Foundation Aid Study Written Comment Submissions

The comments and file uploads below were received through the Rockefeller Institute of Government's Written Comment Submission Form as part of its Foundation Aid Study. Submissions are ordered in the chronological order they were received. Form submissions that contained no written comments and no file uploads were removed. Apart from individuals' names, personally identifiable information (PII) was removed. Otherwise, the submissions are displayed as they were received through the Written Comment Submission Form.

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1. Audrey Stevenson

Affiliation: Sackets Harbor Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: 1. Federal Impact Aid (which goes into the general fund to be used in the same manner as State Aid) should be considered in the state aid formula. It is for federal properties in the school district in lieu of taxes that the land would have generated. Without considering this funding (that is used exactly like state aid), it allows affected districts to receive much higher aid and in turn support much higher budgets than they actually need (as can be seen by their accumulated reserves and fund balances) with extremely low local levies. It creates "wealthy" schools in impoverished districts with very little contribution from local tax payers. A school with a CWR of less than .3 but receiving millions in Federal Impact Aid can have pristine facilities, MANY teachers that don't teach students but rather teach teachers and professional grade theaters with college level music and theater programs, for example, while schools with out this additional, "blind to NYS aid" funding, struggle to provide basic curriculums in deteriorating buildings. 2. The % of the annual budget that is supported through the local levy and how much the district holds in reserves should be considered in such a way that schools aren't allowed to hoard funds while other schools struggle to provide basic services. Being written up by OSC, with no consequences, but rather just allowing those district to continue increasing reserves and fund balance is not a check on this practice. 3. Better account for the fact that declining student numbers don't always allow for decreasing the budget. If a school of 400 with 12 grades loses 40 students (10% drop) and it is 2 children that left in each grade there is very little opportunity to reduce expenditures. You still require the same teachers with the same benefits. 4. Better account for the fact that the cost of running a school increases by more than 2-3% for factors outside the control of the school. Salaries are increasing by more than that to be able to keep staff given the economic environment. Benefits are increasing by much more than that taking into account health insurance premium increases, state retirement increases as well as other benefits. Reducing salaries and benefits (the majority of any schools budget) only exacerbates staffing difficulties that districts already face everyday. The only response to flat or reduced state funding year over year is to reduce services (EDUCATION) to our students. With unfunded mandates repeatedly coming from the state and federal governments this situation only becomes more dire. The alternative is for the state to better allocate funds for a more equitable distribution of funds schools in the state, in turn providing the opportunity for a more equal education across all districts in the state.

2. Stephanie Riccardi

Affiliation: Eldred CSD (teacher)/Pine Bush SD (parent)

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: It is imperative to our small community schools that you reject the recalculation plan. Small schools are the cornerstone of our rural communities! It is totally doing these students a disservice to slash aid. These kids are the future... remember these aid cuts when you're in your retirement home!

3. Charles Delargy

Affiliation: Mattituck-Cutchogue UFSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Hello, Thank you for your work on a proposal to update the Foundation Aid formula. I will try to be as concise with my comments because you will probably hear much of the same from various stakeholders. First, I am a retiree who has come back to assist this district in the business office. This district receives a higher dollar amount than what the current formula would calculate. Throughout my career, I have been on both sides of the calculation and am happy there is discussion on updating this formula. The problem in my current district with the formula is that we are land rich, declining enrollment, high special education rate and an increasing ELL population. The district has embraced the increasing ELL population and has a high success rate academically for all students. The district has also done everything in their powers for a high educational success rate for special education students. I think the weighting in the formula for special education and ELL students are two areas in need of adjustment. I remember a time not so long ago where a special education out of district student cost the district between $60k-$75k per the entire 12 month year. I know I'm deviating into High Cost Aid, but those same needs now are costing district between $150k-$175k prior to transportation. Regarding ELL students, we have additional needs such as: extra guidance counseling, hiring additional bilingual staff for both in-district teaching and parent/guardian communication, and additional classroom supports to deal with the various learning levels the new students have achieved. We have seen a number of educational breaks of learning with our new student population. We are up for the challenge, but would not be able to put the needs in place with significant cuts. Enough of my soap box on needs. Once the formula is updated, I would recommend a phase in over five years where districts who are going to receive a loss in their aid can deal with it over an extended period of time. Ways to deal with the change: create an exclusion in the tax cap formula and/or create a new reserve or update the tax certiorari reserve to allow for monies to be used for these purposes. Sorry to have rambled, thank you for your time, and I wish you well in listening to the brainstorming from different constituent groups.

4. Marielle Ainsworth

Affiliation: Cooperstown

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Foundation Aid is essential for school districts. As a 'low need' district, Cooperstown relies heavily on our tax payers—nearly 2/3 of our revenue comes from local taxpayers. So, if Foundation Aid is reduced, this would place an even heavier burden on an already overtaxed community, making it difficult to pass budgets and maintain programming. States should be INCREASING school aid, not searching for ways to reduce it. We want healthy communities and good citizens: the way to do that is through strong schools. Reducing foundation aid in any amount puts an undue burden on an already highly taxed communities in a high tax state.

5. Sarah Chauncey

Affiliation: Northville CSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator; School Board Member

Comments:

File uploads:

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6. Timothy Eagen

Affiliation: Kings Park CSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: To Whom It May Concern. I just completed my 10th budget cycle as a superintendent. State aid makes up about 20% of the budget in my school district. The current funding system in New York is essentially an annual negotiations, and this makes it very challenging at best for school district to engage in long-term fiscal planning. When Governor Hochul pledged to fully fund Foundation Aid, this was a breath of fresh air. However, at the first opportunity, she attempted to make significant changes to the system through her budget, and districts like mine were forced to lobby to get back to a 0% increase in Foundation Aid. Healthcare and insurance are both anticipated to increase by 10% next year, and there is no mechanism to account for these increases. At least in New York, public schools have become the mechanism to support families with school-age children. We provide basic needs: food, a safe place to learn, and health/mental health support, just to name a few. Without a predictable funding stream, our most vulnerable residents will go underserved. Lastly, any change in the Foundation Aid formula MUST include a save harmless clause. If the state rolls out a new funding formula there will certainly be those districts that benefit, and the potential for other districts to lose funding. Sudden loss in funding will be extremely detrimental to any school district and certainly result in a loss of services for youth and their families. Thank you for your opportunity to give my input.

7. Frank Bacchi

Affiliation: North Babylon School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: I would like to request a commitment to developing and maintaining a formula that is understandable/reconcilable. The current formula is so complex that 99% of people cannot understand how it works. The formula was also not followed for a long period of time. There will never be a perfect formula that incorporates every unique need, for every district in the entire State. However, it is possible to develop a formula that distributes funding in a fair, consistent and understandable manner.

8. Robert Messia

Affiliation: Brunswick (Brittonkill) CSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am concerned that the governor, in her most recent budget proposals, suggested disproportionately higher funding for urban and suburban schools than rural schools. There should be a base factor that is taken into account for operational costs - basic building operation, school principal, nurse, custodial and secretary support that are necessary for operation of a school facility. A control should be put in place to balance commercial tax base size. Some schools have a small student population, but a very substantial commercial tax base from which to draw funding from, while other schools have little to no industry. This variability leads to unbalanced funding for schools across New York State. I personally believe that the current funding structure and the increasing reliance on local property taxes is unconstitutional, discriminatory and highly antiquated.

9. Susan Burns

Affiliation: Shenendehowa Central School District (where I work) and Washington Academy-Salem School District (where I live and pay taxes)

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: While I teach in Clifton Park, I reside in Salem (Washington County) NY which is a small, rural area. The changes in funding and how it is calculated unfairly jeopardize schools that have seen some declines in enrollment. This is not fair. First, any school district may experience growth in the number of students served (and the tax base) as well as times when there is little change. There are also times when enrollment declines. In a large, more easily funded district such as where I teach, there is a greater ability to roll with the punches, so to speak. If the district where I work had some decreases in enrollment and therefore lost some funding, entire programs would not be in jeopardy. This is not the same in the town of Salem (12865 zip code so as not to be confused with similarly named towns downstate.) If a district only has, for example, on teacher for English Language Learners, or only two or three teachers in the art or music departments, the small district cannot absorb potential layoffs the way larger districts can by adjusting their offerings, increasing class size, etc. Rural districts need A LOT more funding, whether they are growing, staying unchanged in terms of the number of students & the tax base, and ESPECIALLY if their numbers are dropping. When the district where I live, Salem, didn't pass its budget (it has since passed) they were looking at the potential for drastic cuts that could have decimated some programs. In a suburban or urban area, many entities contribute to the communities' ability to thrive, but in a rural district, the school may be the life blood of the community. When funding erodes, people may start to move elsewhere. Or maybe they stay because of strong commitment to the community, but we might not get many new people and businesses moving in to drive up the school's census and the tax base. We don't have a lot in Salem, but what we have is cherished. We have houses of worship that all give back to the community via food pantries, clothing give aways, and other programs to help those who are struggling. We only had a part time medical practice, but we are getting a new, full time medical office complex that will help tremendously. We don't have a grocery store, but we do have a couple of convenience stores where some grocery items are available--but often more expensive or limited in what they offer. We don't have a pharmacy. We don't have a gym, but the school has outdoor facilities and a playground that the public may access. We have an amazing community theatre (Fort Salem Theatre) and a small library as well as an arts center with a sculpture park (Salem Art Works.) These important art and cultural institutions also have their own challenges with raising funds. What we have is precious, but even that becomes at risk if the formulas for funding penalize schools for decreasing enrollment. Many of a school's expenses--heat, utilities, for example remain pretty much the same whether enrollment increases, decreases, or stays the same. Whatever is decided, no action should be taken that reduces any source of funding for rural schools, period. In a small, rural community there are often more family's struggling who rely heavily on any programs the school offers. I would ask that all rural districts get a huge increase in state funding, and indefinitely--if such a program has to end, it needs to be several years out with clear deadlines and suggested goals. I also am asking that all rural NYS schools be exempt from any formula that even has the potential to decrease school funding based on drops in enrollment/census or on decreases in the tax base. Existing policies and actions taken by Gov. Hochul were a huge threat to rural schools. Luckily, some of the potential damage is or may be lessened by the important, bipartisan lobbying to protect schools from unfair formulary/funding practices. Yet the good that was accomplished is not enough. I think a lot of my concerns apply to schools of all sizes in areas where there are a lot of people struggling to find work, afford rent or to buy a home, and simply get by. The more a community--of any size--lacks resources and struggles with poverty, the more it needs to count on the state--and the federal government--to make sure that it's not just a stripped down program, but a vibrant, thriving program that makes people want to move there for that educational opportunity. When you invest heavily in schools that don't have enough resources, you start to change the situation to where, as more people and businesses move in and thrive, it may become possible to decrease some funding down the road. Please know--it broke my heart to know that the district where I live, Salem, was at risk of devastating cuts had they not passed a budget with a tax increase above the threshold or limit that is allowed. While it did pass, what this means is that an area with a lot of seniors on fixed incomes and families who are strugglng economically will have to shoulder more of the burden that really should not be their's to shoulder. The budget increase was necessary to prevent horrific cuts because the way you currently formulate and deliver school aid is not adequate. My almost 90 year old neighbor on Social Security shouldn't have to pay an extra $100 or whatever it is a year because the state's methodology was inadequate and injurious. I know the community has to generate as much as it REASONABLY can via school tax, but in a rural area or any area where people are struggling, the state must pitch in, above and beyond, to reduce the burden on those who pay school tax--which is everyone, whether you rent or own a home. The way the formulary has been and may be proposed carries too many risks of unintended consequences that threaten our communities and the people who live there. I also don't think that schools should have to compete for precious grant programs to make up some of the difference or to get new technology, etc. How you fund schools has the ability to help a community thrive or to harm a community. Fix it, please.

10. Keith Heptig

Affiliation: Shenendehowa

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: We as tax paying New Yorkers are paying too much in School & property taxes and not getting the educational results our children deserve. We have caved to the demands of the teachers unions and pay way too much for way too little. Funding should remain within the school district and not be dolled out to other parts of the state that care less about their schools and children. NYS is chasing people out of here to lower tax states and it will continue because the politicians in NY are corrupted by the unions.

11. Patrick Sullivan

Affiliation: Liberty Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: The Liberty Central School District is an educational institution dedicated to serving a diverse and high-needs student population. Currently, 70% of our students are considered economically disadvantaged, 12% are Multi-Language Learners (MLLs), and 16% are Students With Disabilities (SWDs). These figures reflect the significant challenges our district faces in providing equitable educational opportunities for all students. Given these circumstances, it is crucial that the new Foundation Aid formula does not result in reduced funding for our district. The demographic profile of our student body highlights the pressing need for continued and enhanced financial support. Economically disadvantaged students often require additional resources, such as free or reduced-cost meals, supplemental instructional programs, and socio-emotional support services. These interventions are vital for leveling the playing field and ensuring that all students can thrive academically and personally. Our district also serves a growing number of Multi-Language Learners. Since the 2010-2011 school year, the number of MLLs has surged from 64 to 292 students. This dramatic increase necessitates specialized instructional strategies, additional bilingual educators, and tailored educational materials to support these students effectively. The complexity of educating MLLs cannot be overstated, as it involves not only language acquisition but also ensuring that students are able to meet grade-level standards in all subject areas. Similarly, the needs of Students With Disabilities must be met with comprehensive support services, including individualized education programs (IEPs), specialized instructional staff, and accessible learning environments. The proportion of SWDs in our district underscores the importance of maintaining adequate funding to provide these essential services and accommodations. Moreover, the overall enrollment in Liberty Central School District has risen from 1,577 students in the 2010-2011 school year to 1,757 students today. This increase in student population, alongside the rising numbers of MLLs and SWDs, further strains our resources and amplifies the need for sustained financial support. In light of these factors, it is imperative that the new Foundation Aid formula continues to allocate sufficient funding to our district. Adequate funding is not just a matter of maintaining current educational standards; it is about providing equitable and adequate opportunities for all students, regardless of their background or circumstances. With the appropriate resources, we can ensure that every student in Liberty Central School District has the opportunity to succeed academically and achieve their full potential. In conclusion, the specific needs of our student population—marked by economic disadvantage, language barriers, and disabilities—require robust and sustained financial support. We hope that the new Foundation Aid formula recognizes these needs and continues to provide the necessary funding to support our mission of delivering equitable and high-quality education to all our students.

12. Ryan Coonley

Affiliation: Shen (Clifton Park) parent

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As a professional who has developed formulas for use in business and finance including forecasting, I realize that people will often have quantitative disagreements about the criteria used to reach the end result if they are supportive or critical of the result - in this case- school funding levels. Rather than debate the merits of the factors used in the school funding formula based on who is receiving how much resources, I would strongly encourage school funding methodologies to consider the definition of a school day in a more granular way that weighs instruction hours instead of instruction days. The perception of many parents I have spoken with is that a half day outside of weather or other important administrative judgement call is all to often both prohibitive to learning and family scheduling because it creates an abnormal scheduling conflict for parents and caregivers to resolve. Many parents have suggested hosting a full school day or no school day at all (all or nothing approach) that would allow for more effective daily routine setting for students and parents alike. I agree with this assessment and think a reduction in the number of half days would be valuable for both student outcomes and finances if proper incentives are put in place to reward instruction hours independent of the number of attendence days. Sincerely, Ryan Coonley

13. Jodi Pearlman

Affiliation: Shenendehowa central schools

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Former parent (children now in college)

Comments: Aid calculations should use most current data (rather than specifying a year for data such as poverty from a specific census just say most current census). Perhaps it should also consider how districts have used the funds in the past for consideration of allocation in the future.

14. Tiffany Crittenden

Affiliation: Whitesville Central School

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: First of all, thank you for giving us the chance to voice our opinions. In small towns like ours, we often get lumped into larger districts and our voices are drown out. I work at my alma mater school, as do many of my colleagues. We're a small but mighty district with a close family bond, so the future of our school is important to us. As funds get cut, so does our ability to offer a well-rounded experience for our students, which in turn creates a situation where newcomers dont see us on par with our neighboring schools. This will only continue to make our school suffer a slow and painful end. Changing the formula exponentially changes this, basically giving us no light at the end of the tunnel. Small schools have a completely different culture to offer than larger schools that so many children need in order to thrive. We can address mental health needs, accommodations, and academic interventions on a more individualized basis than larger schools, but if we lack funding to keep the incentives going and pull in more people, we will die out. Please keep this in mind as our future drastically depends on this formula.

15. Callie VanSkiver

Affiliation: School Bus Driver

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Due to these budget cuts, I am loosing my position as a school Bus Driver, and It is not fair

16. Daniel Bishop

Affiliation: Canaseraga CSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Local association president

Comments: Continuing to tighten the noose on small, rural schools is not the answer! Education is the key to the next generation of New Yorkers and your decision not to increase Foundation Aid will only serve to further negatively impact the state's standing. New York will continue to see a brain drain. People have no reason to stay in a state when taxes are so ridiculously out of control AND the education system is faltering due to a lack of funding. All this while the state is expecting these same small schools to compete with large, suburban schools. It's not possible. Fix this system!

17. Tricia Miller

Affiliation: Canaseraga Central School

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: It is my personal opinion that Canaseraga Central School should be merged with Arkport Central School. Canaseraga Central School has repeatedly done away with programs and educational resources that benefit our children. Administration makes sure that they are given their own raises while programs are cut from the budget. They are doing a disservice to students, offering little to no extracurricular activities. The School Board feels they do not owe the taxpayers an answer to any question, including continuously "tableling" the issue of adopting a new School mascot. Students are suffering educationally. Something needs done ASAP.

18. Sarah Glick

Affiliation: Canaseraga Central School

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Even though we are a small school, we want to be able to provide a variety of opportunities for all our students. Less support means fewer teachers/aides, fewer After school programs, fewer extracurricular options, and more. Please reconsider this choice.

19. Steven Cooper

Affiliation: 10

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I hope the money is used the right way

20. Mark Simpkins

Affiliation: Shenendhowa CSD and School Administrators Association of NYS (SAANYS)

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Very simple comments for a very complex situation but the keyword is sustainability. 1) Lets start here: What is an agreeable measure of success for students from Malone to Montauk or from Ripley to Canaan. Without this, the task will be very difficult. However, I believe, this should be our 'foundation.' 2) What is our measure of success or progress in terms of time and what are the triggers and time frames for adjustment? (Do we have a solid foundation to build upon and adjust for?) Those are the two great commandments (agree on success and agree on how to measure it) the rest is commentary on how to construct the algorithm for financial disbursement to support those foundations. ..Stuff you probably are more familiar with than me! :) *What corrollations are there between $$$'s and success? IS there a point of diminishing returns? *Are salary benefits for employees regionally normalized? ($$$'s per\admin, $$$'s per\teacher. $$$'s per\non-teaching professional, $$$'s per\staff) *Are ratios between total staffing and students a consideration? *How does local perspective influence fiscal investment? Voter Participation? Does this include bond encumbrance as well as budget? Voter budget approval? HOW many voted? How many could have voted? OF course, what are the results? *Are the NYS Comptroller stress test a consideration? *Enrollment projections *Population density *Housing Starts, Foreclosures, Abandonment *How is the load amongst citizens and institutions equitably balanced? (Think Advanced Star and IDA's) * HOw does annual NYS budget process influence projections? (Any NYS Governor can effectively get the budget they desire if they are willing to 'play chicken' with the legislature when a budget is not approved on time) *Are grants or donations considered? *Do staff live local to the district in which they work? etc... I could go on all day with this stuff. -->Mark S.

21. Jodi Pearlman

Affiliation: Shenendehowa central schools

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Former parent (children now in college)

22. Darrell Vanskiver

Affiliation: Canaseraga central

Relationship to Education: Bus driver

Comments: We are all short handed on bus drivets

23. Donald Chu

Affiliation: Cortland Enlarged City School District Board of Education

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

Comments: My understanding is that the Foundation Aid Formula: 1. Considers each district's Income Wealth Index (IWI) but only down to 0.65. Districts with IWIs lower than that do not get additional aid. 2. Uses outdated 2000 Census data to compute the Pupil Needs Index (PNI). Recomputing with 2020 Census data would fix that. 3. Holds districts "harmless" (no decreases) which gives some districts more than they need or deserve based on past needs. 4. Phases-In aid increases which keeps districts with growing needs from having what they need when they need it. These are issues should be studied and possibly corrected.

24. Ellen Kearns

Affiliation: Bedford Central School District

Relationship to Education: Honors graduate of Fox Lane High School, 4th in my class of 1982

Comments: I went on from Fox Lanre High School in Bedford Central School District to achieve a PhD in Genetics at the age of 27. The education that I received at Fox Lane High School was outstanding, including 4 years of Latin, AP English, AP American History, studio art, and many honors classes. Doing quick, rough math on the last budget for Bedford Central School District, we spent approximately $48,000 per student. We are mostly rich people with expensive houses, and we can afford to pay the property taxes to fund this. Basing school budgets on property taxes is unfair and wrong. It leaves children in poor areas of New York at a disadvantage. It leaves the breadth of their talents untapped and untested for New York State. I suggest that we drop this way of funding schools and fund every school with the same amount of $48,000 per student using a statewide education tax rather than local property taxes. You can sell this to voters by saying that their property taxes will be reduced dramatically, which they will. Local School Board elections should allow voters more say in how the money is spent. Currently, I have two choices - vote for the budget or vote against the budget. There is no way for me to tell my school board that I'd like to see a lot less money spent on sports and administration and a lot more money spent on teacher salaries, language, art, music, history, basic financial education, and basic science. Thank you for your consideration. Dr. Ellen V Kearns, PhD

25. Shelby DeMitry

Affiliation: Canaseraga CSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: I know that the governor is convinced that changing foundation aid will fix school district financial concerns. That couldn't be farther from the truth. Districts do not have excessive funds in their reserve accounts, and the funds that are there are earmarked for specific items ( such as TRS/ERS, unemployment, and so on), they really shouldn't be transferred for the sake of transferring. Amounts there are just enough to function, they're not overly abundant. Foundation aide (which was just fully funded for so many districts) helps districts to provide necessary items on a daily basis. My district for example has had to remove our after school program because of funding. This was a huge blow to our community. This is in addition to two staff members that have been let go as well. We're a rural, poor community. School is the center of our town, parents rely on our district for not only an education , but to help them by providing after school help with homework and helping to prevent learning loss. Not to mention, to be fully staffed. If the current changes are to go through, my district will be forced to remove additional staff (teachers this time), increase our tax cap, and be forced to look at the possibility of tutioning out a few of our upper grade levels to a neighboring district. Leave foundation aid as is, while it's not perfect, it has been providing an education to rural students for many years. We are already putting cost cutting measures into place (and have been, before and after Covid), we don't have anything left to reduce without affecting our students and their futures.

26. Julianne Strano

Affiliation: Averill Park CSD and APTA

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments: The foundation aid formula and what was previously the hold harmless funding has not worked in the favor of a APCSD. Now more than ever our students need us to look out for their best interests. This year due to the lack of funding, we will need to consolidate grade level and eliminate a sections in kindergarten in our building. This is increasing class-size so money can be saved by eliminating a teacher. Our district is laying off general education teachers and each our elementary school buildings, Consolidating sections making larger class sizes, and eliminating program through attrition. Would be increasing demands of curriculum, larger class sizes is not the answer. Our programs and offering suffer. We work in buildings with no air conditioning in extreme heat, and work hard to provide for every student every day. Please look at the funding for Averill Park Central school District. Our students need you now more than ever

27. Brian Rhode

Affiliation: Algonquin Middle School

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: It is of utmost importance for all New York schools to be fully funded. One method for the Legislature and the Governor to fulfill their promise to fully fund New York school districts is by restoring hold harmless cuts. There are many districts across New York State that have been negatively impacted by removing hold harmless status. These districts are not in positions to make up the newly materialized financial deficits and have had to make cuts to important student programs and staffing in order to create budgets. State aid to districts should at least be increased annually at a rate that reflects yearly increases in operational costs that districts must address.

28. Sean Bruno

Affiliation: Brockport Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Dear President Megna, I'm following up from our discussion at the July 1st NYSCOSS retreat. When examining the impacts of the Foundation Aid formula, it is crucial to acknowledge where decreases typically have the most negative effects on students. Staffing, instructional resources, and professional development represent the largest portions of school district budgets. Therefore, reductions in Foundation Aid often adversely affect these areas. Given the intricacies of secondary course scheduling and graduation pathway requirements, cuts tend to disproportionately impact elementary classrooms, resulting in increased class sizes and diminished student-teacher interaction. This also leads to decreased availability of instructional resources and fewer opportunities for professional development, which in turn hinders foundational literacy and numeracy skill development. This issue is particularly critical in light of the Governor's Science of Reading initiative, which emphasizes essential factors for equipping students with fundamental literacy and numeracy skills. Adequate staffing for optimal class sizes, along with Science of Reading-aligned instructional materials and professional development, are indispensable for the success of any program aimed at enhancing these foundational skills. I am happy to share the student achievement and financial data which supports my statements and can be reached at any the following: Thank you, Sean C. Bruno, Superintendent of Schools Brockport Central School District

29. Julee Molina

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Public Information Officer

Comments: Please concentrate more funds on the mental impact of newly arrived children.

30. Kristin Yanez

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: The funding that this district receives is so vital for our students success. Most districts receive a large portion of their funding through school taxes or donations from families and organizations within those districts. The city of Poughkeepsie does not have that as a viable resource due to our district is mostly configured of lower socioeconomic families many of which are single-parent homes where the parent is either working two or jobs or on public assistance. This leaves our students with little to no resources that this district provides including both free breakfast and lunch, developing their understanding of values and ethics, school supplies, food for their households, clothing and winter jackets, snack daily, and providing the educational support needed to be successful that most of our households are unable to provide whether it be a lack of financial stability, lack of educational skills, or lack of time due to working 2 or more jobs. Mandy students go home to either an empty household or to an older sibling sometimes only a few years older. Programs like after school allows for students to have additional supports to have a healthy snack, assistance with reading, math, and homework as well as time with a responsible adult. Funding for the school with sufficient staffing allows students to receive the attention needed to assist this vulnerable population who otherwise will fall between the cracks. The teachers and staff of the City of Poughkeepsie School District are dedicated individuals who work tirelessly to help these children and need the funding and materials to do so.

