ALBANY, N.Y. — Governor Hochul is doubling down on her proposal to change the way school aid is handed out by the state.
While in Syracuse for an economic development announcement, the state's chief executive also called out school districts that aren't spending their surplus funds.
"If you have surplus money, either spend more on the schools, give more to teachers for their resources, or give it back to the taxpayers," Hochul said.
Gov. Hochul announced changes to the foundation aid formula in January when her office released its 2025 executive budget.
According to Gov. Hochul's office, there are two areas where they believe the foundation aid formula needs to be changed.
"Schools that are not receiving the same amount they got last year have seen an average of 25% to 30% decline in population," Gov. Hochul said. "They're basing the formulas on the population of what it was in 2008, does anybody think that makes sense?
One proposal is to get rid of the so-called "hold harmless" provision of the foundation aid formula. This provision makes it so a district can't receive less aid than it did the year before.
The governor is proposing replacing the "hold harmless" provision with a "transition adjustment" that "protects districts from only 50 percent to 91 percent loss of the aid loss."
Governor Hochul is also proposing that the foundation aid formula expand its relation to inflation. Right now the formula accounts for the previous year's inflation data. Hochul proposes the formula using a 10-year average.
Numerous unions, advocacy groups, and lawmakers have come out against these proposed changes.
"It's it's disingenuous, it's political, and it's certainly not necessary in this kind of an environment," said David Little, executive director of the Rural Schools Association of New York State.
RSANY represents over 300 rural school districts in the state.
Little says that with the proposed changes, the Governor is all but promising that local governments will need to raise taxes to make up for lost revenues.
"Not only increases in local taxes, but the dismantling of school programs that were just instituted," Little said.
The NYSUT, the largest teachers union in the state, has also come out against the proposed changes.
"Call them what you want; these are cuts,” said Melinda Person, NYSUT President. “Once again, the state is turning its back on its support for our students and our communities."
RSANY and NYSUT called the changes to the formula arbitrary and a definitive change in the way Governor Hochul is approaching the education system.
"70% of this money is coming from average and high-need school districts," Little said. "She's taking the money like John Dillinger took from banks because that's where the money was--poor districts get most of this aid."
According to data published by the NYSUT, North Tonawanda City Schools would see the largest decrease in aid, in terms of dollars, if Hochul's plan passes the legislature. North Tonawanda City Schools would see a decrease of $1,999,214 if the changes are made.
West Valley Central School District would see the largest percentage of funding taken away, 19.4% ($711,613).
Gov. Hochul's office tells 2 On Your Side that 337 districts across the state would receive less funding in 2024-2025 compared to the 2023-2024 fiscal year if the plan moves forward. By contrast, 336 districts would see an increase in state aid.
No WNY school district, according to the data published by the NYSUT would see an increase in aid under the governor's proposal.