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Q&A
Proposed adjustments to foundation aid formula and regional cost index
4:10:40
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Council Member Rita Joseph and Deputy Chancellor Emma Vadehra discuss the proposed adjustments to the foundation aid formula and regional cost index in the state and assembly one-house budgets, and their potential impact on New York City public schools.
- The governor's proposed changes would result in a $350 million reduction to NYC public schools
- The Senate's change to the regional cost index could provide around $300 million in additional funding
- The Assembly's version of the regional cost change is estimated to provide about $200 million
- The Assembly also included an increased weight for English learners, which could provide over $100 million in additional funding
- Both the Senate and Assembly proposals are moving in a positive direction to address the funding gap, but in different ways
- The DOE is still carefully analyzing the numbers and will provide specific estimates
Rita Joseph
4:10:40
So earlier this week, as you mentioned earlier, the state and assembly released their one house budget which includes recommendation for the foundation aid formula.
4:10:49
Both state and assembly included funding to adjust the regional cost index and to increase funding for pre k programming raising overall amount of new foundation aid funding.
4:11:02
Do you have an estimated of how the proposed adjustments to the regional cost index would affect the foundation aid funding?
Emma Vadehra
4:11:10
So we are still very carefully running all of the numbers.
4:11:14
So I'll give you the general answer and then we can obviously come back to you specifically.
4:11:19
So as we discussed earlier, the governor's proposed changes result in a reduction of $350,000,000 to New York City public schools.
4:11:28
The Senate made a change to the regional cost index that is quite substantial.
4:11:33
We think it is getting up towards $300,000,000 not quite there, and so that would make up a good chunk of the difference.
4:11:40
Again, that's just the difference for status quo funding.
4:11:44
The assembly included a different version of the regional cost change that is closer to $200,000,000 we think.
4:11:53
However, the assembly also included an increased weight for English learners.
4:11:58
As you know, one of the things we and you advocated for was an increased weight for English learners and special education students to get closer to how we look at those things here in New York City.
4:12:07
And so that increased weight of course will also help New York City.
4:12:10
We think over $100,000,000 there too.
4:12:13
So both are getting closer in different ways, and we can get you the specific numbers.
Rita Joseph
4:12:17
Okay, that'd be great.