31. Victor Prial

Affiliation: Cazenovia Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The formula is not working for our district. It is saddening, terrible, disgusting even, that we as parents and tax payers should even have to consider cutting basic programming to our children so that we can meet basic budget numbers. Our teachers are paid exceedingly low already, and even low compared to neighboring districts. Senior citizens in the district have difficulty meeting the basic tax burden. There seems to be an assumption in the formula that because there are a few wealthy lake residents that the district is wealthy; it is not. Average taxpayers are struggling, and to see state aid precipitously drop for no apparent reason is absolutely maddening.

32. Joshua Steinfeld

Affiliation: Mid-Hudson Regional Partnership Center - Dutchess BOCES

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Fully fund foundation aid without any strings attached, give-backs, or compromises to other education legislation! Our students need and deserve the support, especially for social emotional wellness and to reduce chronic absenteeism.

33. Julie Wallace

Affiliation: Cazenovia central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The current formula leaves are district in a serious shortfall for the budget. I would like to see this formula appropriately re-assessed and formulated to meet the needs of the district to ensure children as well as school. Staff have Improved funding, and resources to ensure all needs are met and high standards for education are provided.

34. Kelly Sweet

Affiliation: Cazenovia Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As a small rural community being in a designated area of high opportunity and having a high performing school district, the continued short falls in school aid jeopardize the community as a whole. The prices of everything has increased tremendously since covid and the school aid needs to keep pace. We should not be having to make the choice of cutting teacher jobs and important classes or have our property taxes increase to the point that people cannot afford to live here. This is exactly how small rural towns and villages wither and fail, the rural-urban fiscal divide. Tax rates go up to cover the costs and the low and moderate income households are priced out of the area, businesses close, schools decrease staff and offerings, a vicious circle that kills rural communities.

35. Anna Oswald

Affiliation: PCSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; School Nurse

Comments: Over the past four years Poughkeepsie City School District students have benefited greatly from the financial resources that have been provided by the state (approximately 68% of the entire school district's budget). Any reduction to the amount of state funding will have an adverse impact on our children continuing to strive. These children deserves to have the same opportunity as the surrounding districts.

36. Pam Knittel

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District and Highland Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments: I am writing to state how important it is for both the Poughkeepsie City School District and the Highland Central School District to continue receiving state aid in educating our students. In the Poughkeepsie City School District, almost 68% of the budget is comprised of state aid. The students desperately need this aid to continue to offer programming and services that are not only beneficial to their education, but also to their psychological, emotional, physical and nutritional development. The Highland Central School District also cannot afford to lose any aid. Currently at the one elementary school, due to budget constraints, the district has had to make the difficult decision to let teachers go for the 2024-25 school year - such important positions as Art and STEAM. How can our students develop and prepare for the high stakes of our digital world without access to early technological literacy and critical analysis of IT in our world? Educators, but most importantly, the students in both of these districts, deserve to have the same services and offerings that are promoted within wealthier areas across the state. ALL of our students deserve a meaningful and enriching education, not just those in higher SES(socio-economic level) geographic areas. I implore the Rockefeller Institute study in Foundation Aid to not only keep awarding districts in need, but increase the funding for the future of our students, their lives, and all of our lives in New York State. The children are our future and we need to continue to invest in them.

37. Caira Cramer-Walter

Affiliation: Cazenovia Central Schools and East Syracuse Minoa central schools

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Seems like the data is out dated. If schools are moving to daily formative and summative instructional data to adjust instruction to fit student needs, then the state needs current data to adjust Foundation Aid. Also, the data needs to be public. Families don't understand what Tier 1 means, and being a Tier 1 school has financial benefits along with other opportunities for those in poverty. The affluent districts need to see the data and understand where there is more need. Also schools need to use their allocated budgets much more efficiently. For example: schools don't need as many administrators at the district level as they think they do. Put that money into hiring instructional coaches, more TAs, and more support teachers. Foundation aid should also prioritize the arts, special education programming and hands on learning activities which will support students who cannot learn effectively in traditional settings/lecture based classes. These programs should never be cut because that becomes hurtful to the neurodiverse and special education populations, and those who will go directly into vocations.

38. Janety Encarnacion

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: When making changes to the Foundation Aid formula the State needs to look at the impact the change will have on high needs districts who are already struggling. We keep talking about making changes through the lens of equity and then go around making system changes that are not equitable. Foundation Aid is vital to school district like ours to continue to doing the work that is so needed to level the plain field for our students.

39. Cristina Crawford

Affiliation: Gilbertsville Mount Upton school

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As a resident in a very small district that had no increased budget funding I firmly believe the current budget is a huge fail. Cutting budgets for smaller, poorer districts is not the answer. If the governor is so concerned with school budgets then maybe she should look into how many superintendents make WAY more than they deserve, or how many we don't need? Our area has a superintendent for every single school. Why? I am certain we could combine the responsibility of schools to less superintendents and cut the amount of superintendents we use. Teacher and support staff salaries should never be cut! Administration is where a majority of the budget goes and I do not agree with how much they make, or the sheer amount of Administration we have! As with superintendents, I don't see why smaller schools in our area need a principal and a vice principal? I don't see why very small schools can't share admin with another school? I do not think it would cause any adverse affects at all. Another aspect to look into would be transportation for these smaller schools. Why do we need so many busses? And why are they replaced so often? For such a small school we seem to purchase a newer bus every year. I understand not everyone wants the state to micromanage their budget, but I think there needs to be more checks and balances involved. Especially when the ones to suffer are the students and teacher and support staff. NOT the higher ups in the school district. If our superintendent took a pay cut or skipped a raise we could have an aide in every grade AS WE SHOULD. If we combined with another district and used their superintendent we could have more teachers, resulting in smaller classes. Which we desperately need!

40. Denyse Ortlieb

Affiliation: Saugerties Central Schools

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: As changes to the calculation formula are being considered I would ask that state officials strongly take into consideration a variety of factors beyond a school district's enrollment. 1. What is the poverty rate or low income rate for that community? These numbers can not be over 20 years old. There is no reason to use such out of date data. Using the Small Area Income Poverty Estimates might be more helpful. The calculation of student-based district wealth factors should be reviewed to ensure that districts with declines in enrollment are not unduly punished by the formula. 2. The number of students who qualify for ELL and special ed services. These will increase staffing and possible out of district placements districts are required to fulfill. 3. What has been the districts current per pupil expenditure? What is the regional cost index? 4. Course and program offerings. There is a lot of talk regarding equity in education, but districts with a greater tax base are able to provide far greater programs and electives to their students than other districts. Examining the local tax base would be important. 5. How about school to work programs. There is great competition for blue collar jobs and college acceptance. Schools that are able to offer greater opportunities are providing their students with greater college and job possibilities. 6. Every student in NY should be provided not only equivalent educational opportunities, but also services from social workers, psychologists, guidance counselors and in school food/necessity programs. 7. Our district has consistently struggled to offer what neighboring schools are able to offer due to lack of funding. This is gravely unfair to our students and our community. As schools are certainly a draw on real estate and development. 8. Transportation costs should also be considered. 9. Infrastructure needs should be considered. 10. Account for the property tax cap in a district's expected local contribution. The expected minimum local contribution calculation should be reconsidered to recognize the fact that a district may not be able to realize that full amount.

41. Kristin Reichert

Affiliation: Cazenovia Central School/Madison Central School

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: After reviewing the OSC School Tax Rate and Levy Data Fiscal Year Ending 2023, it becomes totally apparent that something is wrong with the State Aid formula. The thing that stood out to me was that areas that are known for high wealth (The Hamptons, Lake Placid, Chautauqua Lake, etc) have lower per 1000 tax rates. There is a huge discrepancy across the state with some areas paying in the single digits and some paying in the 20's for their school taxes. The State Aid formula should be set in a certain way to help districts with lower wealth and less aid should be given to districts that have a tax base that can support education on its own. The current aid formula sets up huge disparities that end up hurting schools and ultimately students because the students are not afforded the same services (high quality teachers,athletics, clubs and other opportunities) because of this disparity.

42. Adam Hoover

Affiliation: Walton Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator

Comments: This is not directly tied to the Foundation Aid formula, but needs to be figured out in order to provide equity for all public school students of New York State, not just the ones in wealthy areas or in areas that have powerful state senators and representatives. The number of mandates put on schools is out of hand. How can any of our smaller districts survive financially when they are required to do more and more without an increase in aid. Almost every mandate costs money or forces someone to take on more responsibility on top of the responsibilities they already have. The tax cap is unrealistic even though it is not a true 2% cap, it still does not take into account even the most basic salary increases. We wonder why New Yorkers don't want to become teachers. A lot of it has to do with what we are now having to ask teachers to do. As I originally stated, these are not things directly tied to the Foundation Aid formula. But, these are things that need to be considered and addressed if any Foundation Aid formula is going to help solve the inequities between public schools in our state. Our students are already having to overcome so many things that are out of their control outside of school. How is it fair that the one place that should be equal for all is not? Cut back on the ridiculous mandates that only add work and stress and have been put in place because of the few schools that do not use commons sense. Why force the vast majority of schools to change the way they are doing things, because a few schools don't have a clue?

43. Dale Munn

Affiliation: Gouverneur CSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Rural schools have difficult time locating staff. By providing artificially high aid to districts with reduced enrollment, we are preventing the market economy from staff movement, mergers etc. Physics teachers may have class sizes of 5 in a school, while neighboring district can not hire someone to teach this pre-requisite to the future study of engineering.

44. Kathleen Mitchell

Affiliation: Brasher Falls CSD/SLL BOCES

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate; School Business Manager

Comments: The Governor has made it clear that districts should not keep an unassigned fund balance over the 4% limit allowed under current legislation. Currently, school districts are the only public entities with the 4% restriction; villages, towns and counties may hold on to taxpayer funds well above the limit imposed on schools. In many rural areas a school district is the largest employer and the largest driver of economic activity. Public schools have a huge impact on the economy of this state and should be allowed to keep 3 months of expenses in unassigned accounts. If the Foundation Aid formula is adjusted to account for unassigned fund balance above the legislative limit, then that limit MUST increase. Reserve accounts with specific spending targets can only do so much to help a district face large, unexpected expenses and those accounts cannot be used to meet payroll (most districts largest monthly expense) or pay utility bills if revenues are delayed. Within the past two years, many districts in NYS have moved to the Community Eligibility Provision allowing all students to receive free breakfast and lunch. With this move, parents are no longer required to complete applications for free & reduced-price lunches. Districts have tried to impress upon parents the importance of continuing to complete these applications as the FRPL count is tied into the Foundation Aid formula. This is one piece of the formula that could be changed. While poverty counts are important in determining the amount of aid due, if there is another source for this information it should be used.

45. Mark Bessen

Affiliation: Retired administrator

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator; Retired

Comments: If changing the formula let's have two changes that harm schools revoked. The tax cap 60% requirement. Why should a no vote carry more weight specially as programs will need to be cut as state aid and the cap do not keep up with true costs. In addition do not calculate the pilots as they do now as it at times places districts in a negative tax cap as well as other legal considerations schools need to plan for when a pilot ends.

46. Robert Howard

Affiliation: Northport- East Northport UFSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Please consider utilizing more current data in determining foundation aid. A negative consequence of a yearly update in current data would be volatility in foundation aid. A solution would be to take a 3-5 year average of more current data rather than the 20 year old data currently used in some areas. Lastly we all know that foundation aid is viewed as a tool for equity in funding especially for high needs districts but any reduction in aid to any school district will have a significant impact on program regardless of need. With New York State's tax cap law a school district limited ability to offset cuts in state aid via increased taxes due to this law. Any cuts in revenue would almost certainly result in a cut to programs for students and result in reduced outcomes in our statewide education system. Any shift in resources needs to be carefully considered because the stakes are too high when dealing with funding for our next generation and often the easy answer to equity is to shift resources and the Burdon but NYS has removed the mechanism to even do this if a community even had the means to do so.

47. Zakariah Haviland

Affiliation: NYC DOE

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator

Comments: My only comment is on after school funding; specifically, the idea that free after school programs were cut in many Title I NYC elementary schools (including mine - PS/IS 121, 21K121). The programs were approved but not funded due to a lack of budget. This is unbelievably tough on low-income families who rely on the services to be able to work additional hours. Thank you.

48. Isobel Usawicz

Affiliation: Red Hook/Rhinebeck

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; tax paying resident

Comments: In general, we need to move away from/recalculate using a portion of property taxes to fund local education districts. I chose not to have children. However, I am more than happy to support the future generation, but I do think my cost should be less than someone who has children. Of course, once your children are finished with the k-12 system then your tax bill should reduce. In addition, senior citizens should also have a reduced contribution to education regardless of income. Perhaps we should look at a separate income tax for education and factor in the number of children? This would insure that everyone pays into education but proportionately based on the number of children you're having. You'd have to figure in a way to protect lower income residents from being taxed too much. I realize that this has nothing to do with the Foundation Aid formula, but it's obvious that the property tax formula has many flaws. In regard to the Foundation Aid formula, are you taking into account the number of renters in a district? Are you taking into account the average number of children in a family? It would be helpful to see the actual formula in order to make informed comments. Otherwise, it seems like this exercise is just for show.

49. Christopher Brown

Affiliation: Marcus Whitman (Gorham-Middlesex) CSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: I have been a superintendent in NYS for the past twenty-five years. In that time, I have seen a lot of stressors on school budgets, and have also been the beneficiary of the good times as well. As the commission considers all angles of the Foundation Aid formula, I hope that the review includes the types of students who are served by school districts. While enrollments have decreased, the needs of students have increased. These increased needs cause more employees to be needed to provide education and services. My wish is for the commission to take this into consideration as they work to adjust formulas. Whether that is a weighting system, a functional needs assessment, or some other methodology, I feel it is important that the resulting formula adjustments reflect the "it takes a village" mentality. Thank you for considering my thoughts.

50. Mike Byrnes

Affiliation: Cazenovia CSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: In the Foundation Aid formula, Cazenovia CSD (located in Madison County) was originally given an Regional Cost Index (RCI) of 1.0 in the aid formula (for Mohawk Valley). If we were assigned the CNY's (RCI), as we now arguably should be, the RCI would be 1.103 in the formula, which amounts to significant underfunding for Cazenovia. Our application of the Foundation Aid Formula multiplier could have been adjusted by 10.3% if we were part of CNY as opposed to Mohawk Valley. The Dept. of Labor reclassified Madison County and Cazenovia to CNY in 2012, but the Dept. of Education fails to adjust our Foundation Aid RCI multiplier in our Foundation Aid formula. This is millions upon millions of dollars that have not been granted to Cazenovia CSD over the past 12-13 years. Do the math. Madison County is one of two counties that were reassigned labor force regions by the DOL. Educational Law has not adjusted for this.

51. Brigid Siena

Affiliation: Hauppauge UFSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: State aid is critical to ensuring the ability of our highest-need districts to deliver the programs and services their students are entitled to. The completion of the Foundation Aid phase-in was a significant accomplishment that students will benefit from for years to come. However, the work does not stop there. State aid must continue to grow and evolve to match the needs of students today, not decades ago. For the 2024-25 school year, the State should continue to allow the Foundation Aid and all expense-based aids to run to at least current law levels. In addition, Foundation Aid awards should include a due minimum increase for all districts equivalent to at least the CPI. To ensure that Foundation Aid continues to grow and evolve with our students and districts, it is long past time that the state revisits some of the underlying foundations, assumptions, and inputs to ensure that student need and district wealth are properly reflected and measured

52. Kayla Mumtaz

Affiliation: Alliance for Quality Education

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: I am a parent and an education advocate from Albany, New York. My children, ages 9, 7, and 5 all attend New Scotland Elementary School in grades 5, 3, and Kindergarten. Public education is the cornerstone of our democracy, and remains our best path to advancing equal opportunity at a time of deepening inequality. Public schools serve children of all abilities and identities, and turn away no one. Adequality and equitably funding our public schools to meet the diverse needs of students is not just important; it is essential to ensuring their success and our shared prosperity. Prioritizing public education means investing in a just and prosperous future for all New Yorkers. Black and brown students make up 65% percent of the student body at New Scotland Elementary School, higher than the New York state average. 48% of our student body is economically disadvantaged with issues plaguing our families like homelessness and food insecurity. Furthermore, 40.7% of our students are English language learners and 30.2% are students with disabilities. It is imperative during our current post-Covid era, more than ever, especially amidst the recent arrival of hundreds of asylum seeking families, that our children be provided with quality care and education, including things like qualified teachers, social workers, family liaisons, support for English Language learners and students with disabilities. Every child in New York has a constitutional right to a sound, basic education, and it is our government's responsibility to fund it, from Buffalo to Long Island, from the North Country to the Southern Tier. The current Foundation Aid formula was created in 2007 to ensure that NYS was meeting this obligation, though it took until 2023 to bring schools to full funding levels. Over the past 17 years, the needs of students have evolved and grown tremendously, especially over the past 4 years since the pandemic began. The Foundation Aid formula should be updated to reflect the real cost of educating students today, so that every public school has the resources it needs to support all students. Any modifications to the formula must be made on the basis of how much it costs to ensure public schools are getting the resources to meet their students' needs. Underfunding public education is not "sustainable," and not an option. The state's fiscal circumstances should not form the basis for calculating the true cost of educating a child. We cannot afford to deprive our kids of the resources and opportunities they need to succeed, and we cannot neglect to prepare them for life. Our children's future and the future of our state, depends on it. Signed, Kayla Mumtaz Albany City School District

53. Mark Pizzarello

Affiliation: New Paltz

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: The aid formula doesn't work for multiple reasons. Since the tax cap, aid has gotten worse. Districts can no longer raise additional funds through taxation without a super majority. As more and more funding is diverted to underachieving districts to make things equitable in the eyes of our state. Our higher performing districts are losing funding because the state has made it virtually impossible to go over the tax cap. The found action aid formula needs to be flat for all districts and consistent year to year. This allows districts to have a concrete budget starting point. Every year it's a surprise to see how much funding we have. My suggestion is to make the foundation aid a set amount each year. Make the tax cap over ride as a simple majority. Leave it up to districts to decide what right for them.

54. Daniel Erceg

Affiliation: Saugerties Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator

Comments: While I understand that enrollments are trending downward, the cost to educate students are not decreasing. Students have more needs than ever before. Do we as a state want to provide a basic education or do we want to provide the best education for all students. This includes economically disadvantaged, ENL, Special Education, and students with historically marginalized roots. As a district, we have already reduced the number of active elementary schools and will be looking at other elementary models. Unfortunately, other models will produce limited efficiencies. We will be forced to cut staff and reduce opportunities in the future.

55. Cynthia Wambold

Affiliation: Broome-Tioga BOCES Central Business Office

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Good afternoon. I prepare the state aid analysis for the Broome-Tioga BOCES region (15 districts) and been working with the Foundation Aid formula for years. I have prepared areas that I think need to be addressed and am attaching them. I have benefit of working with a small city school as well as small rural schools and those in between. I served on the NYSASBO foundation aid committee years ago. If I can at all be a resource, please do not hesitate to reach out.

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56. Soraya Shri-Pathman

Affiliation: Alliance for Quality Education

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate; Community Member

Comments: Strong, well-funded schools are essential for communities across the state. The pandemic exacerbated housing issues, increased inequities, and broadly made student needs even greater than they'd been before. It's crucial not only to maintain funding for public schools through Foundation Aid, but also to increase it. Our youngest, who are the future of the state, shouldn't have to bear the consequences of potential cuts to their education. As the wealthiest state in the country, New York must make sure that future generations are not impacted by short-term political decisions. This is after all only the first year that Foundation Aid was fully funded, so it's impossible to fully grasp the impacts that it's been able to have on our schools thus far. The Foundation Aid funding formula should be updated to reflect today's realities and should also consider the accessibility of these hearings. I live in Brooklyn, where transit options to the NYC hearing are easily accessible to me. However, many of the other hearings are in harder-to-reach places, particularly so for racialized, lower-income folks who depend on public transportation. My understanding is that the Foundation Aid formula was designed to provide sufficient resources for all kids in New York so that they could receive a sound basic education. I'm concerned that the Governor's request for a fiscally sustainable update could undermine the true purpose of this funding. It's important that this update uses accurate measures of the challenges experienced by students, families, and communities today, such as student poverty, child homelessness, foster care involvement, and whether or not someone is a recent immigrant or English language learner. Every child, regardless of their background, has the right to a high-quality public education. I hope this process results in the necessary investments our students truly need.

57. Anthony Gordon

Affiliation: The Department of Education

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Please don't make any cuts. Please add additional money for school based support staff.

58. smitha varghese

Affiliation: district 26

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate; alumna

Comments: We need smaller class sizes and we need more supports for ELL students since there are many asylum seekers in Bellerose. Don't shortchange our students by making the formula cost-saving. Base it off needs. If needs are expensive, that's not our problem. The government exists to meet needs, not to cut corners.

59. Jon Mermelstein

Affiliation: NYC Department of Education (District 4)

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Good afternoon and thank you very much for reading this! My name is Jon Mermelstein; I am a teacher at Esperanza Preparatory Academy in East Harlem. I have previously taught at PS161 and Hamilton Grange Middle School in West Harlem. My experiences have demonstrated that Foundation Aid, while an admirable attempt at rectifying the inequities of education funding in NY State, is falling short of achieving the outcomes we need. Any cuts would be catastrophic and, in fact, an increase in funding is necessary to account for the decade where the state failed to live up to its burden in fully funding Foundation Aid. My experience as a student in a wealthy Westchester suburb showed me exactly what public education can, and must, be in NY state. I had an emotionally supportive environment with a wide variety of culturally sustaining extra-curricular activities available. Staff were able to meet our needs as students, both because of sufficient resources and the relative privilege of the student body (as you know, fewer crises arise when folks are in a comfortable economic position). I was able to develop my critical thinking skills and obtain the prerequisites for success in the workplace. The situation in 2024 NYC public schools is starkly different. We face compounding issues - a mental health crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, an influx of recent arrivals, most of whom speak minimal English and many of whom lack formal schooling, and of course the consequences of a city increasingly unaffordable for its residents. Intermittent homelessness, gun violence, and inadequate healthcare plague our student population. Foundation Aid offers the pathway towards meeting our students needs, but only if it is robustly funded by the state. We need counselors and social workers to help the students' mental health, a dynamic many students have articulated to me directly. We similarly need increased resources to support our English Language Learners. There are several specific ways that our students are suffering without adequate funding, issues that would only be compounded if cuts were made. For example, the city has dragged its feet on reducing class size. We had one class at 161 where 32 8th graders were in a class; many of these students were recent arrivals or spoke no English. At Hamilton Grange, I had to volunteer my Tuesday and Thursday afternoons for tutoring the debate practice, since there was insufficient funding to compensate me for my time through per-session. While I was happy to do so, this is not a realistic expectation across the school system, nor is it sustainable. We need tutoring to be robustly funded to provide high-needs students the one-on-one or small group support that pays such dividends on their growth. Lastly, when it comes to behavior management, Hamilton Grange isn't even able to afford a Dean of Students! This lack of staff support creates a climate where those who want to learn and thrive academically may be unable to do so because of other students' behavior. Foundation Aid is required to maintain the well-staffed schools necessary to allow all students to succeed. Thank you again for reading this and for your work in ensuring our students and communities are able to thrive.

60. EVELYN VELEZ

Affiliation: 28

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am an educator from Queens District 28. I have been an early childhood educator for the past 13 years as well as a parent. I have been working with children at Talented Little Children in the South Richmond Hill area. In addition, I have been an administrator as well. Our center is a NYCEEC center. Public education is the cornerstone of our democracy and remains our best path to advancing equal opportunity at a time of deepening inequality. Public schools serve children of all abilities and identities and turn away no one. Adequately and equitably funding our public schools to meet the diverse needs of students is not just important; it is essential to ensuring their success and our shared prosperity. Prioritizing public education means investing in a just and prosperous future for all New Yorkers. We serve our community and have many families in temporary housing, low-income and limited access. We offer our families resources in addition to providing education to their children in a nurturing environment. How can we continue to offer our excellent service and passion for teaching with all the budget cuts to early childhood in NYC? NYCEEC is not treated with equality but is expected to exceed expectations. We do not receive the same pay or benefits as the public sector. In addition to that, we do not get our monthly budget on time causing directors and administrators not to be able to in occasions meet payroll putting at risk the loss of great staff. Having us take out loans and lines of credit to meet responsibilities because we have not been paid is not fair. Our pleads are ignored and this is another demonstration of how our system is failing our providers and children and families. How long can we continue with these inequalities? Our pleads are not being heard but ignored and that is injustice. We are asking for equality and respect for ALL early childhood educators, staff, and providers. Our system is broken and failing us !! Nyceec aren't treated equally but are expected to exceed expectations In addition to that , we don't get our monthly invoice payments on time which negatively affect our programs Admin and director can't pay staff salaries which can put their program at risk of losing quality staff. It's not fair! Underfunding education is not 'sustainable,' and not an option. The state's fiscal circumstances should not form the basis for calculating the true cost of educating a child. We cannot afford to deprive our kids of the resources and opportunities they need to succeed, and we cannot neglect to prepare them for life. Our children's future, and the future of our state, depends on it. Evelyn Velez District 28

61. Mary Yodis

Affiliation: Wynantskill ufsd

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Cuts to New York State'sFoundation Aid will have significant negative impacts on most districts but as small pre-K-8 school with dwindling enrollments, it would be catastrophic. Last year's initial proposed cuts to our district's foundation aid was almost $200,000. The aid was reduced to amounts that were awarded in 2016, almost a decade ago! This would have meant substantial cuts to our district. Here are several ways these cuts affect our district: 1. Reduced Educational Programs and Services Fewer Staff Members: With less funding, our district may need to reduce the number of teachers, aides, and support staff, leading to larger class sizes and less individualized attention for students. We have already moved to having only one section in our pre-k through 2nd-grade classrooms. Elimination of Programs: Special programs, such as art, music, physical education, and extracurricular activities, might be cut, reducing the breadth of education and opportunities for student engagement. 2. Impact on Early Childhood Education Pre-K Programs: Pre-K programs are crucial for early childhood development. Funding cuts could lead to fewer slots available for students, reduced program hours, or lower-quality offerings. It may lead to the elimination of the program altogether. Intervention Services: Early intervention services for students with special needs might be reduced or eliminated, delaying critical support that helps these students succeed later in school. 3. Resource Constraints Instructional Materials: Our school already struggles to afford updated textbooks, technology, and other instructional materials, which are essential for providing a modern and comprehensive education. A cut in aid would make matters worse. Facility Maintenance: Maintenance and upgrades to school facilities may be postponed, leading to deteriorating conditions that can affect the learning environment. 4. Safety and Wellness Deficits Since it would not be possible for us to cut any more teaching positions than we have at this point we would have to cut our new school resource officer and new social worker position leaving the district vulnerable to safety issues as well at mental health issues for our students and families. PLEASE DO NOT cut funding from small schools with low enrolments such as ours!

