Public Notices

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DEAR SOUTH SENECA COMMUNITY,

This past spring our voices were heard in the effort to “Save Harmless” in the state’s Foundation Aid formula. This means that schools like South Seneca must receive at least the same amount of foundation (operating) aid from Albany as the previous year, at a minimum.

That’s the good news.

The bad news is that Governor Hochul is proposing to end this practice next year, and New York State has commissioned the Rockefeller Institute to conduct a study with the aim to recalculate aid to school districts.

There is an opportunity this summer to make our voices heard again, either in person at one of five public hearings on the study, or electronically. If you choose to provide feedback to the Institute, here are some responses to the Governor’s reasons for proposing to reduce aid:

1. The Governor says schools whose enrollment has decreased should therefore receive less aid.

*At South Seneca, our enrollment has been stable since 2015-16, with no significant decreases. We downsized our staffing during the years after the recession, and further aid cuts now will devastate programs we need to educate our children and to keep them safe.

2. The Governor says school districts are holding more than the 4% unassigned fund balance allowed by law, and they can use that extra money to offset a reduction in aid.

*In fact, the South Seneca Central School District is not in violation of the law, with holdings right at the 4% limit.

3. The Governor says aid should go to schools that need it the most.

*South Seneca is classified as a High Needs District, and we rely on state aid funds to do the expanded work demanded of us by New York State. This includes significant resources devoted to safety, security, and wellness, which is above and beyond the strictly educational mandates. Never has the mission of our schools been this broad, and all of it has emerged long after the years where South Seneca saw declines of enrollment twenty years ago.Please make our voices heard again!

As part of the Foundation Aid Study, the Rockefeller Institute wants to hear from education stakeholders across New York State, including students, their parents and families, teachers, school staff, and administrators. You can provide feedback and input on the Foundation Aid formula in two ways:

1. You can submit written comments on the Rockefeller Institute website.

2. You can register to speak at one of five public hearings happening this July and August in New York City, Buffalo, Farmingdale, Laurens, and Guilderland.

For more information on the Foundation Aid formula, the Study, how you can provide written feedback, and the upcoming public hearings, please visit https://www.rockinst.org/foundation-aid-study/