FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Statewide School Finance Consortium Responds to Board of
Regents Proposal to Change NYS Education Aid Formula
¥ SSFC applauds
Board of Regents condemnation of the current state aid formula as ÒwrongÓ; this bold action is a first step
toward the establishment of equity for all school communities
CONTACT:
Margaret
McCormick: 315-373-8047
Dr.
Rick Timbs: rtimbs@statewideonline.org
East Syracuse, NY (December 14, 2011) The Statewide School Finance
Consortium (SSFC) extends its support of the principles and initial
recommendations laid-out in the 2012-13 Proposal on State Aid to School
Districts released by the Board of Regents this week – and now calls on
the Governor and Legislature to take similar steps to remedy inequities in
state aid distribution.
ÒThis is a great first step in the right direction. However, it does not make up for the loss
of billions of dollars of promised state support to schools over the last few
years,ÕÕ Timbs stated. ÒThe Regents proposal sets the stage for the Governor
and Legislature to propose additional ideas and solutions to address inequities
in public school funding,Ó Timbs concluded.
The Regents proposal
recommends channeling 73 percent of new state aid to low wealth/high needs
school districts. Key recommendations supported by the SSFC include:
á Elimination
of the Gap Elimination Adjustment, which unfairly denies appropriate
state aid to low wealth districts in favor of wealthy districts.
á Changes to
the Foundation Aid formula that distributes aid based on a districtÕs need and
capacity to sustain a viable educational system.
á Ramp up
the role of BOCES as a regional leader and provider of educational and other key
services.
á Articulates
the need for significant mandate relief as a cost control mechanism.
To read
the Regents
2012-13 Proposal on State Aid to School Districts, click HERE: Regents
State Aid Proposal
Direct Link to Regents report: http://www.statewideonline.org/forms/
Regents 2012-13 State Aid Proposal 12-12-11.pdf
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SSFC Executive Director Dr. Rick
Timbs is available to speak with reporters and editors. Contact him at rtimbs@statewideonline.org or call
Margaret McCormick at 315-373-8047 to arrange an interview.
###
The Statewide School Finance Consortium (SSFC) is an
organization of nearly 360 New York public school districts whose mission is to
bring equity to the distribution of New York State educational aid. SSFC
membership is largely comprised of school districts from average and low-wealth
communities that receive a disproportionate share of state funding in
comparison to high-wealth regions of New York. The reform of the state aid
process will help ensure that all of New YorkÕs children receive the same
educational opportunities regardless of the wealth or location of their
community.
Please visit SSFC at www.statewideonline.org