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62. Donald Chu

Affiliation: Cortland Enlarged City School District Board of Education

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

Comments: There are three obvious problems with the Foundation Aid formula as it currently stands. 1) The Income Wealth Index (IWI) is limited to 0.65. It treats really poor districts the same as moderately well-off districts. 2) Hold harmless funnels aid to districts that they don't need just because they got more in the past. Add-ons skew aid too. 3) The Pupil Needs Index (PNI) is based on the 2000 Census. More recent data is available.

63. Tanesha Grant

Affiliation: Parents Supporting Parents NY/ Moms United For Black Lives NYC/D5 Harlem

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Other Elected Official; Education Advocate

Comments:

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64. Peter Brezinski

Affiliation: Taxpayer

Relationship to Education: Taxpayer

Comments: The formula needs to be updated to utilize the most current data available. I'm sure many school districts are being short- changed due to using outdated statistics.

65. Daniel Rehman

Affiliation: West Hempstead UFSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Our school district faces unique challenges that the current state aid formula needs to address adequately. While our wealth ratio might suggest a well-off community comparable to a Plainview, NY, this metric fails to capture our complex economic realities. Nearly 50% of our public school students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating a significant economic need that contrasts sharply with our wealth ratio. Furthermore, our high private school attendance rate of 40% impacts our funding needs in ways the current formula doesn't fully account for. We still bear costs for these students, particularly transportation and certain special education services. Speaking of transportation, our extensive network serving 110 schools across 125 routes substantially increases our operational costs and presents logistical challenges that may not be fully recognized in the current funding model. To address these issues, we propose that the state aid formula be adjusted to reflect our true community demographics and needs better. This should include a more nuanced consideration of economic indicators beyond the wealth ratio, a reassessment of how private school attendance impacts public school resources, and a greater emphasis on transportation costs, particularly for districts like ours with exceptional transportation needs. These adjustments are necessary for the current formula to be accurate in our district's financial needs, potentially compromising our ability to provide quality education and support services to all our students.

66. Charles Whittel

Affiliation: Livonia Central Schools

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: The foundation aid formula is archaic and clearly can be improved upon. That being said, many of the proposals focused only on limited data points drastically shift aid from some school districts to others. For example, if you primarily consider student enrollment you ignore the fact that districts within declining population still have to and should offer a comprehensive educational program. If your AP class enrollment shifts from 20 to 10, it does not save the district any money if you know that the course must still be offered to provide students with the same or similar opportunity as other schools. You still need to heat the same building. Any change must consider the impact on smaller school districts as they are often adversely impacted. This becomes more challenging given the logistical difficulties of the merger process as evidenced by the decline of successful mergers in recent decades. Please consider multiple factors or build a save harmless mindset into any formula adjustments to ensure that smaller schools are able to provide a sound educational program. Given the 2 percent budget cap, schools cannot simply ask communities to contribute more without real challenges to budget passage leaving the net result being a slow process of decreasing opportunities often impacting rural and non-suburban schools the most. Please consider a plan that prioritizes ensuring that all students in New York State have equal access to quality educational programs no matter your zip code. This will mean considering factors like does the school offer advanced classes, extra-curricular opportunities, and intervention services that often are harder or more expensive to provide in smaller school settings as the lower population loses efficiencies of scale while often having increased community need and poverty. We can do better. Foundation Aid offers the opportunity to equalize and support all students in New York. Some ideas to consider: *Allow schools to include any gap changes in addition their 2% budget cap for the first year so communities will have a fair opportunity to determine if they want to make up the difference of decreased state aid. Include incentives for maintaining certain programming for small schools such as AP courses and high impact electives to ensure that these programs continue to be offered even when the economy of scale makes it more challenging. Include as part of a comprehensive plan incentives and and more realistic path forward for small schools to seek mergers. The current process leans heavily toward discouraging mergers even though we know economy of scale is a key ingredient to offering high quality programming for the lowest cost to taxpayers. Finally, please remember that massive changes create chaos and adversely impact students. New York made the right decision to maintain save harmless this year to ensure that there was time to do this right. If the plan will result in significant changes for a district, phase that in over time so districts can plan and adapt. The foundation formula was a mess that was decades in the making. We can fix it over a few years of implementation with a priority going toward supporting any underfunded district to help ensure that a quality educational program exists in every school in New York. Thank you for offering the opportunity to provide feedback.

67. Mel Solomon

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District, zip code 14850

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Since we in Ithaca voted overwhelmingly against our original school butdget I believe the State of NY needs to oversee spending in order to help efficient use of both State and local taxpayer funds. The local school boards have not proven to be efficient in the use of taxpayer funds. Costs per student and results of student education have not proven to be consistent. The local administrators are too subjective in spending and do not prioritize expenses to the best results. If we had ourside administrators from NY State who would be objective in helping to budget funds, I believe money would be better spent. You may say, "there are rules not allowing what I am suggesting", but ask yourselves why do we spend $30,000 per student, and the teachers still need to spend money out of pocket to help teach their classes?

68. Jeffrey Lewis

Affiliation: Whitesville Central School District

Relationship to Education: community member & former school board member for 15 years

Comments: I feel that school merge with either Andover or Wellsville would be best. More interest from other schools when we are still financially stable. Otherwise, could face annexation. Students would attend school closest to their home address. Whitesville Central School already has several students attending Wellsville and Canisteo Greenwood. Whitesville Central's building is in excellent condition after eliminating asbestos, adding air conditioning to several rooms, etc. Our hope is that it could continue to serve as an elementary school and place for special services.

69. Cheryl Lewis

Affiliation: Whitesville Central School

Relationship to Education: community member & former teacher assistant for WCS for 20+ years

Comments: I loved my years working at WCS and have continued to be a dedicated supporter. I don't feel that Whitesville any longer has enough to offer students. When my granddaughter left to go to Wellsville School, she had 6 students in her class. Now there are 3 in that same class. That isn't even good socially for students. There is also a large turnover of teachers and difficulty filling positions. My wish is that our building would be used for elementary students as a merged school and possibly a location for special services. The building is in excellent shape with asbestos abatement, air conditioning in several rooms, etc. Would be a waste to leave it vacant.

70. Sarah Padula

Affiliation: Ithaca

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Retired teacher

Comments: Taxes, especially school taxes in Ithaca, are often a higher monthly expense than one's mortgage. Ithaca City School District has MANY students who live in poverty in outlying communities , contrary to the popular thought that it's all ' 'Cornell or Ithaca College people'. This district needs help so people aren't paying exhorbitant school taxes which interferes with their ability to buy food,heat their homes, and seek medical attention. The Ithaca City School District has had a runaway budget for years! Cornell contributes VERY little in comparison to other Ivy League university contributions to their local school districts. Something needs to change to provide more state aid!

71. Linda Steinberg

Affiliation: Hyde Park Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Firs to fall, povery rates should not be determined using Free & Reduced Priced lunch rates as many school districts are now CEP and students are no longer required to apply for free or reduced priced lunches in those districts. Also, it should be recognized that wealthy districts can make up for shortfalls via property taxes but that is not always an option for poorer school districts. Changes to foundation aid will have a direct impact on school tax rates and resources for students. The students must be at the forefront of everyone's thinking when considering school funding. It is well-known that there is an achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students (improvished students, migrants, students with disabilities, ethnic minorities, etc). The foundation aid as it currently is has not solved this inequity. Overall, wealthier districts can provide more resources to their students even when they receive less state aid.

72. Kate Sinsabaugh

Affiliation: Cazenovia Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please update the methods used in this formula. Our budget is already strapped with likely a $1.6M deficit for the '25-26 year after struggling to approve a reduced budget for '24-25. Our teachers are not over paid, they receive some of the least costly health insurance in our area. The board has trimmed what they can with the fewest positions cut, the fewest hits to classes offered & increased class sizes, & keeping in mind additional monetary needs we will face in upcoming years (electric buses, NYS education mandates, & capital campaigns). We are a district with many successes - academically, athletically, & through the arts. Please look at all aspects of how the funding we receive. Issues like this divide our little town. The board of education has made great efforts the last 2 years to include the community in decisions that affect the tax payers. Please don't let their efforts & extra time be even more strained with out dated methods.

73. Jodi Pearlman

Affiliation: Shenendehowa central schools

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Former parent (children now in college)

74. Jarett Powers

Affiliation: Union Springs Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator; Superintendent of Schools

Comments: See attached.

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75. Anooj Bhandari

Affiliation: Restorative Justice Initiative and Dignity in Schools

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: New York City Schools often serves a purpose as a policing unit and power retainment structure before it does as an education institution. The combination of a city with mayoral control over the department of education plus an unruly budged for police in schools makes it so that our education system is first and foremost a place where police and administration get to preserve their power and where youth keep missing out on opportunities to grow and learn. We need holistic mental health services, support for restorative Justice programs, and adequate second language support for students across our school systems. I worked for a number of years as a restorative Justice coordinator in New York City public schools and in my time there prior to moving on to education organizing at the citywide level, I saw a complete lack of mental health resources allocated to youth of color, queer and Trans youth, and youth with disabilities. Actual transformative change is what we need, not more money trading among the city's power holders. We need to fund neighborhood based mental health resources including in school practitioners who represent the neighborhoods and cultural backgrounds that are youth are from. We need restorative Justice programs to build community across schools and to provide safe alternatives to punitive practices while reimagining what safety looks like for youth of color. We need language services to support young people both in learning and expressing themselves. NYC schools, as they are, are a place of vigilance; youth cannot learn under vigilant measures. We need caring community so that hearts and minds can open up to actual growth and change.

76. Shivani Parikh

Affiliation: South Asian Legal Defense fund

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: On behalf of the South Asian Legal Defense Fund, we strongly advocate for the urgent update of the Foundation Aid formula to ensure equitable and sufficient funding for all public schools in New York. The current formula, established in the wake of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity v. State of New York decision, is outdated and fails to address the diverse and evolving needs of our state's students. Foundation Aid is the cornerstone of funding for essential public school functions, including educator salaries, school facilities maintenance, and classroom resources. However, the present formula does not account for the myriad factors that influence educational needs and outcomes today. As a result, our public schools are not receiving the financial support required to provide a "sound basic education" as mandated by the state constitution. This inadequacy disproportionately impacts Black, Brown, and AAPI low-income communities, including many South Asian students. At the South Asian Legal Defense Fund, we are committed to advocating for the rights and opportunities of low-income South Asian students, who deserve access to the same high-quality education as their peers. By updating the Foundation Aid formula, we can ensure that all students, regardless of their background or economic status, have access to the basic literacy, calculating, and verbal skills essential for their future success. We call on state legislators and policymakers to prioritize this crucial update to the Foundation Aid formula. Our children's futures depend on it, and it is our collective responsibility to guarantee that every child in New York receives the high-quality education they deserve.

77. Michael Vaughn

Affiliation: Citizens Budget Commission

Relationship to Education: Researcher

Comments:

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78. Taylor Guley

Affiliation: Windsor Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: â€¢ Special Education students are weighted adding an additional 1.41 FTE per special education student (on top of the already included count of the student through average daily membership). Are the needs of a special education student equivalent to 2.41 compared to 1 for a student not classified? â€¢ Should English Language Learner students be part of the TAFPU calculation versus the Pupil Need Index/Extraordinary Needs Count? Should they be treated similar to special education students but at a different weighting and what weighting is appropriate? â€¢ Is the statewide Base Foundation Aid amount truly still equivalent to the costs to educate an average student? Has the inflationary factor since 2016-2017 kept pace with the true cost? 2016-2017 was the last year this data was updated through statistical analysis. â€¢ Does the Regional Cost Index need to be updated? This was done in 2006 and compares the median salaries in professions similar to education but not education across the state. This drives more aid downstate as the cost of living is significantly higher. â€¢ Should the floor for the Income Wealth Index (IWI) be lowered to less than 65% (.65)? If a district's adjusted growth income per pupil unit is less than 65% of the state average, they are held to using 65% in the formula. Currently based on the present formula all districts in the Broome-Tioga BOCES region use the Expected Minimum Contribution calculation based on the Foundation Aid State Sharing Ratio. However, if the floor was lower 4 districts could benefit as their IWI is currently less than 65% (Deposit CSD, Newark Valley CSD, Union-Endicott CSD, & Windsor CSD) â€¢ The census used is the 2000 census data; however, both the 2010 and 2020 census are known to have flaws. Is there a better source to determine poverty? â€¢ Is the poverty count best represented by a combination of the poverty from the census and free and reduced lunch counts? How will changes in funding for school lunch programs impact the data collected for free and reduced lunch counts? â€¢ What other student populations require additional services but are not classified as special education? Are these services driving significant costs more so than in 2007-2008? One example may be mental health costs. However, to capture this in the formula, a clearly defined data set must be collected. It is unlikely that this can be captured through actual expenditures. Should there be reporting of students that receive these services and how would that be done? How could that be added to the TAFPU calculation like special education? What weighting would be appropriate?

79. Eric Byrne

Affiliation: Rye City School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Foundation Aid Study Hearing - Remarks Eric Byrne, Ed.D Superintendent of Schools Rye City School District Good afternoon. My name is Eric Byrne and I am the Superintendent of Schools for the Rye City School District. I am also a past President of the Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents which comprises 75 school districts and four BOCES in Dutchess, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester Counties. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. When the Foundation Aid formula was first enacted in 2007, it was an outstanding achievement. I am hopeful that these hearings will lead to positive change for all students in New York. It is critical that school districts can rely on certain principles of funding. Funding must be adequate, equitable, predictable, flexible, clear and must resolve the many unfunded and underfunded mandates that currently burden school districts. If the existing methodology for calculating foundation aid remains intact, a number of areas must be examined and/or adjusted in order to provide adequate funding to school districts. Regional Cost Index - The regional cost index has never been updated and assigns districts to a specific region that may not reflect the regional costs for the area. The regional cost index must be appropriate for the actual costs encumbered by a school district. High Special Education Costs - Meeting the needs of special education students requires an approach that reflects the range of costs associated with services. Funding to school districts must support the actual services delivered to students. Pupil Needs Index - The current model is flawed and must consider additional factors in the calculation of determining funding for students based on need. A more appropriate approach to support English Language Learners is necessary that incorporates the range of services and actual costs for services. Community Wealth Factor - The current model is flawed and does not actually consider the wealth or poverty of actual students. Wealth in some portions of a school district can radically inform the calculation of the factor while not truly representing the wealth or poverty and needs of the community. Additionally, the tax cap negates any consideration of community wealth as while the current model considers a communities ability to fund schools, the tax cap prevents school districts from addressing needs without a supermajority vote. It is essential that while foundation aid funding is reconsidered, the tax cap must also be considered. Thank you again for the opportunity to speak this afternoon.

80. Robert Allen

Affiliation: Spencerport Central School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I can only speak to my own experience, but right now, our school needs more financial support. Since COVID, schools have become more important than ever in the lives of our students. Some of them receive the only meals they will get each day at school, and many teachers act as surrogate parents. Our counselors also help provide students with crucial emotional support. However, our building has windows with mold in the panes, broken tiles in the hallways, and ratty furniture. We are struggling to hire educators in all positions, and I worry that if we continue to underfund schools, this situation will only get worse, and our students (and by extension our country), will suffer.

81. Elizabeth Kelly

Affiliation: Liverpool Csd, Syracuse csd

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Retired

Comments: I am writing this letter to you as a parent, taxpayer, and as a teaching assistant. I am a city of Syracuse Resident, a teaching assistant in a suburban school district and a after school teacher in the city of Syracuse. My children are now adults and I have worked with students for the past 18 years. First, I understand the accountability and we are trying to improve student performance. My perspective is as teaching assistant, with very little input into procedures and sometimes very little perspective of the big picture. However, I feel like a fly on the wall when it comes to the best interest of students and teachers. Many of the following issues could easily be dealt with by hiring more teaching assistants to offset the frustrations of students and teachers. I observe: Teachers spend a tremendous amount of time on paperwork behind their computer. If it's not making out IEP's, documenting every little detail and collecting documentation for every student's daily step from TA's, then it is attending a meeting for the student, which happens during the course of the school day. Taking time away from teaching the student directly. Taking time away from students by attending conferences during the school year. This could be done during time off(summer, breaks, weekends, conference days) therefore subs would not have to be hired so often, saving tax payers a lot of money. Then this would allow teachers the extra money if they needed. Looking at the big picture I feel hiring teaching assistants can really be beneficial to both special needs student, resource students and regular ed students by: help student who are falling behind, who need more explanation or were absent to catch up with the lesson help with disruptive/difficult student issues; either the teacher or assistant take care of that student while the other students continuing to learn. help out student with classwork; after the instruction is done, assistant can help out students, prod them along/encourage their work

82. Michael Sill

Affiliation: United Federation of Teachers

Relationship to Education: Assistant Secretary of the United Federation of Teachers

Comments:

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83. Jennifer Queenan

Affiliation: New York City

Relationship to Education: Former teacher, current CUNY student

Comments: I am a former NYC public school ENL teacher from the Bronx, currently working on a PhD in Urban Education at the City University of New York, where I also teach at Hunter College in their English education program. I believe deeply in public education and know, from working in an underfunded school in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, that fully funding public schools is crucial. Public education is the cornerstone of our democracy, and remains our best path to advancing equal opportunity at a time of deepening inequality. While teaching, I co-taught in integrated classes with multilingual learners across all subject areas. Now, I coach teachers to do the same and have been to many schools in New York City that cannot afford an ENL teacher. Smaller class sizes and co-teaching allowed me to truly serve the multilingual learners I worked with, getting to know them and meet their individual learning needs through relationship-building and effectively differentiating class material. The ENL teachers I currently work with, when schools have one, are so spread thin that they cannot effectively meet the needs of all of the MLLs they work with. Every child in New York has a constitutional right to a sound, basic education, and it is our government's responsibility to fund it, from Buffalo to Long Island, from the North Country to Southern Tier. The current Foundation Aid formula was created in 2007 to ensure that NYS was meeting this obligation, though it took until 2023 to bring schools to full funding levels. Over the past 17 years, the needs of students have evolved and grown tremendously, especially over the past 4 years since the pandemic began. The Foundation formula should be updated to reflect the real cost of educating students today, so that every public school has the resources it needs to support all students. Any modifications to the formula must be made on the basis of how much it costs to ensure public schools are getting the resources to meet their students' needs. Underfunding public education is not 'sustainable,' and not an option. The state's fiscal circumstances should not form the basis for calculating the true cost of educating a child. We cannot afford to deprive our kids of the resources and opportunities they need to succeed, and we cannot neglect to prepare them for life. Our children's future, and the future of our state, depends on it. Sincerely, Jennifer Queenan New York City

84. vincent corletta

Affiliation: DOE

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments:

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85. Troy McGhie

Affiliation: Curtis High School

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments:

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86. Sandy Wong

Affiliation: P.S.30x District 7 (DOE/UFT)

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Testimony for the Rockefeller Institute of Government's Hearing on the Foundation Aid Formula July 16, 2024 Good evening, everyone, I am Sandy Wong, a kindergarten teacher in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx. This is my 24th year of teaching. I am speaking on the urgent need to reform New York State's Foundation Aid formula. The formula is failing our most vulnerable students, particularly those in the low-income communities where I teach. We should implement a sliding scale that allocates substantially more funds to schools with higher percentages of students from low-income families, English language learners and students with disabilities. We need a Foundation Aid formula that truly serves all our children, regardless of their zip code or family income. At my school, PS 30, I have many students living in shelters or in uncertain housing situations doubled up with extended families. We used to have two full-time social workers/coordinators in my school building assigned to work with students living in temporary housing. One left and was never replaced to provide trauma-informed counseling, parent outreach, crisis support, home visits, etc. The current formula treats all students equally, but here's the truth — all NYC students don't start on an equal footing. In the Bronx, we're not just teaching reading and math. We're battling poverty, hunger and trauma. Our students are coming to school without breakfast, hungry and worried about where they'll sleep at night. Some are learning English for the first time; others are navigating learning disabilities. And yet, our funding doesn't reflect these enormous challenges. Every child deserves the chance for a fair and equitable funding formula, especially vulnerable students in low-income communities. We need a formula that recognizes the actual needs of our students and understands that equality in funding doesn't create equity in education. Thank you for your time!

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87. Patrick Amendola

Affiliation: Ckarkstown

Relationship to Education: Senior citizen

Comments: Senior citizens without kids in school for the past 20 years should get a substantial discount on school tax â€¦.. my school tax is more than my town tax !!! At least I get services from my town while the schools no longer provide any benefits to me â€¦..my friends feel the same way but we don t know who to turn to â€¦.. both the town and school board are not interested in helping us out â€¦.. I would like to meet with you to discuss this further but individual meetings seem hard to arrange

88. Evan Wray

Affiliation: Ithaca city school district

Relationship to Education: Concerned citizen

Comments: All schools need more money.

89. Annawa Naing

Affiliation: PS/IS 78Q

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments:

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90. Kevin Welsh

Affiliation: Brasher Falls CSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: I am looking at your locations for meetings. What about the large number of rural districts with high poverty north of Syracuse. We do not get a say in this matter?

91. Emily Hoffman

Affiliation: Brooklyn D22 Parent

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The Foundation formula should be updated to reflect the real cost of educating students today, so that every public school has the resources it needs to support all students. Any modifications to the formula must be made on the basis of how much it costs to ensure public schools are getting the resources to meet their students' needs. Underfunding public education is not 'sustainable,' and not an option. The state's fiscal circumstances should not form the basis for calculating the true cost of educating a child. We cannot afford to deprive our kids of the resources and opportunities they need to succeed, and we cannot neglect to prepare them for life. Our children's future, and the future of our state, depends on it.

92. Joseph Dragone

Affiliation: Long Island Education Coalition, ASBO NY

Relationship to Education: Retired School Business Official

Comments:

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93. Harry Grossman

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Board Member

Comments: What is wrong with Foundation Aid formula? First of all, it uses poverty statistics from the year 2000 and never updates those statistics. At the very least the Foundation Aid Formula needs to use the numbers from the census count every decade and the census surveys every 2 years. Second of all, all other means-tested government programs determine poverty based on income. Only Foundation Aid, which uses the wealth ratio (total property value divided by number of public school kids), determines it based on property values. This makes no sense. Thirdly, non-public school children must be included as the district is required to provide services and expend money on them. Ignoring them, badly skews the outcome. You can have a funding formula as the state currently has it but, when the number of non-public students exceed 25% of the total number of students, the formula no longer works. For example, East Ramapo has 44,000 children, only 10,500 of whom are public school students. It must provide mandatory services for all 44,000 children and the homes and properties of the 30,000+ non-public school families count in determining the wealth in the wealth ratio. The problem is the services that must be provided to those children fall through the black hole in the formula and are never considered.

94. Kate Sinsabaugh

Affiliation: Cazenovia Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

Comments: Please reconsider the formula used to provide aid to districts. Outdated methods do not reflect the current need and our children are the ones who suffer.

95. Sandra Eller

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District, former private school parent

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: East Ramapo is a unique district, with three times as many students attending private schools as public schools. But with the Foundation Aid formula basing its funding on the number of public school students in the district, East Ramapo is being strangled, because it is providing mandated services to EVERY student in the district, while it is only being allocated funding for public school students. Just think about it - the money being allocated to each public school student for their very important educational needs, also has to pay for the very important state-mandated services for three private school kids. This issue isn't just short changing public school students - it is also dividing a school district and creating hostility. New York State NEEDS to fix this problem by properly allocating funding to East Ramapo to benefit all of its students!

96. Matthew Barr

Affiliation: Lyons Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: High-poverty, rural districts are asked to service students in a unique and costly way. Any decrease in state aid would lead to a decrease in services due to a near non-existent local tax base to draw from.

97. Bruce Levine

Affiliation: Suffern School District

Relationship to Education: Former elected and appointed official including 11 years as a Rockland County Legislator

Comments: Please try to use the uploaded written comment to inform any changes to foundation aid but it is a stand alone proposal that I hope you will use to help you see the strength and the limitations of the foundation aid formula. It was first published in the Journal News/lohud.com Please confirm receipt to

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98. Shannon Shine

Affiliation: Rotterdam-Mohonasen Central Schools

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Foundation Aid should recognize those districts who have contained spending as evidenced by their low per student expenditures. When the tax cap went into effect it had the unintended consequences of rewarding those school districts who had "bloated" budgets and high per pupil spending, while also continuously punishing those districts who were "running lean" in terms of per pupil spending. One way to address this state causes inequity is to include a factor in the Foundation Aid Formula which drives additional aid to districts with low per pupil spending (while taking into account the regional cost factors which make some areas more expensive than others).

