This bill provides West Valley Central School District with a $500,000 supplemental grant for the 2024-2025 school year. The grant is specifically intended to assist districts where more than 83% of real property is classified as tax-exempt, addressing financial challenges from reduced taxable property valuation. The funding is paid directly to the district per established schedules in education law, bypassing standard payment restrictions. It targets districts facing significant financial hardship due to high tax-exempt property rates, not general school funding. The bill focuses on direct fiscal support for this specific district during the specified school year.
This bill updates how New York school districts calculate education funding by replacing outdated 2000 census data with current federal census information. It revises definitions for "census count" and "poverty rate" to use the latest National Center on Education Statistics data and three-year average small area income estimates, rather than the 2000 census. School districts, particularly those classified as "high-need" under existing law, will have their funding formulas recalculated using these updated metrics. The changes directly affect how funding is distributed based on student poverty levels, with Section 3 adjusting specific percentage rates for different district types. The bill takes effect April 1st after enactment.
This bill (S 6328) changes how New York school districts allocate prekindergarten funding starting in the 2025-2026 school year. It requires districts to prioritize funding for full-day prekindergarten programs for four-year-olds who qualify for free/reduced-price lunch or are multilingual learners, allocating $17,500 per eligible student annually (adjusted for inflation). Districts cannot exceed their 2024-2025 funding levels unless new money is appropriated. The policy directly affects school districts and ensures resources target high-need students in prekindergarten programs.
This bill adjusts how New York State calculates foundation aid for public school districts with eight or more teachers that are classified as "high need" based on specific wealth and need criteria. It modifies the formula used to determine the state's share of funding, changing how the "combined wealth ratio" (a measure of district wealth) affects the state funding percentage. School districts meeting both the size requirement (8+ teachers) and high-need status - determined by prior state calculations like the SA0708 or SA1314 listings - will see their foundation aid amounts recalculated under this revised formula. The change directly affects eligible school districts' state funding allocations without creating new eligibility categories.
This bill changes New York's career education funding by starting aid for students in grade nine (instead of grade ten) and increasing the per-pupil aid amount from $3,900 to $4,300. It directly affects school districts operating career programs in trade, industrial, technical, agricultural, health, or business/marketing fields. The funding formula adjusts for district wealth and requires districts to maintain minimum spending levels on career education, with the changes taking effect for the 2025-2026 school year.
This bill amends New York's education law to explicitly permit students to miss school for mental or behavioral health reasons, directly affecting students, parents, and school districts. It requires the state education commissioner to establish rules governing such absences, similar to existing rules for religious observances. Schools must follow these rules when approving absences related to a minor's mental or behavioral health, rather than relying on general absence policies. The change does not create new mental health services but formalizes a pathway for students to miss school without penalty for these health needs. The bill focuses on attendance policy, not treatment access or school funding.
This bill updates New York State's school funding formulas for high-tax districts. It establishes new regional cost indices (like 1.314 for Hudson Valley) based on non-education labor market wages to adjust foundation aid calculations. For Tier 1 districts (those with high property taxes), it sets aid at the higher of either $450 per student multiplied by the state ratio or $100,000, ensuring no district receives less than prior entitlements. The changes apply immediately to school funding starting with the 2025-2026 school year.
This bill (S 1117) proposes a constitutional amendment requiring the state to provide free public education for all students from pre-kindergarten through undergraduate degree programs. It would amend the state constitution to mandate that the legislature fund and maintain a system of free quality education covering all public K-12 schools and post-secondary institutions offering bachelor's degrees or certifications. The amendment must be approved by voters in a future election after a 3-month public review period, as outlined in the bill's text. Currently, the bill is under review by the Judiciary Committee following an attorney general's opinion.
