemed necessary. To the maximum extent feasible, such commissioner shall be authorized to request, receive, and utilize such resources and data of any other department, division, board, bureau, commission, agen-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09687-01-9
S. 4233 2
cy, or public authority of the state as he or she may reasonably request to properly carry his or her powers and duties pursuant to this act.
§ 4. The commissioner of education shall deliver such report to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the chair of the senate committee on education and the chair of the assembly committee on education no later than December 31, 2020.
§ 5. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed repealed January 1,2021.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act requiring the commissioner of education of the state of New York to conduct a study on the sufficiency of current education aid apportionment formulas, make recommendations for improve- ments to such formulas and deliver a report of such findings and recom- mendations and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expira- tion thereof
Summary of provisions
Section 1 requires the commissioner of education to conduct a comprehen- sive study analyzing the sufficiency of current educational aid appor- tionment formulas, to make recommendations for improvements to such formulas, and to deliver a report of such findings and recommendations.
Section 2 provides that such report shall include, but not be limited to: a) an assessment of the impact of the tax cap on increased funding needs; b) increased costs to each school district; c) changes in wealth of each district d) increased requirements placed on districts through state mandates, including the implementation of higher learning stand- ards and testing; e) recommendations for new aid apportionment formulas; and f) any additional information the commissioner of education deems pertinent for the purposes of this act.
Section 3 allows the commissioner to conduct such study in conjunction with any other state governmental entity deemed necessary. To the maxi- mum extent feasible, the commissioner shall be authorized to request, receive and utilize such resources and data of any other state govern- mental entity.
Section 4 requires the commissioner to deliver such report to the Gover- nor, Chair of the Senate Committee on Education and the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Education no later than December 31, 2020.
Section 5 sets forth the effective date.
Justification
Current education aid formulas are more than 15 years old, and these aid formulas were adopted and implemented prior to the implementation of the state property tax cap. The cap, while widely regarded as beneficial to communities, nonetheless affects a school district's ability to raise revenue at the local level. Other changes seen since the last decade, such as demographic changes that communities have experienced since the last study, new state-imposed mandates, as well as new learning stand- ards and related testing requirements, necessitate a new study to discern whether the current education aid formula is appropriate.
Education funding, especially foundation aid, is designed to provide equity to all districts in order to provide a sound basic education for all New York students. This bill will ensure that the aid formulas work towards this goal given the massive changes in New York State that have taken place over the last two decades, and will also ensure that any shortcomings will have recommended fixes to go along with them.
Legislative history
New bill.
Effective date
Immediately and shall expire and be deemed repealed January 1, 2021.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.