99. Mary Modica

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: 30,000 children live in ERCS district but only 1/3 attend the public schools. Even less are the number of tax paying families into the current allocation of money for school districts. It's abhorrent. Busing needs to be separately allocated. Our entire budget is going to busing private school students at the cost of the public school families. If busing were not attached to the educational spending, I think the horrendously criminal situation we have with our board of education would cease to be an issue.

100. Carol Jacobs

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School Districr

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments: Will this program be available via Zoom?

101. Victor Karlsson

Affiliation: Brewster Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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102. Tina Chmielewski

Affiliation: North Syracuse Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Our students and families are in more need than ever. Our kindergarten students are entering school with minimal skills. We have a number of general education students coming in not even potty trained. We have students that have experienced trauma and parents that have no idea how to parent and think giving a 3 year old an ipad will prepare them for school. The elementary school day is not nearly long enough, there is minimal time for recess, playtime and building social skills because the educational demands keep growing. Our class sizes are increasing and additional staff is not being provided to support the social emotional needs of our students, let alone programs and instructional materials for social emotional learning. Our schools are struggling, teachers are overworked and we need to fix this system before it falls apart. We need to focus on building the foundation for students. We invest so much into higher education that we don't insure students are thriving and loving school at the elementary level. Schools are not prepared to handle behaviorial issues and the programs that do support these students are falling apart because they can't find or keep staff.

103. Mollie Mark

Affiliation: Medina Central School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Foundation Aid has allowed our high needs, low income community access to much needed resources such as a social worker in each building, a school resource officer in each building and more support with our student's mental health. Without the continued levels of foundation aide from the state our district would have to make staffing cuts and limit programming for students. Our students deserve a chance to strive for excellence the same way their peers in more affluent parts of the state do. If New York truly wants to champion their DEI efforts, they will ensure equity for our students in rural districts.

104. LuAnn Tierney

Affiliation: Medina Central School District

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

Comments: Foundation Aid is critical to the success of our school district. We are a very high poverty district so foundation aid is essential for our district to be able to afford programs that provide for the success of our students. We are a rural community with very little industry and a low tax base. All of the students in our district receive free breakfast and lunch. We are working hard to improve our district for the students and families that live here and generous funding through foundation aid is a necessary piece to that puzzle.

105. Samuel Ortiz

Affiliation: Port Chester UFSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: The current foundation aid formula takes into account the total number of students in a district, and a districts special populations: students with IEPs, English as a new language students, and students who live below the line of poverty. Any adjustments to the formula SHOULD NOT reduce the weight for special populations of students.

106. Joseph Jimick

Affiliation: Garrison UFSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Many school districts have received Hold Harmless Foundation Aid increases for many years, perhaps even several decades. Last year the Governor's original proposal wanted to revert to the formula, eliminating decades of increases and in some cases, which could cut the foundation aid amount in half. To do that in one year, and to expect districts to maintain program, and comply with the tax cap is wholly unrealistic. In some cases, the foundation aid reduction required would have been equal to or exceed the allowable growth in the tax levy. It would effectively be the same as having a contingent budget. It took many years for New York State to fully fund the foundation aid formula through a combination of freezes and hold backs during the recession times and NY has just finally gotten to the full funding formula. If the analysis of school aid produces a result that foundation aid for some districts should decrease, this should be done in a phase out process over 5 to 10 years. Such that 10 to 20 % of the required reduction would be done per year. While wholly unpleasant for those districts affected it could be attainable. However if other high cost items such as the conversion to electric school buses do not take these aid reductions into account, more school districts will need to either override the tax cap, reduce program or both.

107. Inaaya Hamad

Affiliation: District: Shenendehowa

Relationship to Education: Student

Comments: As a person who does a sport in Shen. We do a lot of fundraisers for money. Whereas other sports such as football and others get much more money and funding. I would like more funding to go towards the color guard.

108. Eric Rigg

Affiliation: Rochester City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I believe that their hope to make educational funding equivalent across the board will help the educational value of students in the region. We need to invest in the children's learning because they are their future.

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109. Jason Klein

Affiliation: Medina Central School District & Lockport City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I think the formula needs to updated to provide schools with more funds to meet the needs of the students. If we want to prepare children for the future than schools need to be given more money for resources, teachers, and staff. Teachers are crucial to student success and should be paid more money. More money needs to be allocated for teachers and keeping teachers in the field. Teachers and educators are one of the lowest paid industries.

110. David Beggins

Affiliation: William Floyd School District Administrator and Parent at Bay Shore School District (4 Children)

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator

Comments: It is wonderful that the foundation aid formula was finally "fully funded" in the 23-24 school year, after a 16 year delay and decimating high need low income student opportunities. Then, after finally being fully funded for the first time, they start playing with the CPI formula of foundation aid for the 24-25 school year, and reduced expected funding by millions of dollars. On top of that, one part of the State Government doesn't know what the other is doing. Specifically, implementing "unfunded mandates" which take "Foundation Aid Funding" and redirects it to areas that were never part of planned expenditures. Please see a copy of a proposed NYS bill "no financial impact" on the bottom. They are correct, they aren't giving any money, but making the districts fund it from tax or state aid, without supporting "their great idea". I can only imagine what their personal financial picture is like.

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111. Steve Blount

Affiliation: Medina Central school

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Board Member

Comments: To whom it may concern: I am writing to express my deep appreciation for the foundation aid provided to the Medina School District and to underscore the critical importance of this support to our community. Medina is a district characterized by its commitment to delivering quality education despite facing significant economic challenges. As a low-poverty community, many of our students and their families rely on the resources and opportunities made possible through foundation aid. This funding is essential not only for maintaining the basic educational infrastructure but also for enhancing the learning experience and broadening the horizons of our students. Foundation aid enables us to offer a range of valuable resources and diverse educational programs that would otherwise be unattainable. With this support, we can provide: 1. **Advanced Educational Programs:** Including STEM initiatives, arts education, and extracurricular activities that foster creativity and critical thinking. 2. **Support Services:** Such as counseling, special education, and after-school programs that address the diverse needs of our student population. 3. **Updated Learning Materials:** Ensuring that our students have access to modern textbooks, technology, and other educational tools necessary for a competitive education. 4. **Professional Development:** Allowing our teachers and staff to pursue ongoing training and development to stay abreast of best practices in education. The impact of foundation aid on our community is profound. It not only helps in bridging the gap caused by economic disparities but also instills hope and ambition in our students. It ensures that every child, regardless of their socio-economic background, has access to quality education and the opportunity to succeed. In closing, I want to reiterate the indispensable role that foundation aid plays in the Medina School District. Continued support is vital to maintaining and expanding the educational programs that empower our students and enrich our community. I urge you to keep this aid as a priority, recognizing its significant contribution to the future of our children and, consequently, our society. Thank you for your ongoing support and consideration. Sincerely, Steven Blount Ed.D PA-C

112. Cody Conley

Affiliation: nan

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Foundation aid should be calculated using up-to-date information, however, schools used to getting monies based on the old formula should slowly be weaned off. Funding as a whole, not just foundation aid, should be recalculated. If the tax cap was recalculated or repealed it would help with the major foundation aid problem. Part of the funding issue has to do with the implementation of the tax cap. Inflation has accelerated and will continue to cause the biggest problem in education today, recruiting and retaining effective new educators. Pay scales in schools, especially north of Westchester Co. cannot compete with other career choices. This coupled with higher insurance premiums and TIER 6 will cripple our education system. Education used to be the number 1 college major in the US (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/education-majors-colleges-decline-teacher-pay/), now it's less than 7% of college graduates nationwide (https://educationdata.org/number-of-college-graduates), and prospective teachers coming out college are not of the same quality as early as 10 years ago. All school districts need to be able to pay teachers and staff competitive wages. The tax cap needs to be seriously looked at and I believe this will help with some of the foundation aid problems, allowing richer districts to raise necessary money through taxes and giving the neediest schools, based on the foundation aid formula more money.

113. Kathryn Taylor

Affiliation: Williamson Central Schools

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator

Comments: The Foundation Aid Formula is not equitable. It is not equitable to small rural schools. School districts in Wayne County had dramatically different amounts of aid. Williamson's combined wealth ratio is misleading. We have a small percentage of wealthy properties near Lake Ontario, however, most of the district has residents who live in poverty. Williamson had a 0% increase in State Aid, while a neighboring district had a 10-11% increase. We were forced to cut staff and programs, while neighboring districts are adding programs. Rural school districts are suffering.

114. Riley Anderson

Affiliation: NYS Assembly

Relationship to Education: On behalf of Assemblyman Pat Burke

Comments: The world of education has changed drastically over the past four years, and because of this, the needs of students and teachers are no longer reflected through the Foundation Aid Formula. With the challenges of COVID-19, the internet, the economy, and many more factors, students are facing a heavier toll on their mental health. We might not be able to lift the weight of these factors, but we can give them the proper tools to deal with them and maybe even one day fix those issues. However, this requires a fully funded education budget that properly reflects the needs of students today. The pupil needs index uses data from 24 years ago, which is no longer relevant. This index should be updated, and we, as education leaders, must find a way to make sure every student's needs are met. Every student deserves to receive the best quality of education possible.

115. Mary Grow

Affiliation: East Irondequoit CSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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116. Jesse Coburn

Affiliation: Heuvelton Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: I support updates to the Foundation Aid formula to reflect current data (enrollment, poverty, etc.), but using inputs that reflect the changing nature of schools and communities around the state, in contrast to simply using a new "snapshot" of our schools and communities in 2024-25. With revision will come winners and losers. That is, some districts will benefit from changes and others will endure significant hardship. At this point, most school districts cannot predict how they will fare, including ours. I would ask that whatever the outcomes are, that the impact be spread over time. For example, whether a school experiences a 10% increase or a 10% decrease in Foundation Aid, stagger the implementation over several years (e.g. 5) so that a district would experience incremental and predictable change of 2% per year until full implementation. Combined with this rollout, I recommend increasing the 4% limit on unappropriated fund balance to 8%, allowing districts the flexibility to navigate the fiscal uncertainties of the future.

117. Kimberly Bell

Affiliation: Trumansburg Central School District

Relationship to Education: Superintendent

Comments: Dear Members of the Rockefeller Foundation Aid Study, I am writing to respectfully request your consideration in reviewing and potentially revising the aid formula for long-range planning in academic institutions, specifically over a three to five-year period. It is imperative that educational entities have the financial stability to invest in essential programs and fulfill teacher and labor contract obligations, even in the face of fluctuating enrollment numbers. Our educational mission must remain steadfast: to deliver the highest quality education to every student, regardless of their geographical location or the size of their cohort. Currently, small rural schools, with enrollment cohorts as small as 50 students, face significant challenges. These schools must still provide access to a comprehensive curriculum that meets graduation requirements. The financial strain of maintaining robust programs in these settings is considerable, and without adequate support, these institutions risk offering an inferior educational experience compared to larger city schools. The disparity in educational opportunities based on region undermines our collective obligation to ensure equitable education for all students. Therefore, it is crucial to implement a funding model that recognizes and supports the unique needs of smaller rural schools, ensuring they are not disadvantaged in comparison to their urban counterparts. Furthermore, while I am a strong proponent of regionalization, it is evident that many communities hold a nostalgic view of their local schools and often resist mergers. State-driven regionalization, if mandated, could result in substantial cost savings, pooled resources, and high-quality shared programs. Such a directive, however, must come from a place of authority rather than community choice, as the latter may not always reflect an understanding of learning standards, project-based learning, and program rigor. In conclusion, I urge the Rockefeller Foundation to consider a more flexible and supportive aid formula that accommodates the long-term planning needs of academic institutions. By doing so, we can ensure that all schools, regardless of size or location, are equipped to provide an exceptional educational experience to every student. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your ongoing commitment to supporting education. Sincerely, Kimberly Bell Superintendent of Schools

118. Joshua Janese

Affiliation: North Tonawanda City School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: One of the most significant challenges for schools is the necessity to have sound long-term planning. Changes to the Foundation Aid formula presents an opportunity for a district to receive less funding. Additionally, the Save Harmless aid was talked about as a cut to schools during the most recent budget development cycle at the state level. This creates a scenario for some districts to be hit with a double reduction in aid. If reduction in aid were to happen, a multi-year phase in that is forecasted allows for districts to adjust staffing levels and programmatic offerings in a fiscally responsible manner. This allows for communities the opportunity to adjust, Boards of Education to make recommendations consistent with community wishes, and allows for reserve funds to be thoughtfully used with their intended purposes.

119. Lisa Smith

Affiliation: Carthage Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: The current State School Aid foundation aid formula, which factors in property and income wealth, is fundamentally flawed. This approach assumes that higher property values and income equate to greater fiscal capacity for school districts. However, it fails to account for the tax levy threshold, which restricts districts from raising taxes beyond a set limit, which is closely tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Consequently, even in areas with significant property and income wealth, districts may be unable to access these funds. This disconnect creates an inequitable distribution of resources, disproportionately disadvantaging districts that are unable to leverage their property and income wealth due to statutory tax limitations. Revising the formula to remove these factors would ensure a more equitable allocation of state aid.

120. John Cain

Affiliation: Copenhagen Central School & Watertown City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; School Board Member

Comments: I have had the privilege of teaching at one of the smallest school districts in Northern New York for 25 years. Copenhagen Central School is nestled between 4 significantly larger districts, including Watertown City School District to the north, the district that my own children attend, the district at which my wife is a school administrator, and the the district at which I am proud to serve on the BOE. Both Copenhagen and Watertown, despite their significant size difference, share much in common. Both have high rates of children living in poverty or very near poverty. Both are heavily influenced by their proximity to Fort Drum. Both are also hubs of their community, places where many events take place. The difference is, the City of Watertown has many such community hubs. In Copenhagen, the school is it. Copenhagen is a one traffic light town. We host community meetings, hunter safety courses, Reading is Fundamental Family Nights, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, 4H, in addition to all of the usual school functions. On AYSO Soccer nights, almost 200 children flood our fields with their coaches and parents. On Saturday mornings in the early spring, our pee wee girls basketball program, coached by the state champion varsity players, takes up our gum space as parents and grandparents cheer on from the stands. Movie Nights, hosted by the Copenhagen Teachers' Association pack the cafeteria once a month while the PTO makes popcorn in the back. We also create a community atmosphere in our school, one where high school teachers know almost every student in the building from Pre-K on up, and elementary teachers get to see the students they had years ago come back and read to their new crop of students. Class sizes are small, no child slips through the cracks, and the teachers support one another. The pay isn't the best, and our per pupil spending is among the lowest in the state, but we take great pride in graduating doctors and lawyers, teachers and plumbers, mechanics and nurses, law enforcement officers and fire fighters. We see daily the tangible difference being educated in small school district can have on a child. We care deeply about our students, because we come to know the intimately, they are far more than a number or name in a gradebook. It is true that since the last funding formula was created that our enrollment went through a period of decline before stabilizing. Most districts in New York have experienced similar declines in enrollment. My fear is that a new funding formula will make it impossible for Copenhagen to remain viable. As an educator, as a union leader, as a parent, a community member - I could never support any funding formula that took away something that is so important to our community. We have success in one of the poorest areas of the state, a much higher success rate than the districts that surround us. It would be a travesty of justice to go through another round of forcing small districts to merge with neighboring districts. Research is clear - smaller schools, community schools and smaller class sizes all lead to increased success rates for students. Whatever happens to the foundation aid formula, please make sure that it does not occur at the expense of tearing down smaller schools. They are so integral to the students they serve, and the communities in which they exist.

121. Julia Konrad

Affiliation: New York City Independent Budget Office

Relationship to Education: Researcher; Government

Comments:

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122. Steve Blount

Affiliation: Medina Central school

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Board Member

123. Rae Lynn Helman

Affiliation: LeRoy Central School

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: I have worked in education since 1990 and have watched the dramatic changes that have occurred over the past 34 years. There have been ups and downs in school funding over the years, and when in the classroom, my annual allotment for materials and supplies ranged from $100-$300. That doesn't begin to scratch the surface. In the regions I have worked, our schools range from average need to high need rural schools. Today, we are facing more challenges than I have ever seen. There are teacher shortages in special education and for related service providers. Needs of our students have increased, especially in the areas of behavior and mental health, and the agencies that used to support us are at capacity. Districts are being asked to do more in house, and to do so, we need more highly qualified mental health providers and behavior technicians. This all costs more, and doesn't change the needs of the general education population. I agree that the formulas for state aid and special education reimbursement are cumbersome and difficult to understand. There need to be changes, but not at the expense of educating students. In order to retain teachers, and keep both educators and students safe, we must continue to invest in schools. There are many other areas in government that can and should be addressed prior to cutting aid to schools. Education is a way to help people out of poverty and abuse, and if we cut the money to schools, it will impact the services and supports for the students across NYS who need it the most.

124. molly lahr

Affiliation: Waterloo Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: It is crucial that rural NY is considered strongly in the new foundation aid formula. Small communities are fearful of the way that this new formula could negatively impact funding for populations that are largely forgotten about. Our needs are unique but we are not without our struggles.

125. Denise Sullivan

Affiliation: Remsenburg-Speonk UFSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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126. TERRAIN REEVES

Affiliation: NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I have attached my testimony/commentary

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127. Lisa Sanfilippo

Affiliation: School Business Official

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator

Comments:

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128. Anne Byrne

Affiliation: Nanuet school district

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

Comments: The regional cost index should have Rockland and Westchester in the same region as NYC and Nassau and Suffolk. This would make a big difference in both counties. The data should be updated. Using 2000 census data is crazy. Need more accurate numbers on ENL students and special education. Elementary free and reduced lunch is a better indication of poverty than the census

129. Charles Murphy

Affiliation: Island Trees School District, Nassau County, New York

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: I have uploaded a letter for the Rockefeller study.

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130. John Yinger

Affiliation: Syracuse University

Relationship to Education: Researcher

Comments:

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131. Joseph DAngelo

Affiliation: Maryvale UFSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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132. Melinda McKnight

Affiliation: Onteora and Kingston

Relationship to Education: Taxpayer in multiple districts

Comments: Saddling property owners with funding schools is inherently unfair and inequitable. School taxes paid by property owners is the reason people are leaving NYS. It would be more fair to fund schools out of NYS Income Taxes and then to provide funding to the same funding to every school. There would be no more "rich" districts and "poor" districts. This is how they fund schools in other parts of the world is a far more fair and equitable approach to funding and to Public Education.

133. Cherie Jemsek

Affiliation: Saugerties, NY

Relationship to Education: taxpayer

Comments: To Whom it May Concern, In reference to the Foundation Aid formula, I do not have experience with the local schools but I used to be an elementary art teacher. That being said, I would hope that the criteria being used to determine funding would be based solely on the needs of the best education of the students. Making sure that teachers receive an adequate income, making sure the class sizes are appropriate, making sure that students have access to or are aided by enhancements to their education are all priority issues. Once a student has finished school, the influence of their education can not be underestimated. Not all students have the option to continue further education so the basic required education should be the best possible. These are our future citizens. Please respect that we can influence the quality of our communities going forward by supporting a good education for all students. Sincerely, Cherie Jemsek

134. Stephanie Lee

Affiliation: Nanuet !

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

Comments: The current foundation formula very out of date! Rockland county needs to be in the same Formula calculations as long Island. This is well known! Without updated data we are jeopardizing the education of our children! Our demographics are changing and funding needs to keep up! Education is most important to giving kids a chance !

135. Joseph DeBarbieri

Affiliation: Baldwinsville CSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: It is important for the NYSED and NYS to remember that as much advance notice should be provided to schools and districts prior to enacting any significant change to the foundation aid formula so that schools and districts can be prepared with plans. A multi-year rollout plan should be communicated given the significant impact change will have on school communities and their budget development processes. It is my belief that most schools and districts are frugal in their approach to budgeting! it is well known that changes over the years resulting in an increase in spending is a direct result of meeting the needs of ALL students. Children, families, and school communities are much different than when the current formula was enacted. That stated, most schools and districts are open to change so long as time is provided to understand the change and plan for it. Transparency as a result of understanding the formula is important to help districts plan forward and create multi-year plans is important. We have to understand -- The formula cannot be convoluted! Lastly, it is important to also remember that holding schools harmless gives them additional time to prepare and plan forward. Think about it -- As a citizen, if you know your salary isn't increasing you make adjustments appropriately. Most, if not all of the time, salaries do not decrease -- Wages either increase or stay the same (unless you get fired). That is not what is happening here. Schools and districts are not getting fired! So, NYSED and NYS need to be mindful of the significant impact their decisions will have on the lives, experiences, and future successes of all school communities. Please don't forget -- Students are the future -- Impacting their experiences, opportunities, and trajectories in a negative way will have a damaging impact on the future success of our country.

136. Victoria McLaren

Affiliation: Onteora Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: In revising the Foundation Aid formula, there must be a path for Districts who will lose a significant amount of money. Prior to the Tax Levy Limit being implemented, a District could propose an increase in the tax levy without the requirement of approval by a super-majority. If a District will lose a significant portion of aid, it should be done in an incremental schedule so that the students are not negatively impacted by dramatic cuts in program to accommodate the loss of revenue. The state has continued this funding methodology for this long, any changes need to be done thoughtfully and without negative impact to the children of NYS.

137. Jennifer Hayden

Affiliation: Romulus Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator

Comments: I am writing to provide feedback on the proposed changes to the Foundation Aid Formula used to determine state aid for New York State schools. As an educational leader with extensive experience in various districts across upstate New York, I am particularly concerned with how these changes will impact rural schools in our region. Rural schools in upstate New York face distinct challenges that must be carefully considered in the state aid formula to ensure equitable educational opportunities for all students. Here are several key points that should be included in the revised formula: 1. Transportation Costs: Rural schools often cover large geographic areas, resulting in significant transportation expenses. The formula should account for these costs by providing additional funding to districts with extensive transportation needs, ensuring that students can safely and reliably attend school. 2. Sparsity Factor: Introducing or enhancing a sparsity factor in the aid formula can provide additional support to districts with low population density. This factor would help rural schools that struggle with higher per-student costs due to smaller student populations and greater distances between schools and students' homes. 3. Economic Disparities: Many rural communities face economic challenges that impact their ability to support local schools through property taxes. Adjusting the Community Wealth Index to more accurately reflect the economic conditions of rural areas can help ensure that aid distribution is fair and meets the needs of students in economically disadvantaged regions. 4. Broadband and Technology Access: Rural schools often have limited access to high-speed internet and modern technology, which can hinder educational opportunities. Additional funding should be allocated to improve broadband infrastructure and provide technological resources to rural schools, ensuring that students have the tools they need for a 21st-century education. 5. Teacher Recruitment and Retention: Rural schools frequently struggle to attract and retain qualified teachers due to their remote locations and limited resources. Providing additional incentives and support for teacher recruitment and retention in rural areas can help ensure that all students have access to high-quality educators. 6. Programmatic Support: Rural schools may have difficulty offering a wide range of academic and extracurricular programs due to limited resources and small student populations. Additional funding earmarked for expanding these programs can help rural schools provide a more well-rounded education, preparing students for diverse post-secondary opportunities. By incorporating these considerations, the revised Foundation Aid Formula can better support rural schools in upstate New York and ensure that all students, regardless of their location, have access to quality education. Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.

138. Connie Woytowich

Affiliation: Saratoga Springs City School District (Parent and Board Member) and South Colonie Schools (Teacher))

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; School Board Member; Researcher; Education Advocate

Comments:

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139. Anne Byrne

Affiliation: Nanuet school district

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

140. Nancy Clark

Affiliation: Hammondsport CSD

Relationship to Education: retired superintendent of schools

Comments: I'm going to keep this simple...we need to level the playing field so that ALL children in NYS have equitable educational opportunities. The disparity in program between low wealth and high wealth school districts is stark.

141. Daniel Grant

Affiliation: Lackawanna City School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: I have three points that I believe are worthy of consideration, as follows: â€¢ The rationale on how Foundation Aid is currently calculated does not require significant change. However, many of data points can and should be updated to draw from more current data. â€¢ The current mechanism for utilizing K-6 FRP eligibility as a poverty measure is flawed. CEP district (i.e. the most needy) are penalized in that parents are less likely to comply with the submission of income eligibility forms when they know that compliance has no impact on their children's eligibility to attain free meals. Direct certification data should be used instead. This would place all districts on an even playing field. â€¢ There are hundreds of NYS school districts who currently receive greater than 100% of their calculated foundation aid. This is the result of the fact that for many years, the distribution of foundation aid was political as opposed to formulaic. The result was that many poor rural (predominantly white) districts were overfunded while many poor urban/suburban (with higher proportions of non-white students) were not even fully funded. So, the real question is whether folks will have the will to do the right thing, which would require many districts to have their foundation aid allocations reduced (to 100%). However, having seen the politics of education funding in action, it is unfortunately likely that there will be political efforts to alter the formulas in order to avoid or minimize these appropriate reductions, which will literally divert funds from the most needy, colorful districts.

