Schuylerville School District Faces Major Aid Cut: Local Advocacy Efforts to Mitigate Impact on 2024-25 Budget

Schuylerville Central School District (CSD) may face a 17.23% cut in its foundation aid, as per Governor Hochul's 2024-25 budget proposal. This could lead to a 5.71% reduction in total revenue compared to the 2023-24 budget. The district's state aid could decrease by $2.2 million, despite increases in other aids like transportation and high-cost. The net loss could be $1.8 million, the highest in the region, posing a challenge for the 2024-25 budget.

The proposed change in the foundation aid formula could affect 51% of New York State schools. The Governor's budget proposal plans to remove the provision that guarantees school districts receive at least the same amount of foundation aid as the previous year. The final state budget, including the foundation aid for 2024-25, will be decided by April 1.

Due to the potential loss in state aid, the Schuylerville Board of Education has delayed the adoption of the 2024-25 budget from March to April. The district plans to advocate for the restoration of foundation aid. On February 16, Schuylerville CSD will join a roundtable discussion with New York State United Teachers, Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, and Senator Jim Tedisco.

The roundtable will feature district representatives, including Superintendent Gregg Barthelmas, Assistant Superintendent for Business Christine Burke, and school principals. Representatives from the Schuylerville Teachers Association, the Schuylerville Board of Education, and the WSWHE BOCES District will also attend.

Superintendent Barthelmas hopes that the roundtable discussion and bipartisan support will highlight the potential effects of the aid cut. The district aims to ensure that legislators understand the seriousness of the situation through their advocacy efforts.

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