142. Gerard Poole

Affiliation: Shoreham-Wading River School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Foundation aid is a critical component of financial stability for the Shoreham-Wading River Central School District (SWRCSD). Our foundation aid for the 2024-25 school year is $10,248,262 and comprises 11.6% of the budgeted revenue. In the 2007-08 school year it was $5,470,271 and comprised 14.6% of the budgeted revenue. Despite the increase of foundation aid of $4,777,991 over the past 18 years and a 25% decline in enrollment in our District, the percentage of our school program funded by foundation aid has decreased. This is the result of cost factors such as inflation, New York State unfunded mandates, security, cybersecurity, mental health, English language learners, special education, capital maintenance and instructional technology. Currently foundation aid provides about $5,000 of support per student in our District. Changes to the foundation aid formula should not reduce our current per pupil support of $5,000, which is among the lowest in New York State. At a minimum, foundation aid should be increased at levels commensurate with the consumer price index and the costs of any new enacted New York State mandates that impact schools. Comprising approximately 11.6% of our total revenue budget, foundation aid becomes even more vital as we navigate within the confines of New York State's tax cap regulations. Traditionally, the foundation aid formula considers a community's economic capacity based on property values and income levels. However, the imposition of the tax cap has rendered this criterion less relevant. Should the formula be revised, a community's economic capacity must be re-evaluated fairly, taking into consideration the tax cap's limit on generating local revenue. In the SWRCSD, the tax levy has increased at an average of 1.3% bringing the tax levy in 2017-18 of $53,388,990 to $57,477,878 over those seven years. The Shoreham-Wading River community already contributes more through New York State taxes to support education in New York State than it receives back in foundation aid. The community currently supports over 70% of the budget through local taxes. A new formula should not further exacerbate this inequity. We are dedicated to upholding our educational mission and preserving the integrity of our programs without disproportionately burdening our taxpayers. Ensuring sufficient foundation aid is not merely about financial support; it is about safeguarding the educational opportunities that our community values and that our students deserve. It is imperative that any changes to this aid do not force us to impose additional financial burdens on our community or diminish essential educational programs. Our students thrive due to the robust programs and services in place. Rather than reducing support for historically high-performing schools like ours, the foundation aid formula in New York State should strive to maintain these standards and support other districts to achieve similar levels of student success.

143. Allyson Matwey

Affiliation: Riverhead Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments: To Whom it May Concern: I am the parent of two recent graduates from Wading River in the Riverhead Central School District on Long Island. I am also an outspoken advocate for public education as my 26 year career has been in public education as a result of my own public education. Public education is the cornerstone of our democracy, and remains our best path to advancing equal opportunity at a time of deepening inequality. Public schools serve children of all abilities and identities, and turn away no one. Adequately and equitably funding our public schools to meet the diverse needs of students is not just important; it is essential to ensuring their success and our shared prosperity. Prioritizing public education means investing in a just and prosperous future for all New Yorkers. Riverhead School District is a diverse school district; it is diverse in population as well as socioeconomically. My children both recently graduated from Riverhead and received STELLAR educations. Their exposure to the diversity of our schools and community was ideal for exposing them to the real world they will encounter, and we are grateful for it. That said, our district faces several challenges, many of which are related to the historical underfunding of our schools. When you have a diverse population, it requires diversity of educational curricula and programs, all of which cost money. Riverhead District has always done a great job of maintaining these programs for ALL of our students. Recently, however, our district was faced with the awful decision of having to cut staff positions in order to stay within our budget. The district also had to discontinue its bilingual elementary education program for new students due to cutting these positions because of a lack of sufficient funding and not wanting to raise taxes on people who are already spread thin financially. Parents were understandably disappointed, but without sufficient funding, the program cannot continue to be offered to new entrants. It is a shame that the state, which has historically underfunded our district, continues to insufficiently fund our schools and force tough decisions regarding educational cuts. The current Foundation Aid formula was created in 2007 to ensure that NYS was meeting this obligation, though it took until 2023 to bring schools to full funding levels. Over the past 17 years, the needs of students have evolved and grown tremendously, especially over the past 4 years since the pandemic began. The Foundation formula should be updated to reflect the real cost of educating students today, so that every public school has the resources it needs to support all students. Any modifications to the formula must be made on the basis of how much it costs to ensure public schools are getting the resources to meet their students' needs. Underfunding public education is not 'sustainable,' and not an option. The state's fiscal circumstances should not form the basis for calculating the true cost of educating a child. We cannot afford to deprive our kids of the resources and opportunities they need to succeed, and we cannot neglect to prepare them for life. Our children's future, and the future of our state, depends on it. Respectfully, Allyson Matwey Riverhead Central School District

144. Meggan Olds

Affiliation: Susquehanna Valley Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Appointed town Zoning Board of Appeals member

Comments: I have personally witnessed our school district, a small-to-medium suburban school, witness damage from the aid formula. The use of our data statistics means that our current population does not receive the assistance needed, and programs have been decimated. In my 25 years teaching here, we have lost 5 of the 12 educators from the Music department, no longer have any business education program, are now sharing massive staff members between buildings. I have watched class sizes rise, and have seen programs slashed. The result - more and more students who are lost - missing strong connections with teachers (who are massively overworked and stretched too thin). These children are not finding activities and programs to meet their learning and emotional needs. New York State is not meeting the fundamental rights and needs of students in districts our size with our socio-economic needs of students continually in peril. The 'middle of the road' districts such as ours are unfairly decimated by the current aid formula.

145. Gerard Kopera

Affiliation: Ossining Union Free School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

Comments: Foundation Aid in NY needs to be adjusted, but not because of the reasons given in a recent article that appeared in LoHud.com. The distribution of FA (Foundation Aid) in NYS needs to be adjusted so that it is done in line with the formula's intended outcomes. Districts that are over-funded when compared to what the formula dictates should see their funding cut, while districts that are underfunded should see their funding restored. The data used in calculating FA may be out of date. That should be easy to address. The US census is conducted every 10 years. There is no reason for the data in the formula to be more than 10 years old. It should be a straightforward matter to evaluate the student population in every school district in NYS is correctly reflected in the numbers. There is often an unanswered question as to whether all students being serviced by the school district are there legitimately. That should also be addressed. The FA formula was never intended to be used for anything other than measuring relative poverty in a school district. The number of students in a district that receive free or reduced-price lunch seems to me a perfectly reasonable proxy for this measure. For those that claim that the formula does not account for students with disabilities, special needs, lack of English proficiency and mental health issues since the pandemic, they are right. It was never intended for that. I can't use a tape measure to weigh myself, because it was never intended for that purpose. We should not pile on and expand FA to provide funding for issues that it was never designed to support. Why are the more than 600 school districts in NYS grouped into 9 regions? Is this for the sake of simplicity? More granular data is available. Use it. Years ago, I served on many local school district budget committees and was an early advocate for addressing the inequities in the distribution of Foundation Aid. We lobbied in Albany, we tried to educate the local community. Many of us participated in a symposium that was held at the Yonkers Public Library. That symposium was chaired by Richard Parsons, at the request of Governor Cuomo. While many people advocated for more overall spending on schools, my interests were much more specific. The data from NYSED clearly showed the many school districts were not getting what they were owed, under the prevailing formula. The formula has been frozen by the governor during the 2008 financial crisis and spending levels were not being addressed. I simply advocated for the formula to be applied as intended. It was also clear that many districts, including some rather wealthy districts, were getting more than they were supposed to under the formula. During a coffee break at the symposium, I said to Mr. Parsons that I simply wanted the distribution to be fair and done according to the formula. Of course, that would mean that some districts would have to give up what they had because they were being overfunded according to the FA formula. Mr. Parsons said to me, and I'm paraphrasing, that 'being fair means that someone will have to give something up, and that won't happen'. That is exactly what needs to happen. The problem is that there are legislators in Albany, like Sen. Shelly Mayer, D-Yonkers, who is quoted in the article as saying she is not in favor of 'any district losing what they get'. A lot of good work has been done that shows very clearly that throwing more money at public education overall does not improve student outcomes. I believe that the team at Georgetown's Institute of Educational Sciences has done some particularly interesting research. Someone should give them a call. Gerard Kopera Briarcliff Manor, NY (Ossining Union Free School District)

146. andrea vecchio

Affiliation: East Islip School District / East Islip TaxPAC Inc.

Relationship to Education: Researcher; Education Advocate; Long Islanders For Education Reform

Comments: Foundation Aide Is a part of State Aide which is a part of each School Districts yearly school budget total. As a group TaxPAC that has been involved on the part of taxpayers whose taxes provide all the funds at Local, State and Federal levels. Any Discussion of how to "divy up "their tax money should include Us. Most Districts affected by the prior 14 years of Migrant Student enrollments can not be left out of any debate of funding New York State public schools , Please refer to the August 30 2010 SED Enrollment Directive by then Deputy Superintendent John King as a starting point . Andrea Vecchio East Islip

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147. Maria Rianna

Affiliation: Glen Cove Schools

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Any formula must begin with a standard amount per per for all districts. We have up-to-date data for each group, and subgroup, of students we educate, including students in private and parochial schools within our districts. It needs to be understood that there are vast differences within some subgroups that impact programs significantlyâ€¦such as ELL students that are educated vs students with interrupted or no education. Average daily attendance cannot impact a district's funding negatively. The financial impact must be understood as additional services are required to enhance attendance and provide remedial services. If the formula is calculated on data that is currently gathered and provided yearlyâ€¦.and is currently being reported to the State Education department. Using this data, accurate funding could be provided on a 2 or 3 year average. Save-Harmless districts had their Foundation aid frozen for 24-25. And I have a detailed understanding of need as a result. Their district profiles have changed considerably since first being identified as a 'Save-Harmless' district. But you must also keep in mind that districts such as Glen Cove, Westbury, Ossining, Riverhead, Port Chester and many others [of which we have a list] did not receive full funding of Foundation aid for more than 10 years. [Glen Cove was at 44%, just to provide an example. A spreadsheet from the proposed 2019-2020 aid is provided] Although we know there is no manner in which these districts can be repaid, the formula could provide for an equity factor included over a certain period of time to properly provide for the children of those districts. This is not a new problem. Eight states have already put in place a new funding formula. We could learn from them what worked, and what didn't. But New York must step up, especially when we serve one of the largest populations of children in the country.

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148. Carmen Romero Lee

Affiliation: District 2

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments:

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149. Dennis O'Hara

Affiliation: Islip UFSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: When considering the foundation aid formula, please study the outdated poverty rates. These figures are over two decades old. Please consider how much our population has changed over the last decade. For example, over the las ten years, in Islip, we have seen a 15% increase in students with disabilities, a 35% increase in students of poverty, a 110% increase in homeless students and a 120% increase in English Language Learners (ELL). A great deal of resources go into effectively and appropriately educating these students. The % of students eligible for free/reduced lunch in Islip hovers close to 40%. This group too requires a great deal of resources and support. Reductions of state aid make it nearly impossible for a district like Islip to provide the necessary supports. Additionally, unilaterally reducing the inflation index, the way the Governor did last year, served as a large detriment to our students. We lost aid as a result. Moving forward, please create a formula that accurately takes into account the current fiscal & inflationary realities. We cannot cost-cut our way to a better education system. In Islip, we spend wisely, negotiate community favorable contracts and maintain modest reserves. When considering an updated formula, please make a formula that addresses the unique student body of each district - not a one-size fits all based only on anecdotal data. Thank you for your consideration of these concerns...

150. Raymond McQueen

Affiliation: gates chili school district monroe county

Relationship to Education: retiree

Comments: Do not penalize seniors with eliminating the STAR Rebate program, limit "Capital Project" spending in the individual school budgets.

151. Paullette Healy

Affiliation: Parents for Responsive Equitable Safe Schools(PRESSNYC)

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony. My name is Paullette Healy and I am a parent raising 2 children with disabilities in Brooklyn, one attending a D75 program which is a program that services students with developmental or multiple disabilities. I am also a D75 community advocate and support hundreds of families during the IEP process. I am here to advocate for my community in the re-examining of the Foundation Aid formula. Public education remains our best path to advancing equal opportunity at a time when people with disabilities are invisible in the eyes of our society. Adequately and equitably funding our public schools to meet the diverse needs of students is not just important; it is essential to ensuring their success and normalizing the need for accomodations instead of stigmatizing it. Prioritizing public education means investing in a sustainable future.. Presently all students with disabilities are weighted exactly the same within the Foundation Aid formula regardless of the amount of support or number of services needed. What that means is a child who needs a speech therapist is funded exactly the same as a child who needs speech, OT, PT, counseling, and a 1:1 para. The impact of this funding approach is that schools struggle to hire the necessary staff required to serve our population with fidelity. It results in massive caseloads for existing related service providers resulting in massive burnout and staff turnover and that leads to long term vacancies in positions within special education. Our students experience delays in assessments and gaps in service when time is not a resource any of our children can afford to lose. Our families should not have to fight to have their children's services met simply because of a flawed funding formula. The formula should be updated to reflect the real cost of educating students today, including but not limited to after school programs, literacy coaches, bilingual service providers so all students can have access. The fact that our present foirmula does not allow for school nurses is a travesty! Any modifications to the formula must be made on the basis of how much it costs to ensure public schools are getting these resources to meet their students' needs and that prioritizes students with disabilities, students in temporary housing and students living in poverty. We have proven special education programs that our community needs to fight to maintain every year when we should be expanding them so more families can have access. We cannot do that unless we baseline these supports within our funding stream. Year after year, our families are forced to go through lengthy impartial hearings in order to get our children's most basic needs met. It is unfair and unjustfied. Underfunding public education is not an option. The state's fiscal circumstances should not form the basis for calculating the true cost of educating a child. We cannot afford to deprive our kids of the resources and opportunities they need to succeed, and we cannot neglect to prepare them for life. Refusal to not include these targeted recommendations will turn an unintentional harm to an intentional one that will doom the future of our NY students and society as a whole Signed, Paullette Healy NYC/School district 20, district 13 and district 75 -- Paullette Ha-Healy Special Education and D75 Community Advocate "There is no such thing as a single issue struggle because we do not live single issue lives"-Audre Lorde

152. Elka Halberthal

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Our district has vast majority private school children and a small minority of public school kids. As I understand, due to this disparity our district is not funded proportionally under the current formula as it does not account for private school students. Please can the new formula take into account private school students in our district, so that there is more proportionate state funding to our district. Thank you

153. Michelle Jacobsen

Affiliation: Hamilton Central School

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Board Member

Comments: I think the biggest points that relate to our district that should be considered are: 1. Predictability-Not knowing what is coming makes budget development and any kind of long-term planning nearly impossible. 2. Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for school lunch and the difficulty now in obtaining accurate FRPL numbers. The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) allows eligible schools to serve free breakfast and lunch to all students regardless of income. CEP has been shown to increase participation in school meals, and supports a whole child approach to learning. This will be a new process for us this fall. Other districts that have already been in CEP have expressed this as a concern. 3. Declining enrollment does not necessarily equate to fewer expenses. For example: if our enrollment drops 20%, but the change is spread out over all grade levels, there is potentially no change in staffing/services/etc. If numbers help, think of it this way....As a small school with approximately 40 students in each cohort (2 sections of 20 in grades K-5), a widespread decline in enrollment of 20% would equate to 32 students in each cohort, which would still require 2 sections of 16. It doesn't result in a reduction of staffing needed. 4. Everchanging student needs and district mandates. Piggybacking off of the last point, despite our slow decline in enrollment, our student needs have changed and the number of students requiring additional services has actually increased. In 23-24, roughly 30% of our K-12 students had an IEP or 504 plan. This is the highest percentage that we have ever had. This is probably a trend that is being seen in all districts but is a huge factor in the budget process. Simply put, it isn't just as easy as a one size fits all formula. There are many factors - of which different ones hit districts differently. What the city schools needs is vastly different than rural schools. As a district that has been "over funded" for years, has increased real property values with a declining enrollment, it will be tough to make a compelling case for our own needs based on the metrics that we know will somehow be factored in the formula.

154. Matt Crumb

Affiliation: Hamilton School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Thank you for your time and effort in taking on this difficult task. In recent years, the biggest challenge has been planning annual budgets and any kind of long-term planning with the unpredictability of foundation aid. We have seen a slow decline in enrollment; a decline that doesn't necessarily result in the reduction of staffing. During this time, we've seen an increase in the number students with unique needs; needs that aren't necessarily reflected in metrics that have typically been used in the foundation aid formula.

155. Emily Peavey

Affiliation: Wellsville Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator; School District Taxpayer

Comments: The current foundation aid formula presents significant challenges for schools in terms of predictability. We lack access to taxpayer base Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) data and visibility into per-pupil foundation aid amounts, both of which are pivotal factors influencing forecasted aid. How do you propose assessing variables to enhance the accuracy and accountability of school district forecasts? Thank you, Emily

156. Joshua Culwell-Block

Affiliation: Chappaqua Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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157. Jennifer Jones

Affiliation: Hamilton Central School

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Board Member

Comments: As the Vice President of the Hamilton Central School District, I would like to address the critical issues and broader themes concerning the Foundation Aid formula that impact our district and many others across the state. Our district, although historically categorized as "overfunded," faces unique challenges that must be acknowledged and addressed to ensure equitable and effective educational opportunities for all our students. 1) Predictability One of the foremost concerns for our district, and undoubtedly for many others, is the lack of predictability in funding. The uncertainty surrounding future allocations makes budget development and long-term planning exceedingly difficult. A predictable and transparent funding model is essential for districts to effectively manage resources, invest in necessary programs and support student achievement. Without it, we are left navigating financial uncertainties that can disrupt educational continuity and stability. 2) Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for School Lunch The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) allows schools to serve free breakfast and lunch to all students, regardless of income, which supports a whole-child approach to learning. However, the transition to CEP presents challenges, particularly in obtaining accurate Free and Reduced-Price Lunch (FRPL) numbers, which are crucial for various funding calculations and eligibility determinations. As our district implements CEP for the first time this fall, we are concerned about the potential inaccuracies in these numbers, a concern already expressed by other districts with prior CEP experience. Accurate data is critical for ensuring fair and adequate funding, and the current system's limitations must be addressed. 3) Declining Enrollment and Fixed Expenses Declining enrollment does not necessarily translate into reduced expenses for our district. For example, a 20% drop in enrollment across all grade levels does not lead to a proportional decrease in staffing or services. In a small school like ours, with approximately 40 students per cohort, a 20% decline would result in 32 students per cohort, still requiring two sections of 16 students each. This situation highlights the disconnect between enrollment numbers and actual operational costs. Staffing needs, facilities maintenance and other fixed expenses remain constant despite fluctuating student numbers. Therefore, funding formulas must consider these fixed costs to avoid undermining the quality of education provided. 4) Evolving Student Needs and Mandates Even as our enrollment slowly declines, the needs of our students are increasing in complexity and intensity. In the 2023-24 academic year, roughly 30% of our K-12 students had an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 plan, the highest percentage we have ever recorded. This trend likely reflects broader statewide patterns, emphasizing the growing need for specialized services and support. These additional requirements significantly strain our budget, and current funding mechanisms do not adequately account for the rising costs of meeting diverse student needs and complying with state mandates. Conclusion In conclusion, while specific metrics will undoubtedly play a role in the Foundation Aid formula, it is crucial to focus on broader themes that ensure fairness, predictability and adequacy of funding. The unique challenges faced by districts like ours—stemming from predictability issues, the implementation of CEP, the implications of declining enrollment and the increasing needs of our student population—must be acknowledged and addressed. A more nuanced and equitable approach to the Foundation Aid formula is necessary to support all districts in providing high-quality education to every student. Thank you for considering these points as we work together to refine and improve the Foundation Aid formula for the benefit of all New York State's students.

158. Vince Canini

Affiliation: Hudson Falls CSD & Granville CSD

Relationship to Education: former School Business Official, & Superintendent, present Board of Education Member

Comments:

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159. Maria Rianna

Affiliation: Glen Cove Schools

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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160. Jean Carpenter

Affiliation: Hammondsport Central School District

Relationship to Education: Hammondsport resident

Comments: Please do not reduce the funding of our schools.

161. Mordechai Goldberger

Affiliation: ercsd

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: please fix this formula for east Ramapo. it is the most corrupt thing ever. do what's right. stop funding the illegal's.

162. Avi wasserman

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

163. ABRAHAM OBERLANDER

Affiliation: SUFFERN

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

164. Ashish Kapadia

Affiliation: Central Queens Academy Charter Schools

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator

Comments: â€¢ My name is Ashish Kapadia and I am the Executive Director of Central Queens Academy Charter Schools. Central Queens Academy opened in 2012 and our second school will open in August 2024. Our two schools are located in Elmhurst, Queens. â€¢ Like many other charter schools, Central Queens Academy disproportionally serves low-income families and students of color, which are key categories of funding for Foundation Aid to districts. â€¢ We will have 1,100 students across grades K through 8. Central Queens Academy has a very diverse school community. Over 80% of our students are first or second-generation immigrants that come from over 40 different nations and speak 20 different languages at home. About 60% of our students are from Latin America, 25% come from East and South Asia, 7% are Arab-Americans and 7% have an Afro-Caribbean heritage. Historically, over 80% of our students each year qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. For the 2022-23 school year, which is the last year of available data, 84% of CQA scholars qualified for free or reduced-price lunch. That was 5% more than District 24 where CQA is located and 8% more than the NYC average of FRPL scholars. â€¢ Charter school students generate Foundation Aid for districts, but charter schools do not receive aid at the levels or in proportion to the demographics of students in the school. â€¢ Therefore, we believe Foundation Aid should be amended to ensure equity for all public school students, regardless of whether they attend district schools or charter schools, which I emphasize are public schools. The Foundation Aid formula should be revised to eliminate this disconnect and to provide additional resources at the school level, including to charter schools serving the most vulnerable student populations. The Aid should travel with the student to the school, not risk being withheld by the district.

165. Stephanie Lee

Affiliation: Nanuet !

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

166. Theodore Fulton

Affiliation: Hicksville Public Schools

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: These are the comments I shared at the pubic hearing yesterday. Ladies and gentlemen, The definition and costs of a â€˜sound basic education' have evolved dramatically, influenced by school safety needs, post-COVID-19 pandemic student needs, SEL initiatives, instructional technology, and inflation. Schools are addressing student needs in ways that I could not have imagined when my teaching career began. Recent public statements and political proposals tying funding to student enrollment oversimplify a complex issue and are a disservice to educators statewide. In addition, districts like my own are seeing enrollment increases, with an incoming student population whose educational needs require an increased allocation of funding each budget cycle. We need a formula that adequately assesses the costs of providing the education our students need and deserve. Our schools have faced significant increases in expenses due to state mandates/directives, chronic absenteeism and school avoidance post-COVID, and an increased need for district-provided mental health care. Security measures have become more comprehensive, with facilities hardening, expanded security staffing, and consulting becoming annual expenditures. Costs related to new and evolving cybersecurity challenges and instructional technology increase daily. Post-COVID remediation efforts, high dosage, intensive tutoring, the growing number of (ENL) students, students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans, and the associated legal and accommodation costs have further strained budgets. We need to "recalibrate" the Foundation Aid Base Amount to reflect the actual costs of educating today's students utilizing accurate and updated data. The Base Amount, last recalibrated in 2016-17, fails to account for the dynamic and changing student profiles enrolled in our school districts. I also ask that the new formula focus solely on expenditures related to student instruction and exclude costs like transportation, debt service, and capital projects. The new formula should also appropriately weight pupils with special education, language needs, and socio economic status using accurate data already collected by NYSED annually. It's not just a matter of aligning our funding formula with the realities of modern education, We need to ensure that funding ensures the equity of opportunity for all of our students. Thank you for your efforts and the opportunity to speak with you today.

167. Joseph Lombardo

Affiliation: Greece Central School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: We fear that the proposed cuts to school funding in the 2024 Executive Budget showed a desire to limit school aid. This reduction in aid would come just a year after the formula was fully funded for the first time in state history, just as we are starting to realize those benefits and meet our promise to the next generation, and just as New York's schools are starting to lead the way to prepare the workers and citizenry of tomorrow.

168. Avrohom Rosenblum

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Updating the Foundation Aid formula is crucial to ensure that school funding is determined by the actual needs of communities. Utilizing US Census data provides a more accurate picture of which areas require more resources as opposed to depending on property assessments which has proven ineffective for East Ramapo. Additionally, the formula should account for all students, regardless of whether they attend public or private schools, to guarantee equitable funding. Regular updates following each new Census will ensure the formula remains relevant and responsive to changing demographics and needs. Districts with a higher number of failing students should be allocated additional resources to assist these students. A fiscal monitor should also be appointed to ensure that the funds are utilized effectively to enhance the educational outcomes for those in need.

169. Darla Schultz-Bubar

Affiliation: Niagara Wheatfield CSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Foundation Aid is how the state divides up money so that schools that need the most money get it. It is essential we maintain — and FULLY FUND — a system to ensure this happens. We fear that the proposed cuts to school funding in the 2024 Executive Budget showed a desire to limit school aid. This reduction in aid would come just a year after the formula was fully funded for the first time in state history, just as we are starting to realize those benefits and meet our promise to the next generation, and just as New York's schools are starting to lead the way to prepare the workers and citizenry of tomorrow. Our 700+ districts are diverse and evolving, and they each require different levels of state aid to support their unique student populations. Many districts have seen enrollment declines, but this does not mean they need fewer resources to fulfill the state's promise of providing a sound, basic education for students. Building, infrastructure, staffing, program and service costs are unchanged and have, in many cases, increased while the formula has not kept up. Today our schools are doing more than they ever have as students' needs and requirements are rapidly expanding. The consequences of underfunding our schools are dire and far-reaching. They include cuts to critical courses —from the arts to STEM — fewer staff and educators to engage with students, overcrowded classrooms and outdated facilities. Strong, well-funded public schools are the centers of our communities and the future of our state. What we need to do now is update Foundation Aid data to better serve our students; NOT completely overhaul the formula with an eye toward saving money. Any adjustments to the state funding formula should recognize the critical importance that schools play in the lives of students and families and the wellbeing of entire communities.

170. joseph jacobowitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I pay a lot for property and school taxes my children go to private schools, it's not justified that state aid is based on public school enrollment when majority of local school children go to private schools all the local friction could have been avoided if the state would look at the all children enrolled in schools and the state would still save money due to the fact each child in a public school costs much more for the government than a child in private school

171. Andrew Lanesey

Affiliation: Wynantskill UFSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Board Member

Comments: Please consider that districts with small student populations to begin with (~500 or less), generally already have minimal staffing to begin with. Most elementary sections only have a single teacher for the grade level, and the 6-12 mostly also only have a single teacher for subject area. Many administrators have to wear multiple hats. When there is additional student loss of 10-15%, that is only a few kids per grade level PK-12. While there are less kids, districts cannot cut additional staff. When Foundation Aid is cut based on declining enrollment it can cripple the budget of these small districts that already run with small staffs to begin with.

172. Moshe Hershkowitz

Affiliation: I live in the East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; property tax payer

Comments: I believe the formula should be updated to account for the students enrolled in private schools who are getting mandated services. It should also be based on household income rather than property values as some low income neighborhoods have seen dramatically increased home prices. additionally I would hope that the formula be updated every 3-5 years as things shift rapidly and we now have a formula based on data from 2000. Thank you

173. Jenny Fox

Affiliation: student in D15 Brooklyn and city-wide high school student

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

Comments:

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174. Tom Zaccardo

Affiliation: Victor

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Simple, fully fund schools based on the foundation aid formula. To not do so is a disservice to children in NYS.

175. Catherine Trapani

Affiliation: Volunteers of America-Greater New York

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: My name is Catherine Trapani, and I am the Assistant Vice President for Public Policy for Volunteers of America-Greater New York (VOA-GNY). We are the local affiliate of the national organization, Volunteers of America, Inc. (VOA). Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback regarding foundation aid funding for New York schools. VOA-GNY is an anti-poverty organization that aims to end homelessness in Greater New York through housing, health and wealth building services. We are one of the region's largest human service providers, impacting more than 12,000 adults and children annually through 70+ programs in New York City, Northern New Jersey, and Westchester. We are also an active nonprofit developer of supportive and affordable housing, with a robust portfolio permanent supportive housing, affordable and senior housing properties—with more in the pipeline. We operate the Bronx Early Learning Center for students with special education needs and, support thousands of students in temporary housing who live in our shelters or, who receive support from our signature initiative Operation BackpackÂ® which supplies homeless children with the supplies they need to succeed in schools. Foundation Aid is a critical source of funding for schools in New York yet, the Foundation Aid formula that determines New York State's level of support for districts across the State is woefully outdated. The formula has not been modified in over 20 years despite significant changes to the way we educate our children including new mandates, evolving needs of our students, and significant cost escalations. As a supporter of high-quality education to students from early childhood and beyond, VOA-GNY offers the following recommendations: 1) Update the 'successful school district' model on which the formula is based. The model should be adjusted to reflect the true cost and full scope of services necessary to provide quality education in New York. 2) The formula should account for the substantial needs of students in temporary housing and foster care. Such students rely upon schools to offer stability and consistency and may require additional services to support their academic success. Frequent moves and higher absenteeism for these students put them at high risk for falling behind, our schools need resources to support their learning. New York City has already added a students in temporary housing weight to its formula to account for these needs, the State should do so as well. 3) The formula should also include a weight to account for necessary enhancements and special supports for districts with a higher share of students with special education needs. These students will require additional services including but not limited to occupational and speech therapy. Schools should receive additional financial resources to meet the needs of their students; some consideration should be given to these unique student needs when establishing the formula. 4) The formula should include additional funding for schools with a higher share of English language learners. Such students may require additional services and supports including multilingual instruction, English as a new language courses and other services. 5) The regional cost index metrics must also be examined to ensure that districts located in higher cost areas of the state are given sufficient resources to account for necessary salary differentials, higher real estate costs and other factors. Since the formula was last revised, downstate districts have seen dramatic increases in the cost of living which need to be accounted for. 6) The state recently passed laws that require new caps on class sizes in New York City. The NYC DOE, IBO and NYCPS have all issued estimates of the cost of these mandates that range from $1.4 and $1.9 billion. The formula should be adjusted to account for this new mandate. 7) The current foundation aid formula is based on K-12 enrollment only however, it is widely acknowledged that pre-K education is a critical to the success of children, including those with special educational needs. We urge the state to consider including pre-K enrollment numbers in to the formula to better reflect the totality of the needs in districts across the State. Thank you for the opportunity to provide this feedback. Should you have any questions, feel free to reach out to .

176. Joel Szegedin

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Hi, in regards to private schools, there are approximately 30,000 children in private schools who reside in East Ramapo Central School District (ERCSD) borders. Many of which their parents/guardian are not enjoying any type of financial aid on tuition and are paying out of pocket. Yet all of those parents are paying full amounts of school tax to fund the school budget they are not using. This in turn means that thebidget allocation per public School student is pretty high, falsely labeling ERCSD a very rich public School. In addition, there is a very high percentage of reported homeless kids in ERCSD public School, this is most probably due to out-of-district families wanting to take advantage and sending their kids to the rich district, and the private schools parents homeowners are funding it. To fix all this, the formula would need to change as follows: 1. Acknowledge private school students residing in the district with similar importance as public School students so district with private schools students would be eligible for programs properly 2. Homeowners should pay school tax based on income per household member and not only based on property value 3. The data feeding the formula should be refreshed on an annual basis

177. Rebecca Battle

Affiliation: Newark Central, Honeoye Central

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I am most concerned about the window of time aid is determined. Districts who are dependent on Foundation Aid are given two short of a period to make important decisions. Districts should be given at least based number at least 6 months notice before needing to bring a budget to voters.

178. Joseph Romano

Affiliation: Levittown United Teachers

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Our schools are more diverse than ever before and are being asked to provide more services to our students than ever before. These additional demands require additional funding and an adjustment to the Foundation Aid formula that determines the funding required. Even if some schools have a bit lower enrollment, the school itself has not shut down and the costs for keeping the school building have only increased, not decreased. Our unconstitutional 2% property tax cap law that overrides simple majority rule has not permitted school districts to keep up with the raise in inflation and costs of living we have seen, particularly in the post-pandemic era. We don't have enough funds to keep the lights on and we can't ask the community for the funds required without attempting to pierce an unconstitutional tax cap. Foundation Aid is the only means for districts to even maintain current services, much less add those serves necessary to meet the needs of a more diverse student population.

179. Susan Googins

Affiliation: City School District of Albany

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Albany City School District has had a sudden large influx of ELL students. These students, along with our students with disabilities and students of poverty are straining our District's budget. Albany has a large number of students that require more services and staff. When you look at a school district cost per pupil, we have a majority of students that require services that cost more than an average student. NYS needs to reformulate how it funds its public schools. The neediest students need the most funding. Please look at changes in the formula that can accomplish this.

180. Katherine Figueroa

Affiliation: City School District of Albany

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I am writing to advocate for an increase in foundational aid for our school district, which serves a diverse student body, including a significant population of English Language Learners (ELL), students with disabilities, and students living in poverty. Our district faces unique challenges and requires additional resources to ensure all students receive a quality education and the support they need to succeed. Increasing foundational aid would have a profound impact on our ability to address these challenges effectively. Firstly, additional resources would enable us to expand our ELL programs, providing these students with the tailored instruction and support necessary to achieve language proficiency and excel academically. Enhanced funding would allow for smaller class sizes, specialized staff, and advanced instructional materials that are crucial for their success. Secondly, increased aid would significantly benefit our students with disabilities. With more funding, we could enhance our special education programs by hiring additional specialized teachers and support staff, investing in adaptive technologies, and offering individualized support that meets the diverse needs of these students. This investment is essential for creating an inclusive environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive. Lastly, students living in poverty often face numerous barriers to academic success. With increased foundational aid, our district could implement comprehensive support programs that address these barriers. This includes providing access to nutritious meals, school supplies, mental health services, and after-school programs that offer academic assistance and enrichment activities. By addressing these needs, we can create a more equitable educational experience for all students. In conclusion, increasing foundational aid for our district is not just an investment in our schools, but an investment in the future of our community. With the appropriate resources, we can ensure that every student, regardless of their background or circumstances, has the opportunity to succeed and reach their full potential. Thank you for considering this request. I look forward to your positive response and am available to discuss this matter further at your earliest convenience.

181. Lee Gardner

Affiliation: Levittown

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Please reconsider the Foundation Aid formula. As a school psychologist for the past 35 years, I have seen extreme changes to our student population and their needs. A huge increase in Autism, and huge increase in non English speaking parents and ELL learners. We do not have the appropriate resources to help these students within the constraint of a 2% tax cap budget.

182. Meredith Graham

Affiliation: Pittsford Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Hello, I'm a parent of a 6th grader and a 10th grader in Pittsford Central School District and chair of PTSA Quest committee (for high ability students). Foundation aid should include resources for high ability learners, both primary and secondary. NYS is one of only 8 states in the USA still not requiring testing for high ability students (or providing funding for testing and funding for meeting the needs of high ability students). Other countries in our world are leaving us in the dust. We need these students to do great things in our future and if they never have to face a challenge in school then how will they manage to do so in real life? The Foundation formula should be updated to reflect the real cost of educating students today, so that every public school has the resources it needs to support all students. Any modifications to the formula must be made on the basis of how much it costs to ensure public schools are getting the resources to meet their students' needs. Underfunding public education is not 'sustainable,' and not an option. The state's fiscal circumstances should not form the basis for calculating the true cost of educating a child. We cannot afford to deprive our kids of the resources and opportunities they need to succeed, and we cannot neglect to prepare them for life. Our children's future, and the future of our state, depends on it. Sincerely, Meredith Graham

183. Krista Beasley

Affiliation: Levittown School District, Levittown United Teachers

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: In some cases, the current formula incorporates old or outdated data and statistics. For example, student poverty rates in each school district are currently measured based on data from the 2000 US Census, and the labor costs in the formula are based on information from 2007. It is time to update the measurements. School populations are changing drastically and we need to make sure we are meeting the needs of the new and diverse students who are entering our school systems.

184. Leon Miller-Out

Affiliation: Ithaca Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Homeowner

Comments: I'm not 100% sure of the facts here, but I've heard that the FAF takes into account the value of the property in the district (reasonable) but does not account for untaxable land owned by exempt entities. In Ithaca, NY, where I live, 59% of property (by value) is exempt from property taxes due to Cornell University's disproportionately large presence. Our property taxes are 3.435% of value per year, with school taxes making up 48% of that. This means that an average downtown Ithaca homeowner will pay over $1,000/month in taxes, an absurd tax burden that is unaffordable for many owners (and indirectly, renters). Ithaca is becoming increasingly uninhabitable due to the tax burden, and many homeowners, particularly elderly ones, are being pushed out of their homes by high taxes. New York should either A) fund our school district more to compensate for Cornell's exempt status or B) remove the tax-exempt status of universities. Thanks for reading this!

185. Matthew Fellman

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: The value of Cornell University's property in our community goes untaxed toward the school.district where my children attend and where I teach. We have had the harshest budget reduction because of the Foundation Aid formula. This is crippling our once great school district.

186. Yossi Bronsnick

Affiliation: Ithaca

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I've heard that the FAF takes into account the value of the property in the district (reasonable) but does not account for untaxable land owned by exempt entities. In Ithaca, NY, where I live, 59% of property (by value) is exempt from property taxes due to Cornell University's disproportionately large presence. Our property taxes are 3.435% of value per year, with school taxes making up 48% of that. This means that an average downtown Ithaca homeowner will pay over $1,000/month in taxes, an absurd tax burden that is unaffordable for many owners (and indirectly, renters). Ithaca is becoming increasingly uninhabitable due to the tax burden, and many homeowners, particularly elderly ones, are being pushed out of their homes by high taxes. New York should either A) fund our school district more to compensate for Cornell's exempt status or B) remove the tax-exempt status of universities.

187. Thomas Young

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; spouse of teacher

Comments: As the spouse of a teacher in the Ithaca City School District and a parent of two children who have graduated at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, I am a strong supporter of the education made available by our public schools. I am also a home owner of the same house in the city for the past 25 years. The recent reformulation of the State funding that excluded the tax-exempt property of Cornell University in the formula has increased the tax burden on inhabitants (home owners and renters) in an already-high tax environment such that this year the budget was rejected and cuts were made. The formula must account for the high rate of Cornell University tax-exempt property in this district and turn around the regressive environment facing our school funding. Home owners in Ithaca already face a regressive taxation where property assessment is pegged to market value--when many of us are just trying to live in our homes, not flipping for financial investment purposes. The State school aid formula that shifts the burden by omitting Cornell University's property makes our school district even less inhabitable to fixed-income and low-income residents.

188. Michael Devlin

Affiliation: Yonkers Public Schools

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments: I will keep this brief. Three suggestions: 1. Update the data regarding students living in poverty by using the 2020 census. 2. Determine districts' ability to fund itself by district, not by the relative wealth at the county or regional level. Yonkers may share borders with Bronxville, Edgemont, and Hastings, but the relative wealth of those communities are not comparable to one another. 3. Update the CPI annually to mitigate cost-of-living variances as quickly as possible. Thank you for your time and consideration.

189. Paul Alioto

Affiliation: Dansville Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator; Retired central school district superintendent

Comments: Equitable school funding is at a crisis point that was avoidable. Both the NYS Assembly and the NYS Senate endorsed a provision in February 2023 to provide $1 million to study and make recommendations to revise the broken system of determining and allocating Foundation Aid to public school districts. The provision was removed from the final 2023-2024 budget by the governor's office without explanation. We are now in the 11th hour of the crisis and endeavoring to solve the problem more than a year after the decision was made to defund the study. Many school districts serving underrepresented populations and disadvantaged families have had to make budget cuts which have reduced programming and staffing needed to provide equitable educational opportunities to children and young people. The Foundation Aid formula has been and continues to be seriously flawed. There is inadequate consideration given to important cost-affected variables such as the number and percent of students with disabilities, the number and percent of 504 students, average daily attendance rates vs. enrollment, and community wealth. In fact, the community wealth variable is based upon 2000 census data - almost a quarter century old. Our local district and others are labeled and misrepresented as "average wealth" LEAs by this standard, thus reducing potential aid. Foundation Aid also fails to consider the increased expense associated with drawing talent to more remote rural communities and the ever increasing cost of health insurance for employees. A formula that looks exclusively at enrollment and outdated measures of community wealth is over-simplistic and misses the mark. The current Foundation Aid formula ensures that educational equity will remain unattained. The Governor has touted the achievement of "finally fully funding Foundation Aid." This was a hollow achievement is analogous to fully charging an EV with only three of four functioning batteries. Sadly, the public and the media bought this while poor districts continue to struggle and disadvantaged students remain educationally disadvantaged.

190. Peggy Tully

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please consider amount of tax-exempt property in a district when looking at the aid calculations. The district is home to multiple, huge non-profits who pay no school tax, other property owners a required to take up slack.

191. Lisa Mitchell

Affiliation: Bedford Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Board Member; Researcher

Comments: Please see attached

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192. Chandra Reis

Affiliation: Berne Knox Westerlo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: There is a fundamental problem basing the school budgets on property assessments that the schools do not control. If you look at the most recent assessments for all towns in NY, you see that more than 60 towns haven't reassessed in more than a half century (https://www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/ORPTS/recent-reassessments.pdf). This means that rate increases by the schools much more dramatically impact new homeowners, allowing homeowners who have had their house more than a decade to be paying a third or less of the amount. The more stable the population in a district, the worse the discrepancy. The result is that the school increases the tax RATE because the assessments don't increase with inflation but the costs do. If the new formula is based on property assessments, a mandatory reassessment period should be implements, for example, no assessment should be more than 10 year old.

193. Matt Schaertl

Affiliation: manchester shortsville

Relationship to Education: School Board Member; Education Advocate; chamber of commerce

Comments: Aid for new construction is out of whack. Currently there is a larger incentive to rebuild/add/renovate then there is for maintenance of existing. There should be a larger percentage for maintenance to encourage maximizing lifespan. NY spends considerably more than ANY other state for new construction despite having a stagnant population. There should be a REQUIRED maintenance staff based on square footage of building so that schools that receive aid for construction have a requirement to maintain it afterwards. There should be no funding for materials that are inferior for school use. For example, terrazo and masonry floors (100 year life span) should be required to be used. Epoxy and VCT has a limited lifespan. Likewise, flooring that requires stripping and recoating should not be allowed due to the maintenance cost in labor and VOC's. The formula should have variances to reflect the community infrastructure. For example, if a school district (red jacket) does not have a community center, rec center, pool, private gym within 5 miles then they should have additional state funding to provide a school-based community rec center to fulfill that health and safety initiative. call me

194. Michael Hall

Affiliation: Penn Yan

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Perhaps it's time for the teacher's union to stop backing candidates that hold funding hostage in order to get their doctrinal agendas into the curriculum. I choose to back Republican candidates who stand on a common sense platform.

195. Sabatino Cimato

Affiliation: Kenmore Town of Tonawanda Union Free School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator; Education Advocate; Superintendent

Comments: see attached

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196. Patti Neville

Affiliation: West Babylon

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

Comments: Please take into account when comprising the formula the special education mandates, as well as English Language Learners mandates. School districts are having such financial difficulty accommodating these mandates.

197. Lynn Mordenga

Affiliation: The Childrenâ€™s Agenda

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Parent Advocate

Comments: I am a parent of a child with a preschooler disability and a foster care parent to a child who just graduated from the Rochester City School District. I had to push a lot for my son to get his required services on his IEP but I know that is not the case. Just in the PreK Special Education alone, there are close to 500 students being referred in my district alone and simply not enough qualified teachers to meet these referrals. I do know many of their IEP needs are not being meet and put into regular classrooms. Please provide funding in specialized programming and more funding for specialized teachers to be in the classrooms so services can be met for these children.

198. William Johnson

Affiliation: Hempstead Union Free School District

Relationship to Education: NYSED appointed Monitor for Hempstead Union Free School District

Comments: Please see uploaded memo

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199. Elena Schaef

Affiliation: Onteora High School

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate; Alumnus of Onteora

Comments: My name is Elena Schaef and I graduated from Onteora High School in 2012. I am currently a teacher myself, and my time at Onteora changed my life. I currently live in Europe and when people ask what brought me here, I always explain how lucky I was to attend a public school that offered me so many opportunities. I was able to learn foreign languages, specifically French, and visit Europe with the French Club, which changed my life. I was able to participate in multiple musical groups like band, orchestra, jazz chorus etc. I was able to be a varsity athlete and take AP courses at the same time. I would not be where I am today without the amazing teachers at Onteora who mentored and taught me. Please, please, please do everything in your power to make sure that levels of funding are maintained or even increased for Onteora and other public schools in the area. I wouldn't be who or where I am today without the wonderful opportunities I received at Onteora, opportunities that should NEVER be available to private school kids only. It would break my heart to think that the school that helped make my success possible is being gutted by budget cuts, that the students of today don't have the same opportunities as I did. Our children deserve our best. They deserve the chance to play instruments, to play sports, to take different classes, to join clubs, to learn foreign languages and so much more. This is not about money. This is about whether we care enough to make a difference in the lives of the children in our community. So, I'm urging you one last time to protect funding for Onteora and other public schools. I'm proud to be an Onteora graduate and I watch every day as Europeans shake their heads in sympathy at the pathetic state of public education in the United States. Let's send them some more success stories instead of giving them reason to deepen their stereotypes about us.

200. Vickie Scott

Affiliation: Resident

Relationship to Education: School District Resident

Comments: Whitesville Central School District, Whitesville, NY -- We are the activity center for our small rural community. We need the states funding to help keep our locally based school running. Our community is very supportive of this request. Because rural schools face so many financial challenges, some have asked if they are worth saving. My answer is YES. 'If you live in a small community like us, and you want to play lacrosse or you want to play soccer, you want to play a sport or want to be in the musical, there's going to be a part for you. We offer great opportunities for kids to explore, learn what they love and what they want to be a part of. It's a great place to try and find out where you belong in our society. And then there's the personalized attention. We know every single student that comes to our buildings. Our faculty and support staff know every single kid that walks through our doors and are able to customize the students' education to their needs.

201. Faedra Dagirmanjian

Affiliation: Onteora Central Schools

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; PTA Officer

Comments: My comment is simple but critical- please, please if making cuts, allow us to implement them as gradually as possible over time. We are a rural school, uniquely positioned in some ways regarding our funding (e.g., extremely polarized income levels in the community, high classification rates) and need time to make our funding level work for our students.

202. John McDonald

Affiliation: NYS Assemblymember - 108th District

Relationship to Education: Other Elected Official

Comments:

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203. Michael Rebell

Affiliation: Center for Educational Equity, Teachers College, Columbia University

Relationship to Education: Researcher; Education Advocate

Comments:

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204. Krista Olson

Affiliation: NYC Office of the Comptroller

Relationship to Education: City Administrator

Comments:

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205. John Liszewski

Affiliation: City of Yonkers

Relationship to Education: City Administrator

Comments:

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206. Bruce Fraser

Affiliation: Orleans/Niagara BOCES Board of Education

Relationship to Education: School Board Member; Researcher

Comments:

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207. Michael Capuana

Affiliation: Erie 1 BOCES

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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208. Mike Spano

Affiliation: Mayor of Yonkers

Relationship to Education: Other Elected Official

Comments:

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209. Scott Johnson

Affiliation: Sweet Home Central School District, Amherst, NY

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

Comments: I believe there is a need to look hard at ways to fund regional high schools. Not just the money to run them, but also incentives for the school districts to come together to create the schools. There will also be a need for appropriate funding for transportation. Beyond just the formula, there should be a hard look at the laws and regulations for combining school districts. The process now is very convoluted and, in most cases, ends up failing.

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210. Shawn Van Scoy

Affiliation: Gananda Central School District Board of Education

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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211. Wayne Drescher

Affiliation: Cheektowaga-Sloan UFSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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212. Charles Murphy

Affiliation: Island Trees Public Schools

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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213. Cheryl Ashley-Williams

Affiliation: Families Together (Albany-based Organization)

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments:

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214. Jarett Powers

Affiliation: Union Springs Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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215. Christopher DiFulvio

Affiliation: Cazenovia Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator

Comments:

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216. Kai D'Alleva

Affiliation: Watkins Glen Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; School or District Administrator

Comments: The Watkins Glen Central School District, serving approximately 915 students in the picturesque Southern Finger Lakes region, has encountered several challenges in recent years. Known for the world-famous Watkins Glen International, fine wines, and scenic beauty, our district has experienced a significant decline in student enrollment since the large graduating class of 2000, when we had 1,475 students. Enrollment reached its lowest point shortly after the 2020 pandemic closure but has begun to rise slightly since then. Despite this modest increase, several factors—including lower birth rates, a shortage of affordable housing, and high demand for vacation properties—indicate that our enrollment numbers will not return to the levels of the late 1990s and early 2000s. The state's foundation aid formula, which relies heavily on the 2000 enrollment figures, further complicates our financial situation. While our district is situated in a region known for its scenic beauty and high property values, the lack of affordable housing means that our perceived wealth does not fully reflect the realities faced by our students. The recent increase in assessed property values has resulted in one of the lowest tax rates in New York State. The district has adapted to these changes through various strategies: Campus Consolidation: In 2013, we consolidated our schools into a single PK-12 campus, reducing our facilities' size by approximately 35% through the closure of our historic Middle School building in the center of our community. Despite our strong commitment to middle-level education, our governance team recognized the need to adjust to declining enrollment. Although challenging in many ways, this decision has enabled our district to utilize resources more efficiently. Workforce Management: Since the closure of our Middle School, we have managed staffing through attrition, choosing not to rehire positions as they become vacant if enrollment does not support them. This approach has enabled us to manage our workforce effectively without resorting to layoffs. Enrollment drives all instructional staffing decisions. Maintaining Educational Standards: Despite the reductions, we remain committed to providing a high-quality education. Our course offerings continue to be rigorous and competitive, ensuring that our students receive a strong educational foundation. Increased Needs and Funding Challenges: In recent years, the needs of our students, particularly those with disabilities and other complex requirements, have increased significantly, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic. During this period, federal pandemic relief funding played a crucial role in helping our district meet these rising needs. This funding enabled us to reach staffing levels that adequately supported our students and the community, ensuring that we could provide essential services and maintain educational standards. However, the proposed reduction in foundation aid posed a severe challenge. The Executive Budget Proposal reduced funding to WGCSD by $1.9 million. In order to close this gap, the district would have had to increase the local tax levy by 17%, which is neither feasible nor acceptable. This cut would have necessitated eliminating much-needed faculty and staff, undermining our ability to offer vital programs and support services. The loss of such funding would have made it difficult to sustain our current staffing levels, adversely affecting our ability to address the diverse and growing needs of our student population. Our Recommendations: Data Accuracy: Use current and accurate enrollment data to drive the new funding formula. The utilization of 2000 census data does not provide an accurate and current portrait of our district. Additionally, inflation has had a major impact on all aspects of our organization, from the increased costs of goods and services to the demand for higher wages in the collective bargaining process. Increased Needs: School districts are expected to serve a larger role in our communities than ever before. This is increasingly the case in rural New York. In addition to educational services, students attend school to eat healthy meals and have their physical and mental health monitored. An updated funding formula should reflect these needs. Fairness and Equity: If reductions must be made, those cuts should be felt equally across the board. Though our district appears wealthy on paper, the cuts proposed in the executive budget were not equitable. The measures it would have taken to close the aforementioned budget gap would have been crippling to our school community. In summary: While Watkins Glen Central School District has navigated declining enrollment through strategic adjustments, the rising complexity of student needs and potential funding cuts pose significant challenges. We remain committed to continuing our efforts to provide excellent education despite these difficulties. Our goal is for this information to enable the Institute to review our case with a critical lens, recognizing that property values and declining enrollment do not fully capture the true needs of our complex rural school community. Our challenges have reached an unprecedented level, demanding a more nuanced understanding and accurate and equitable adjustment to the foundation aid formula.

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217. Heather Furnas

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: New York should either A) fund our school district more to compensate for Cornell's exempt status or B) remove the tax-exempt status of universities.

218. Nicole Lambrecht

Affiliation: Franklin central school

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The current foundation aid formula is out dated and is really detrimental to a small school such as Franklin. I have lived in Franklin almost my whole life and when it was time to have a family I knew I wanted my kids raised here and to attend Franklin school. You see we are a very small school but big in heart! Our Franklin Devil pride runs really deep. Over the years it has become more and more difficult to become a resident of Franklin for your average family. The surrounding areas formula aid may work for them but here in Franklin we have a pretty significant population of wealthy individuals that spikes or wealth ratio up to more then 40% of the surrounding areas. For the people that have students in school this is very far from the truth! We are all mostly a double working parent household family. And pay check to pay check is a very real reality to most in the school district. Without the foundation aid formula being reevaluated to accommodate these things it WILL have a huge impact on our school. If we loose anymore money then we did this year that means Franklin cam no longer keep 7th-12th grade students in our building. We would have to tuition them off to a surrounding local schools. This means students having to either be on the bus much longer or be on a bis for the first time ever. Parents having to change schedules to accommodate these time changes. Along with that is the travel for school events and sports. Our surrounding schools are in a different sporting league then us and travel farther away for games. With parents already living pay check to pay check this could mean missing some games their child would be in. This would mean splitting up siblings that get to give hugs in the hall ways as they pass by. Longer travel for a parent to go retrieve a sick or hurt child when called by a school nurse. You see us normal working class parents DO NOT have the money that is being represented on that paper. We have people like Yoko Ono who just switched her primary residence to Franklin this last year, this does not accurately represent the mojority of franklin citizens. Most of us are middle to low class citizens just trying to save our beloved school. Please consider changing the Foundation aid Formula to better represent the accurate numbers of the families of students that are enrolled in school.

219. Roger Catania

Affiliation: NYS Board of Regents

Relationship to Education: Other Elected Official; NYS Regent

Comments: Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments in support of the Foundation Aid Formula study. I am a member of the New York State Board of Regents, representing the 4th Judicial District -- a large and mostly rural area extending from Montgomery, Schenectady, Saratoga, and Washington counties on the southern edge of the district to St. Lawrence, Franklin, and Clinton counties on the northern edge of the district. I represent school districts ranging from high poverty urban districts like Schenectady and Amsterdam to exceptionally small districts like Long Lake (65 students K-12) and Wells (128 students K-12). Rural poverty is widespread, with 60% of the students in Franklin county considered Economically Disadvantaged (ED). The Foundation Aid Formula must consider the needs of all these districts -- and many more. It's no small challenge! My own recommendations are separated into two main approaches. First, modernize the formula for all districts. Second, consider the particular needs of small and rural schools. 1- Modernize the Formula. I support ideas for modernizing the formula for all schools that have gained prior support from the Educational Conference Board, the NY State Department of Education, and the Board of Regents. These include: â€¢ Update the census poverty counts by replacing the decades-old poverty figures presently being used with a three-year moving average of small area income poverty estimates (SAIPE). â€¢ Replace free and reduced-price lunch (FRPL) counts with counts of economically disadvantaged (ED) students. â€¢ Eliminate the income wealth index minimum of 0.65. â€¢ Update and smooth the high need designation triennially and extend consideration to average need districts. These relatively straightforward fixes will build upon the strengths of the Foundation Aid Formula by ensuring that support for schools and students is based on current data, pivotal information that will continue to change annually as circumstances change. 2- Consider the Particular Needs of Small and Rural School Districts. The issues of small and rural schools are less widely known and sometimes misunderstood. I will briefly outline some of these issues and provide a few recommendations. Rural school districts are a part of the fabric of upstate New York. These are areas of great beauty, vast distances, extreme weather, and supportive local communities. School experiences in rural New York can be different from urban and suburban school experiences. Children ride school buses for an hour or more each way. Most rural students will graduate from high school, but few will have the opportunities to take advanced courses like Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) or to specialize beyond basic coursework in art, music, computing, or engineering. Teachers in these districts work hard, wear many hats, are personally committed to their school communities, and earn modest salaries (For example, the 2022-23 median teacher salary in Washington County was $64,021). Support staff (who work in the cafeteria, drive busses, and clean classrooms) are predominantly local residents who once attended the school where they are employed and now rely on the moderate hourly wages and good benefits to support their families. The buildings and grounds are well-used spaces utilized year-round for athletic, civic, and other community events and purposes. In my own district we once hosted an alumni wedding in our high school foyer. More recently school spaces and resources are used to support struggling families with meals, clothing, mental health and other support services -- services not available anywhere else. Per-pupil expenses are often higher than average in small rural schools due to low enrollment and the cost of maintaining basic academic and support services. For example, with Long Lake CSD's 7 second graders, Keene CSD's 10 second graders, and Johnsburg CSD's 15 second graders, each district must hire one second grade teacher. The per-pupil costs differ widely in each of the above examples, and all are higher than second grade per-pupil costs in a school of 100 or 200 second graders. Some may see this as inefficient, but economies of scale are less reachable in small schools. Attempts to consolidate districts often fall flat due to immense distances between districts and/or the fear of losing community identity. Districts must also meet every legal or regulatory mandate, regardless of size, with far less capacity to do than in larger districts. Statewide mandates apply equally to small districts regardless of the associated costs -- these districts still must develop and maintain safety plans, develop a workplace violence prevention program, administer the federal McKinney Vento (homeless student) law, report all required data, etc. Every new rule and regulation required of all school districts falls heaviest on the smallest districts. Regardless of size, districts must provide special education services, English language learner support, counseling services, psychological services, speech services, information technology (IT) support, and business services. It may seem inefficient to hire a bilingual educator or a 6:1+1 special education teacher and teaching assistant for serving only 1 or 2 students, but that is what is needed and required by state and federal law. When it comes to sharing services across districts, BOCES can be a big help -- but there is no guarantee those services will be available, accessible, or less costly. Running a modern school district in rural America can be challenging -- and expensive. The Foundation Aid Formula relies heavily on the Sparsity Factor to address all of these complexities. I recommend that this factor be re-evaluated to account for the real costs associated with running a small district, taking into account that -- regardless of size -- each district must be able to provide a high-quality education that meets the standards of access and equity for all districts statewide. The Sparsity Factor should also reflect the increased needs of our post-pandemic society in which schools are now called upon to support students beyond their academic needs -- including their social, emotional, nutritional, physical, and mental health needs. Again, these needs fall heaviest upon small schools and communities where no other services are available. While income measures likely reflect the economic struggles faced by families in rural districts, vacation property can artificially inflate property valuations, skewing the Combined Wealth Ratio and masking the needs families face. These property-rich income-poor rural districts rely heavily on property taxes but are limited in their ability to tap into that revenue source due to the property tax cap. These districts are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Much has been said about declining enrollment and hold harmless funding, with speculations about overly generous foundation aid amounts being distributed to small and rural districts like many that I represent. These characterizations are incorrect, and a visit to any small rural district will confirm that point. I encourage researchers to visit Clifton-Fine CSD (238 students, 71% ED), Boquet Valley CSD (368 students, 58% ED), or any North Country district and see for themselves. Our schools struggle to do what is right for students every day. Student and community needs are greater than ever before. Expectations are higher than ever before. Our formulas should reflect our present reality, and not hold us to a past that no longer exists.

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220. Teresa Mayer-Delpozo

Affiliation: District 20

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: In order for our students to succeed we need to look at the consistent effective ways we can help our children. Those include after school programs, that includes programs that enrich their minds. Music and art needs to be nourished. The more opportunities for our students, the better for our communities. The more we strive to give our students an outlet when crime is around the less they will seek crime. Funding our districts will be the integral ways in which we can ensure this happens. We can not just keep to the basics, we have to constantly and consistently improve these programs and give our students more opportunities to learn.

221. Wayne Drescher

Affiliation: Cheektowaga-Sloan Union Free School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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222. Susan Shortle

Affiliation: Stamford Central School

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Update metrics Keep politics or favoritism out of the funding Develop plans for the future. Perhaps education delivery will have to change. Apparently NY spends more per student than any other state. Where are those funds going?

223. Frances Wills

Affiliation: NYSED Board of Regents

Relationship to Education: New York State Regent

Comments:

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224. Frances Wills

Affiliation: NYSED

Relationship to Education: Member of the Board of Regents

Comments: TO: Robert Megna, Rockefeller Institute Re: Statement on Foundation Aid Formula study From: NYSED Regent Frances Wills Addressing New York State's Foundation Aid Formula to support public education presents a profound challenge to ensure the wellbeing of our students, our residents and the integrity of our civic core. After struggling for a number of years to achieve full funding in 2023, the State Education Department presented a fiscal plan in 2024 to update the formula using current inflation, poverty, and enrollment data to replace outdated information based on the 2000 census. NYSED also recommended applying $1,000,000 to engage assistance of experienced consultants to review and revise the formula based on current conditions including the need for funding newcomers, rising costs of special education and the impact of the pandemic on learning and mental health and a new context for designing graduation measures to meet current college, career and workforce conditions. Faced with an Executive proposal to retract the promises of the formula, in particular the hold harmless provision, there was strong opposition by the Legislature and the formula was applied without Draconian revision and with a plan to employ the services of the Rockefeller Institute to study the issue and make a recommendation by December 31, 2024 in time for the next Budget cycle. In fact, the Foundation Aid formula has failed to fulfill its promise of equitable funding and resources for all students in New York State. By basing the cost and enrollment factors on figures from the 2000 census and omitting the more recent impact of recent economic fluctuations the formula no longer reflects the issues facing the families we serve in our public education institutions. Free and Reduced Lunch figures no longer reflect that needs of students in temporary housing, arriving from other nations and needing cultural and language skills. Essentially, the formula discounts the profound changes that have taken place in our population, the needs presented by these changes, the impact of the pandemic on families in varying regions of the state, and increasing requirements for school safety and mental health support. For example, enrollment decline in rural areas that have experienced economic distress has resulted in a loss of property tax income and a decrease in opportunities for students to enroll in advanced courses and electives that provide an education that readies them for success in college and career. Moreover, transportation costs have increased with the prices of fuel and there are fewer educators available to meet the needs in the classroom, particularly for students with special needs and English Language Learners who enter at varying ages and levels of prior education. In this situation, without the hold harmless provision, the rural schools are in jeopardy of further reducing the efficacy of their community center of civic life, their school. The example of the rural school is just one aspect of the Foundation Formula structure that requires a deeper analysis. In fact, each region of the state presents anomalies in resources and structure that require a fresh analysis of the meaning of equitable funding. One example is the East Ramapo School district which now serves 1/3 of its student population in the public school; 2/3 of the students attend private schools. Transportation in that district requires 20% of the budget, and the community has passed its first budget in many years. The 1% increase is well below the figure needed to meet the basic educational requirements of the public school students. The commitment of a community to its public schools is an essential premise of the underlying principles of the Foundation Aid Formula. East Ramapo was once a district that provided excellent educational opportunities, resources, and results and now finds itself unable to properly address the needs of the public school students even with the Foundation aid with a population that requires significant resources for English as a Second Language and Special Education, but without the support of the majority of District residents who send their children to private schools. Thus, E. Ramapo is a cautionary tale reminding us that a blueprint for fiscal equity from a prior era, needs to be reviewed and revised as the premise and fiscal ecology of that period are no longer in place. I believe that the Foundation Aid formula must find a way to ensure access, opportunity, and resources to the public school students who have been systematically deprived of their educational sustenance in the East Ramapo School District. There are many other examples of the profound challenges that face our schools, their teachers and leaders today. Areas such as expense-based aids need to be reviewed as well as facilities planning to meet environmental and climate events. The Foundation aid formula must acknowledge as well that with the tax cap, every mandate and regulation places demands on the district that reduce options and require rethinking of priorities. Aspects of budget regulations that include allowable fund balances must also be addressed so that Districts can manage their fiscal restraints and the impending and often unknown costs of special education and other events, such as newcomers sent from other states who must be treated with dignity and compassion. The New York State public school system was derived from an expansive view of the public good. That perspective must be preserved if we are to continue to lead our nation in embracing the belief that education drives the civic and economic well being of our people.

225. Joseph Morris

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Non-public school children must be included in this formula as the district is required to provide services to non-public school children. Ignoring them, badly skews the outcome. When the number of non-public students exceed 25% of the total number of students, the formula no longer works. East Ramapo has 44,000 children, only 10,500 of whom are public school students. It must provide mandatory services for all 44,000 children and the homes and properties of the 30,000+ non-public school families count in determining the wealth in the wealth ratio. The problem is the services that must be provided to those children are not accounted for the formula and are therefore never considered.

226. Deborah P. Gatti

Affiliation: North Rockland Central School District; Rockland BOCES

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

Comments:

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227. Maggie Dickson

Affiliation: Alliance of New York State YMCAs, Inc.

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments:

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228. Michael Pero

Affiliation: Pittsford Central Schools

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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229. Kimberly Donaghy

Affiliation: Ardsley Union Free School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: My son has special needs and is a student with disabilities in the school district - not at BOCES. He has an IEP and services in school that are critical to his learning. I have been unable to understand the way the Foundation Aid formula would take the services like that into account as the calculation seems to be weighted more toward data around inflation, poverty levels and there seems to be some reference to BOCES. The WFPWD does not appear to be heavily counted in the Foundation Aid. I have significant concerns the Foundation Aid calculation taking into account the complexity of funding is attributed to to ensure education is available to all students. If our school district's funding were to shift in a negative direction, the deep impact it would have on addressing the needs of all children would be damaging to all students, future progression and the impact they can make on society in the future if they are not enabled for progress and set up for an equal opportunity. The Foundation Aid calculation also should clearly take into account the most relevant and up to date information - updated regularly - to account for the constant shifts in critical components. Thank you for your time and consideration.

230. Amanda Leigh

Affiliation: Franklin Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The state aid formula has had extremely harsh effects in my rural area. It has lead to the merger of programs and merging of schools and the closing of programs and the closing of schools. I understand that merging school districts can be a good thing for all in involved. However if my district, Franklin Central School District were to close and students allocated to different districts there are a few harsh results with that. Student would go to districts that have already been merged consisting of 4 towns! Instead of walking to school with family and pets, for children that live in the village, they will all now need to be bused to another district. These bus times would mean 25-30 min commute. But when you add on multiple stops on multiple roads, especially for those outside the villiage, our children now have a 60-90min bus commute both ways. This is not right. This is not how we raise wholesome New Yorkers. The monetary amount school districts recieve from the state should not be equal. It should be FAIR. What formula would put all districts on a FAIR playing field. Where sports, activities, bussing times, curriculums, etc are all FAIR for the children across NY state?

231. Theresa Noble

Affiliation: Franklin central

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: A great idea some people don't have the money for school supplies

232. Katelin Merrick

Affiliation: Whitesville ny

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Student

Comments: Rules they have teachers don't abide by my student's feel threatened mistreated etc respect goes both ways a student will respect a teacher if they feel respected bossing them around when they have an iep calling students liars and kicking students out of class for coughing is unexceptionable behaviors in this school district investigations should be done favorites are unacceptable behavior great grades in beginning failing at the end the year bc of teachers not organized lack of communication skills with parents and students needs new higher up schools to close with each other mean to outside parents and students coming to school, food is bad my kids starve needs better food choices for students whole grade didn't eat bc of it and in nurses office the rest the day, kids don't act up at home but do at school with these teachers no respect to the kids then the kids won't listen teachers need classes in communication skills respect skills better teaching skills our school needs lots of help in all areas but they don't hire pretty ppl a lot of rumors of teachers sleeping with students I think our school should be investigated and taught certain ethics before getting money that they don't do anything with my kids don't go on field trips parents can't go? But other schools do have all these things so maybe they need more money to accommodate some these flaws idk anything what this is about and hope someone's listening to this comment feel they single out certain kids as well they need more money to pay better people to come in and teach our kids better or merge with Andover bc sports would be great here and no money or students for that so sports are merged with Andover neighboring town love more information and communication on these not everyone has access to internet and school doesn't mail these things maybe to certain pppl but idk anything about the foundation aid and would love to know more to give more opinions on the matters of this school my kids go to

233. Patrick Orecki

Affiliation: Citizens Budget Commission

Relationship to Education: Researcher

Comments: Please find attached materials related to CBC's testimony at the Guilderland public hearing on August 14, 2024.

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234. James Nee

Affiliation: Colton-Pierrepont Central School

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Letter Attached. Thank you

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235. Mark Davey

Affiliation: Champlain Valley Educational Services BOCES (CEWW BOCES)

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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236. Natalie Goldstein

Affiliation: Candor

Relationship to Education: Property Taxpayer

Comments: It would have immense positive effect if funding to school districts was, in part, based on the school tax income floor amount used by the district. In districts where senior discounts are disallowed if the retiree has an income of $15K (or as low as $3K!), a school tax of >$2,000 is a real burden. Taking this into account, along with the needs of the school, would be a crucial step in helping low-income seniors survive on a low, fixed income. Thank you for your consideration.

237. Brian Fessler

Affiliation: NYS School Boards Association

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments:

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238. Patrick Sullivan

Affiliation: Liberty CSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Hello, This is what I presented at the Guilderland HS Forum verbally: First and foremost, I would like to thank you for providing all stakeholders with the opportunity to share their voices. It is evident that our shared intent is to provide an adequate and equitable educational experience for each student. Upon reviewing the previous public comment sessions, I would like to propose some ideas for consideration as the Rockefeller Institute and New York State take their next steps. These ideas are inspired by Michael Rebell and Jessica Wolf's article, 'Ensuring the Future of Fair School Funding,' from Columbia University's Center for Educational Equity. Some key points to consider include: Review other states' funding models: Look into the funding models of states such as Illinois, Maryland, and Oregon. Use an Evidence-Based Funding Formula: Ensure that we can equitably provide a high-quality or adequate education. Synergize funding approaches: If a new funding formula is created, consider how to integrate an evidence-based approach with a cost function method. This is necessary because our current successful-schools approach lacks validity and reliability. Insulate the model from political influence: It is important to protect the funding model from political interference. Implement extra weightings for students with special needs: These should come with third-party measures of oversight. Establish an oversight board: This board should periodically review the funding model, as student needs can change drastically in a short period of time.

239. Michael Mulgrew

Affiliation: United Federation of Teachers

Relationship to Education: President of the United Federation of Teachers

Comments:

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240. Elizabeth Ashton

Affiliation: Williamson Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Thank you for the opportunity for public comment surrounding the anticipated revision of the Foundation Aid formula. It is appreciated that the authors of the Foundation Aid Study are collecting input from the public to inform their study and ultimate recommendations that will be shared with the state legislature at the end of this year. The potential impact of drastic reductions in funding to school districts across the state is decimation of programming, supports and services. Thank you in advance for your thoughtful consideration of the below ideas: Consideration #1: Current Data Given that the foundation formula is under review with potential for revision, please ensure that all data points utilized in the future formula must be current. Consideration #2: Inclusion of Additional Student Weights and Measures Inclusion of additional student weights and measures must be factored into the formula to reflect the composition and needs of our students. Student poverty measures must be updated to reflect more accurate representations of our communities, especially in light of community eligibility provision and the resulting number of families who are NOT completing alternate household income surveys. Please ensure that the calculation is inclusive of our professional responsibility and moral imperative to provide supports and services for ALL students - economically disadvantaged, special education, English Language Learners, Mental Health, SEL, and prosocial skill programming. Consideration #3: Diseconomy of Scale Declining enrollments are a complex issue and create a 'diseconomy of scale' for many small rural school districts. When enrollment declines we stand to lose foundation aid per pupil AND still have a professional responsibility and moral imperative to pay for programming and basic operating costs. A great example of this may be found at the secondary level in many rural districts, where we must still employ highly qualified, certified science teachers to teach each of the required Regents level courses whether there are 5 students in the classroom or 20. Please ensure that the calculation does not exacerbate the diseconomy of scale for rural districts experiencing declining enrollments. Consideration #4: District's Ability to Pay Williamson is designated as an average need school district. This would suggest that we have a moderately more than average ability to raise local funds. Higher wealth ratios which result in this designation can be deceiving and offer a misrepresentation of our tax payers' ability to pay and the need/wealth of the students we serve. The formula must factor variables, such as high wealth lake properties and/or large farm properties that benefit from property tax exemptions, etc. Please ensure that a district's ability to pay is factored into the calculation. Consideration # 5: Sound Basic Education ALL students have a right to a free and sound basic education. What is the cost of that sound, basic education? It must be noted that disparity in programming and opportunity already exists across our region, county, and state. As we learned in January 2024 with the proposed reductions in foundation aid, the degree to which disparity already exists will be exacerbated with significant reduction to funding. Our efforts towards achieving equity of access for ALL students are all but thwarted. We urge that the State establish a baseline to what constitutes a sound basic education in conjunction with reconfiguration of the foundation aid formula. A student's life chances should not be compromised merely by the geography of where they are born. Consideration 6: Stability We need reliable, predictable funding. Our work matters. It will continue to matter. Please ensure that the final recommendation addresses reliability and predictability for funding of school districts. We implore that you recommend a long runway for reductions in the event that the final product of this study results in a proposed formula which negatively impacts small rural districts.

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241. Dominique Rice

Affiliation: Binghamton Public Schools

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: My name is Dominique Rice, and I'm a community member in Binghamton, NY. I live with my 12-year-old brother, who attends Binghamton Public Schools, so this issue is really important to my family. Public education is so important to us. Public education is the best way we have to create equal opportunities, especially in times like these when the gap between different communities keeps growing. Our public schools welcome every child, no matter who they are or where they come from. Making sure our schools have the funding they need isn't just important—it's essential for our kids' success and the future of our community. When we prioritize public education, we're investing in a better future for all of us in New York. In Binghamton, our public school community is diverse, with students from all sorts of backgrounds and experiences. Many of these kids face serious challenges like living in poverty, dealing with food insecurity, and coping with trauma. Despite these challenges, Binghamton Public Schools work hard to create a supportive and inclusive environment where all students can thrive. One of the things I appreciate about our schools is the dedication of the teachers and staff. They go above and beyond to support students, especially those who need a little extra help. Programs like special education services and the availability of social workers and counselors are critical. But the truth is, we don't have enough resources to meet the needs of all our students. We need more social workers, counselors, and specialized support staff to make sure every student gets the attention they need. Foundation Aid should cover what our schools really need—qualified teachers, reasonable class sizes, up-to-date learning materials, and the right support services like counseling and special education. These things are crucial for helping all students succeed, no matter their background or challenges. It's time for the Foundation Aid formula to be updated to reflect the real cost of educating our kids today. Every public school should have the resources it needs to support all students. Any changes to the formula should be based on what it really takes to educate our students, not on the state's budget constraints. Underfunding our schools isn't an option if we want to give our kids the future they deserve. Thank you for your time and attention to this important issue.

242. Ayelet Nadav

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments: I am a tax payer, a resident in East Ramapo district in NY. For years, we've had many complications in this district. We are fully aware that the current formula shortages our district by millions of dollars each year. The fact is that our district is by far the poorest district around. Residents are already paying high taxes and can't afford an increase. The matter of a 1.9 tax increase was brought to a constitutional vote and it was voted down. People just can't afford it. The next vote for a 1% increase was approved. That's the way democracy works. To then have the commissioner turn around and levy an additional 4.38% right after the vote is simply an outrage. And on top of that, to dictate that this funding must go towards the many illegal migrants inundating the public schools is simply unbelievable. Are we living in a country that disregards the constitutional process? Does my vote mean nothing if the commissioner can just dictate whatever she wants and get a judge to sign off on it? This goes completely against democracy. I didn't vote to have my taxes increased to such a number. These poor families simply can't afford it. I can't afford it. The only reason that this has all happened is because of the way the current Formula shortchanges our district and has done so for many years. Outraged, Ayelet Nadav

243. Daniel Lerer

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The formula is unbelievably flawed, it doesn't consider non-public school students in the accounting for funding, and provides fodder for unelected bureaucrats to demonize well-meaning parents in some of the highest property tax districts in the entire country

244. Emma Apsel

Affiliation: K015

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: My name is Emma and I teach at a large, public elementary school in Cobble Hill Brooklyn. I am a music teacher and see about 650 of our approximately 850 students each year. Our school employs a large number of teachers with over 15 years of service in the DOE. This should be something that our school community can be proud of but when it comes to funding it is a detriment under the current system. We have had to excess teachers every year for the past three years because our budget does not fairly consider the size of salaries at our school. Our class sizes are going up this year to 28-29 students in each class in grades 1-5 because of this loss of teachers. Shouldn't the goal be to preserve experienced, highly educated, veteran teachers at all schools? The current funding model encourages the opposite and this hurts all school communities.

245. Eileen Neu

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please don't raise our taxes to over 5

246. Marc Kushner

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Taxpayer

Comments: It has come to my attention that the New York State Commissioner of Education, Dr. Betty A. Rosa, has mandated a 4.38% tax levy for property owners in the East Ramapo School District (Rockland County). As a homeowner and parent in the district (and a resident since 1987), I must voice my deep concern with the circumstances behind this levy. It is my understanding that the levy is in addition to the 1% tax increase approved by voters, which means that she is effectively overriding the will of the electorate. Rather than forcing an additional 4.38% tax burden atop our already very high property taxes, New York State must address fundamental flaws and inequities in the Foundation Aid Formula. Non-public school children must be included in this formula, as the district is required to provide services to non-public school children. Excluding them from the formula severely skews the outcome. In a district where the majority of students are non-public school students, the formula simply does not work! East Ramapo has some 44,000 schoolchildren, but fewer than 25% of them are public school students. Yet, the district must provide mandatory services for all 44,000 children, and the properties of the 30,000+ non-public school families count in determining wealth in the wealth ratio. In this situation, the services that must be provided to the non-public school children are not accounted for in the formula. A levy on top of sky-high property taxes and extreme cost-of-living increases is not the answer. Please focus on addressing the root of the problem by having New York State rework the Foundation Aid Formula so that it works for all school districts, even exceptional ones such as East Ramapo. Thank you, Marc Kushner

247. Sarah McNall

Affiliation: Cazenovia Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Your formula should not be using averages to calculate need, a median would be a truer estimate of wealth in our area. As a district, we have a small population of individuals with extremely high income and property values that skew our income wealth index much higher than it should be. The ratio between local and state aid has shifted negatively in favor of middle class working families year over year. Thank you for your time.

248. Rebekah Dembitzer

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Occupational therapist

Comments: To whom it may concern As a tax payer in ERCSD I am deeply disturbed by the tax levy that was just forced upon us. Ignoring our vote - and our private school children - tramples our basic democratic rights. Every child deserves a quality education which is why the only way to fix the decades-long problem is to fix the school funding formula. Sent from my iPhone Rebekah Dembitzer

249. Jeffrey Simons

Affiliation: East Greenbush Central Schools/Questar III Chair Advocacy and Business/Education Partnerships Subcommittee

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

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250. Gail Scheinberg

Affiliation: East ramapo school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Remember when we learned in school about the origins of this great country? About the Boston Tea Party and how King George imposed a tax on the colonists leading to the American Revolution? Well, we in East Ramapo are living it now in 2024. New York State Commissioner of Education, Betty Rosa, has mandated an additional 4.38% tax levy for all property owners in the East Ramapo school district. This increase is in addition to the 1% tax increase approved by voters, effectively overriding the will of the electorate. Note this 5.38% increase will be included in all future years. Instead of forcing an additional tax burden 4.38% on top of very high property taxes, New York State should address inequities in the Foundation Aid formula. Non-public school children must be included in this formula as the district is required to provide services to non-public school children. Ignoring them, badly skews the outcome. When the number of non-public students exceed 25% of the total number of students, the formula no longer works. East Ramapo has 44,000 children, only 10,500 of whom are public school students. It must provide mandatory services for all 44,000 children and the homes and properties of the 30,000+ non-public school families count in determining the wealth in the wealth ratio. The problem is the services that must be provided to those children are not accounted for in the formula and are therefore never considered. Please do not allow this tax increase to happen. Sincerely , Gail Scheinberg

251. Bryan Ayres

Affiliation: Franklin Central School

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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252. Sunghwan Choe

Affiliation: Hamilton Central School District

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

Comments: Fully funding the Foundation Aid was an important step forward in funding NYS education, but for a district like ours it was not enough to address the growing needs of our students. The per-pupil state aid we receive is significantly less than our neighboring districts and our overall per-pupil spending is below the state median. Our district has a wealth factor that impacts our state aid, but it does not correctly reflect our ability to fund our students' education through local sources. Foundation Aid needs to be updated in order that education fund is equitable statewide. It also needs to be predictable to provide stability in budget planning.

253. Matt Tucci

Affiliation: Cazenovia central schools

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I believe rural schools are being choked to death and should be given more consideration.

254. Matt Tucci

Affiliation: Cazenovia central schools

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I believe rural schools are being choked to death and should be given more consideration.

255. Emily Stevens

Affiliation: Cazenovia Central Schools

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Dear Rockefeller Institute researchers, Thank you for taking the time to look closely at New York state's current Foundation Aid formula. We know this study will have long-term impacts across the state and specifically on our students, staff, and community. The Cazenovia Central School District serves six towns and villages in Madison County and one town in Onondaga County. Our district is committed to nurturing every student's maximum personal, intellectual, and civic potential in a safe and stimulating environment for all that fosters creativity, innovation, and readiness for a dynamic world. Our students perform at high levels, and we want to continue offering programs that make our community proud and Cazenovia a desirable place to live. Our student accomplishments are diverse and range from high SAT scores and CTE endorsements to art awards and athletic accolades. The diversity of our programming aims to meet all student needs and future goals. Despite being located in what is perceived as an affluent community, we still face financial challenges. The district faced a $1.85 million gap while developing the 2024-25 budget. In June, taxpayers approved a revised $38.4 million budget, which included a reduction of $400,000 and a tax levy limit of 4.02%. Despite these financial difficulties, the district and community are committed to sustaining excellence and preserving our identity. The Cazenovia Central School District has also felt the financial impacts of the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA). From the 2009-10 school year through 2016, the state deducted from each district's state aid allocation to help fill the state's revenue shortfall. It has depleted district reserves and has been detrimental to students in the form of personnel, program, and service cuts. A process should be built into the State Aid Formula system to restore losses to particular districts who felt greater financial impacts due to the GEA. We also hope you look beyond financial standing when deciding how state aid is distributed. Districts need adequate and equitable funding to maintain education standards while providing a robust learning experience and supportive environment for students. Your efforts in reviewing the financial needs of all public schools across the state, including CCSD, are greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Emily Stevens

256. Matt Tucci

Affiliation: Cazenovia central schools

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I believe rural schools are being choked to death and should be given more consideration.

257. Shelly Brooks

Affiliation: Cazenovia Central Schools

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am concerned that the aid favors down state and Long Island. The state should not be divided into sections when distributing aid. It should be strictly on the wealth in the districts. The comparison between "wealthy districts" in Central NY and similar districts downstate and on Long Island is ridiculous. Please, make this equation equitable.

258. James Widmer

Affiliation: Nassau BOCES

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Over the past 18 months or so, I worked closely with Bob Vecchio and Joe Dragone on the proposals and testimony that they have provided to you. The one thing that I would like to emphasize is that the proposal to adjust the Base Amount using data representative of the current reality in schools is a smart, logical and accurate way of measuring true cost. Also, the $11B price tag, even if we know that amount of funding may not be available is a key data point because it gives a true sense of what the State's obligation should be. Thank you.

259. Robert Lowry

Affiliation: NYS Council of School Superintendents

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments:

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260. Rebecca Fine

Affiliation: ERCSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To whom it may concern, As a tax payer in ERCSD I am deeply disturbed by the tax levy that was just forced upon us. Ignoring our vote - and our private school children - tramples our basic democratic rights. Every child deserves a quality education which is why the only way to fix the decades-long problem is to fix the school funding formula. Thank you for your time.

261. Batya Kaplan

Affiliation: ERCSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: We haven't had the opportunity to vote Betty Rosa into her position, but that doesn't mean that she should be overriding what citizens do have the opportunity to vote on. I know that ERCSD has been in trouble. Ignoring the Foundation Aid Formula problems and overburdening hard working middle income families is not fair, and is not democracy! Private school students must be included! The district is being especially overburdened with illegal immigrants who are not paying taxes at all!! Should we all stop working, and rely on government aid, thereby increasing the burden on the state? Ms. Rosa is overstepping and it doesn't look good for democracy. How ironic that the Education commissioner is not using her own intelligence to see the fallacy of this plan? She clearly needs her power to be curtailed and reduced. We need your help to make this right!! Thank you!!

262. Adam Stewart

Affiliation: Averill Park Central School District

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

Comments: Hello. I'm Adam Stewart and I'm a School Board Member in the Averill Park Central School District. For the past 4 years, our overall enrollment has been flat. For the same period, our special needs enrollment has increased by 16%. The Foundation Aid formula takes into account many factors, including inflation. But in our case, it hasn't kept up with inflation. Over the past 4 years, inflation has outpaced our Foundation Aid by 7%. This is like REDUCING the amount of aid we get by 7%. To offset this lack of revenue, you would think we would simply raise property taxes. But the supermajority vote required by the tax cap law ties our hands and virtually forces us to not exceed our allotted max increase. Although our voters have approved this max increase each year, it hasn't kept up with inflation. When adjusted for inflation, property taxes have actually decreased by 9% in the last 3 years. Thus, enrollment is flat and special needs enrollment is up; we have more MORE EXPENSIVE kids to educate. Meanwhile, Foundation aid has decreased, and so has our tax revenue. We â€˜ve laid off staff, increased class sizes, and cut programs, but this is unsustainable and unfair to our students, especially those on the margins of achievement. Foundation Aid must be used NOT ONLY to keep districts whole during inflationary years but even MORE should be added to make up for the deficit caused by Property Tax constraints from the Tax Cap Law. If the true goal of Foundation Aid is to provide equitable funding to school districts, then the minimum amount of funding must equal the current rate of inflation PLUS a reasonable amount to offset the limits imposed by the Tax Cap law. Thank you for agreeing to allow me to comment.

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263. Thomas Reardon

Affiliation: Schalmont Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: I'm sure you are hearing the same message from all Superintendents, written much more elloquently and purposeful than this. Plain and simple, if Foundation Aid doesn't truly match the actual costs of running a District in which teacher salaries are exponentially rising just to keep them in classrooms, and special education needs also dominating a lionshare of our expenses, all other aid categories are useless. Foundation Aid determines whether we maintain or reduce, and in a time when we have continuously underscored the need for quality schools, keep it simple- fund schools through Foundation Aid so that we aren't forced to levy taxes that our community simply can't afford.

264. Heather Gierloff

Affiliation: Onteora Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Although a reformulation is necessary when determining the appropriate school aide, I urge the formula to include updates to what is considered essential for education today. The most successful students rely on extra curricular activities, technology rooms, common spaces to connect, science rooms with advanced materials, and social resources. These were not considered part of the minimum requirements years ago and have been the essential pieces to my students success. It is only fair that each student in the future has access to these resources even if it increases the baseline cost of public education.

265. Solly Halberthal

Affiliation: EAst Ramapo central

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Hi, My name is Sol Halberthal and I am a private school parent in ERCSD. Our district is unique because we have a high proportion of private school students. For many years our district has received less than necessary state funding because of the many private school student in the area. All students are entitled to a good education. All private school students can be sent to public school if they chose to. Just because we choose to send to private school does not mean that our district should be shortchanged by the state, nor does it mean that we have extra money to pay towards schools we don't attend. Our family pays private tuition for 6 children and high property taxes. We are practically broke from this. We cost the public school in services (bussing, text books and special services if needed) a fraction of what it would cost had we sent our kids to public school for their education. Why are we being punished and having our legal voting rights stripped from us. Please re evaluate the funding provided to our district so that it is adequate to provide a sound education and associated services for all students without further burdening the taxpayers.

266. Elissa Berkowitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Dear Rockefeller Institute Team, As a concerned parent residing in the East Ramapo Central School District (ERCSD), I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction with the current Foundation Aid formula and the way it continues to negatively impact our community. I am a parent who sends my children to private school, like many other families in our district. However, our public schools remain underfunded, with an estimated shortfall of $20 million annually due to an outdated state funding formula. The state's failure to properly allocate enough resources to East Ramapo is putting an unfair financial burden on both the district and its residents. We should not be responsible for covering the gaps left by the state's mistake in funding. Our district has a unique composition, with a majority of the students attending nonpublic schools. Despite this, the aid formula doesn't reflect these demographics accurately, resulting in a funding model that leaves public school students without adequate support. This misalignment also forces private school families like mine to shoulder a disproportionate share of local taxes, paying for public services that are not being properly supported by the state. Additionally, I am concerned about the influx of students who may not be legal residents, and the subsequent strain on local resources. While we have an obligation to educate all students, the state must recognize the additional costs associated with this responsibility. It is neither fair nor sustainable for the district's residents to continually foot the bill for a broken system that doesn't take into account the unique challenges we face. I urge the Rockefeller Institute to ensure that the upcoming review of the Foundation Aid formula considers the particular needs of districts like East Ramapo. We cannot continue with a model that disregards the realities of our district's composition and forces residents to compensate for inadequate state funding. It is crucial that this formula is updated to reflect both the needs of public school students and the financial constraints of private school families in the district. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. I hope that your upcoming report will help address these inequities and bring long-overdue relief to the families of East Ramapo. Sincerely, Elissa Berkowitz

267. Jeffrey Roizman

Affiliation: nan

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: Schools within poor neighborhoods should receive way more funding so that those schools can further better our state as a whole. A lot of schools who have received exorbitant state aid in the past already receive a large tax levy in revenue. Investing in underinvested communities benefits all.

268. stuart wieder

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: concerned tax payer

Comments:

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269. Joseph Kozicki

Affiliation: East Ramapo School Distric

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The formula does not match the law which requires the school districts to provide funding for all students in the district not only those able to learn in institutions providing free services.

270. david wiener

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: senior citizen observing my district and paying taxes

Comments: Dear Sir/Madam, NYS substantially subsidizes each school district in educating it's youth. NYS also requires each school district to provide services to non-public school children. When NYS substantially subsidizes each school district in educating its youth, it uses a formula that conscientiously DISREGARDS any services provided to non-public school children, thus effectively telling each school districts with substantial numbers of non-public school children (like East Ramapo), 'We plain DON'T CARE about your non-public school children.'. On the other hand, by mandating that each school district provide services to non-public school children, NYS is effectively telling each school district with substantial numbers of non-public school children (like East Ramapo), 'We ABSOLUTELY DO CARE about your non-public school children', and whether you agree or not we will FORCE you to CARE, and if that means you have to increase property taxes on your residents, we in NYS just plain DON'T CARE. Please ask NYS to come to its senses and change its allocation formula to incorporate and recognize non-public school children, and stop discriminating. Sincerely, David & Trudy Wiener, Spring Valley, N.Y. Seniors paying too much for what makes no sense

271. Michael Madden

Affiliation: Clarkstown Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Student; Education Advocate

Comments: We need more funding for public schools and we need further divestment from private schools. Public Schools in New York are vital for all people and they deserve to be well funded and better funded for both the teachers, students and communities they represent.

272. Brian Doelger

Affiliation: Shelter Island UFSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: The Shelter Island School District requests for there to be strong consideration for Hold Harmless to be included in any future formula. While neighboring districts have seen huge increases in state aid over the past two years, our district has seen very little. Fixed costs do not go down â€“ in fact most (transportation, health care, ERS/TRS) have seen yearly double-digit percentage increases. Our district can barely stay below the cap with modest increases in state aid. We also have a significantly larger English Language Learner population than when the original formula was written. They have been a blessing to our district, but this also comes with an increase in staff and salary. We believe the education of every student in our state is extremely important. We ask that for steady budgeting reasons and fairness to our children, that Hold Harmless be included in any formula. A large cut would be disastrous and unfair to the taxpayers of Shelter Island. Thank you.

273. Joseph Nussbaum

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: This formula has to take into consideration ALL studenyts in thwe district, not jsut the ones enrolled in public school

274. Stephen Parker Zielinski

Affiliation: South Seneca CSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: I am the Superintendent of Schools for the South Seneca Central School District in Seneca County. We serve about 650 students K-12 in the towns of Lodi, Ovid, Covert, Willard, and parts of Romulus and Steuben Counties. At South Seneca, our revenue budget is roughly two-thirds state aid and one-third local tax levy. Since its inception as a centralized school district in 1970, we rely primarily on aid—and specifically, foundation aid—to fund the programs that serve our students. As a small rural school district, we also take every advantage of the shared programs offered by our local BOCES (Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga) to supplement what we cannot offer back at home on our own. We take pride in building fiscally responsible budgets while seeing to the mission of the district to help each of our students work through a meaningful pathway to graduation, and we are excited about the state's new Portrait of a Graduate initiative. Like most upstate school districts in the state, our overall enrollment saw sharp declines from about 2000-2010, but those declines have lessened since then, and have actually remained stable since around 2016. During the recession years between 2009 and 2012, we cut staff sharply—mostly as a result of the Gap Elimination Adjustments in those years, which cost South Seneca around $6 million in revenue while it was in place. While we steadily recovered in the years since the recession, we have been alarmed to see our overall Combined Wealth Ratio increase, as lake properties skyrocketed in value. Many of these homeowners live out of state in the winter, claiming their properties elsewhere as primary, and limiting the ability for South Seneca to benefit from taxes in Seneca County. In between our lakes, our district is made up of low income houses, and the primary demographic of our students is economically disadvantaged. While the official number reported through direct certification is near 58%, we suspect poverty in the district is at much higher levels, and many of our students present as high needs. We suffered a devastating student suicide in 2017 (a 9th grader), and when we heard feedback from his peers and families, we committed to a higher level of student support staff. These staff members find there is more need in the district than they can hope to meet, even as full time workers. We strive at South Seneca also to partner with county agencies to address student and family mental and physical health. We contract with agencies for supplemental counseling services, substance abuse counseling and prevention, crisis intervention, and suicide prevention efforts, to name a few. We have signed on to a Community Schools partnership in the county as well. It goes without saying that the threat of loss of foundation aid revenue makes us concerned about maintaining vital staff and partners while we do everything we can to take care of our students. If we hope to succeed academically, we must work tirelessly to see to the day-to-day mental and physical well-being of each student. In a district dominated by poverty, this remains a tall task. As we track the history of foundation aid allotments to South Seneca over the last 15 years, it has been nearly impossible to discern any connection between the 'formula' and the actual allocations. For years around the time of the Gap Elimination Adjustment, we showed up as an 'Underfunded' district compared to the formula. Sometime in the last part of the 2010s, we moved into 'Save Harmless' status. All of it coincided with the era of the NYS Tax Cap, so we have always done our best to manage budget-to-budget expecting a small increase in revenue, usually insufficient to offset our increasing costs. While we have been a Save Harmless district, the expectation of receiving a 3% increase in foundation aid has been a helpful tool to build budgets. We have steadfastly complied with the mandate to hold no more than 4% of the future budget in unassigned fund balance, and we have adjusted staffing levels to match our needs while keeping the district in a good financial position. Sometimes the 3% increase was enough to offset rising costs simply due to inflation; often it was not. It is not good news if a preservation of Save Harmless means our foundation aid allocation is frozen in place moving forward, as it was heading into 2024-25. Our personnel costs will continue to rise, especially as we strive to remain competitive in the job market compared to neighboring schools in the region, and quality health care costs increase every year. But a freeze of foundation aid is obviously better than actual DECREASES. If a new formula results in loss of foundation aid at South Seneca, there is no scenario where South Seneca students will be placed at a disadvantage—and will be less safe—compared to students in other districts. We urge the state to preserve Save Harmless at a minimum, but even moreso, to prioritize high needs districts in a new formula so that foundation aid allocations ensure access to high quality education and care which is equitable for all New York resident students. Thank you for your work, and your consideration of the plight of districts like South Seneca across the state.

275. Shoshana Brand

Affiliation: East Ramapo nY

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: My name is Shoshana Brand and I'm a resident of East Ramapo. I'm reaching out to you over an extremely concerning issue. The voters of East Ramapo voted in a one percent increase to school taxes. The commissioner, Betty Rosa, increase our taxes by 5.38% without voter agreement. She also insisted that the board members agreed to this increase or there would be consequences for them. I'm sure Betty Rosa has his reasons that she feels are very legitimate for this increase. And I know that the budget is a significant issue as there is a great increase in the school age population, but this is not the way to handle it in democracy. These are deeply concerning issues. One being the taxation without representation, that is currently going on and the other being the coercion of represented officials. These issues go at the very core of our democracy, and having someone who is not elected and has doesn't have to answer to the people, hits at the core of our democratic values. The people of East Ramapo deserve to have our voices heard and not squelched. I ask you, please to look into this issue and rectify this egregious breach of our democratic values. Sincerely, Shoshana Brand

276. Karen Belanger

Affiliation: Westchester Putnam School Boards Association

Relationship to Education: Executive Director, local School Boards Association

Comments:

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277. Eric Benedict

Affiliation: Cazenovia Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator; Education Advocate

Comments: The Need for Increased Foundation Aid in Our School District Education is the bedrock of a thriving society, and ensuring that every student has access to quality education is a fundamental responsibility of our state. However, many school districts, including ours, face significant financial challenges that hinder their ability to provide an equitable and high-quality education. One of the most effective ways to address these challenges is through increased Foundation Aid from the state. Our school district urgently needs additional Foundation Aid to better educate our students and to alleviate the financial burden on local taxpayers. 1. Bridging the Funding Gap Cazenovia Central School District, like many others, operates under a complex funding structure that often falls short of meeting the actual needs of our students. Foundation Aid, as designed by the state, is intended to provide a base level of funding to ensure that all students have access to essential educational resources and services. However, current funding levels are inadequate, leaving our district struggling to bridge the gap between available resources and the demands of a modern educational environment. Inadequate funding affects various aspects of our school system, from classroom sizes to the availability of advanced coursework and extracurricular activities. For instance, our larger class sizes mean less individualized attention for students, which can hinder their academic progress. Additionally, without sufficient funds, our district cannot continue to offer a broad range of extracurricular programs that are crucial for developing well-rounded students. By increasing Foundation Aid, the state can help us close these gaps and provide a more comprehensive educational experience for all students. 2. Reducing the Burden on Local Taxpayers One of the most pressing issues our district faces is the reliance on local property taxes to fund education. This funding model places an unequal burden on residents, particularly in communities with lower property values. As a result, students in lower-income areas often receive fewer resources and opportunities compared to their peers in more affluent districts. This disparity exacerbates educational inequality and perpetuates cycles of disadvantage. Increasing state Foundation Aid would alleviate the pressure on local taxpayers by reducing their financial contributions to education. This would not only make the funding system more equitable but also ensure that all students, regardless of their community's wealth, have access to high-quality education. By shifting some of the financial responsibility from local property taxes to state funding, we can create a more balanced and just educational funding system. 3. Enhancing Educational Outcomes Investing in education yields long-term benefits for both individuals and society as a whole. Studies consistently show that increased funding leads to improved educational outcomes, including higher test scores, better graduation rates, and greater college and career readiness. Our district's current financial constraints limit our ability to invest in essential resources such as updated technology, specialized staff, and professional development for teachers—all of which are critical for enhancing educational quality. With additional Foundation Aid, our district could implement programs and initiatives that directly impact student achievement. For example, funding could be used to support targeted interventions for struggling students, expand access to advanced coursework, and invest in modern educational technology. These improvements would not only help our students succeed academically but also prepare them for future challenges in an increasingly competitive world. 4. Fostering Equity and Inclusion One of the core principles of education is ensuring that every student has equal access to opportunities. Unfortunately, the current funding disparities contribute to educational inequities that disproportionately affect students from marginalized backgrounds. By increasing Foundation Aid, the state can help level the playing field, providing all students with the resources they need to thrive. Additional funding can be directed towards programs that address specific needs, such as bilingual education, special education services, and support for students experiencing homelessness. These initiatives are essential for creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment where every student has the chance to succeed. Conclusion In conclusion, increasing Foundation Aid is a crucial step toward addressing the financial challenges faced by our school district. By bridging the funding gap, reducing the burden on local taxpayers, enhancing educational outcomes, and fostering equity, additional state support would significantly improve our ability to provide high-quality education for all students. It is an investment in our future, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential and contribute positively to our society. We urge the state to recognize the pressing needs of our district and take action to increase Foundation Aid, thereby reinforcing our commitment to equitable and excellent education for every student.

278. Ellen Lloyd

Affiliation: Marion Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Please see attached PDF. Thank you.

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279. Shoshana Brand

Affiliation: East Ramapo nY

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

280. James Loomis

Affiliation: Spencer - Van Etten CSD, NYS Rural Schools Assn.

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate; Rural Schools Association board past president and former school board member/president

Comments: A different approach to the funding formula is needed for smaller and rural school districts where core subject areas for grade levels are below the pupil size that would support sufficient staffing. In other words, per pupil aid can work as intended beyond a minimum class size but not when the number of students per grade level or subject is insufficient to provide aid that would support a competitive position and/or facility. The formula should recognize a subject core base and grade structure for all New York State public school students and provide sufficient aid to compensate and support the necessary staffing and facilities. Thank you.

281. Craig Kinkade

Affiliation: Williamsville School district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Landlord of families in poor urban areas

Comments: More aide to high poverty areas. The students' parents don't have the resources to provide as much as in richer areas. Therefore, fund drives for sports, etc. don't raise as much

282. Jason Van Fossen

Affiliation: Maine-Endwell CSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: I am a superintendent that is part of the Broome-Tioga BOCES. Our Central Business Office put together a comprehensive 'white paper' outlining and identifying areas of potential improvement. As a component district, we concur with this report.

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283. Caitlyn Passaretti

Affiliation: Citizens' Committee for Children of New York

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: Please see attached.

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284. Joseph Connell

Affiliation: Goshen Central

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate; Higher education administrator

Comments: Thanks for seeking input. The current funding formula is driven by local property taxes with state aid as supplemental to redistribute funding to the districts with lower property tax wealth. Based on a review of the State Aid primer, this approach can be improved if the goal is to better distribute funding for all students to have more equitable opportunity. How to do this is challenging and based on many factors, especially given the highest costs being salary and benefits, which will vary significantly based on cost of living in various areas of the state. As such, I recommend the study focus not only on funding but how funding is used. Eg, can districts combine to save structural and administrative costs? How is BOCES factored into costs? How are the costs of programs like technology, Nursing, dual enrollment and more factored in? How can a strengths based approach and best practice be expanded and shared across district boundaries? How can personnel talent and costs be reimagined using AI, state investment and learning pedagogy? I recommend the study focus its findings on what every student should have the opportunity to do in school and then run multiple scenarios to ensure proposals in funding increase those opportunities for every student and district. Where this can't be achieved, I recommend addressing the questions of how funding is used in the prior paragraph. As a senior college administrator, I recommend partnering with colleges to study and implement this important work.

285. Joseph Hochreiter

Affiliation: City School District of Albany

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: The State of New York has made significant progress in recent years in delivering fiscal equity for the students, families and taxpayers in high-needs school districts like the City School District of Albany. The fulfilled promise to fully fund Foundation Aid for all New York districts by the 2023-24 school year closed an annual shortfall of more than $26 million for our school community, As one of New York's urban school districts that was underfunded for years due to the state's school funding inequities, we were grateful to be starting from that newly leveled playing field as we planned for the future needs of our students, families and community. We continue to be grateful for the state's support and recognition of our community's unique needs as we prepare to begin the 2024-25 school year. We cannot afford to go backward now. Broadly, a new school funding formula must be transparent, predictable and sustainable. It must be implemented gradually over a period of years, with incremental adjustments for 2025-26 and a commitment to a more complete restructuring in the years to come that remains committed to equity and access for every student, as well as accountability for every district. As the state takes on the critically important work of building a new school funding formula to ensure a strong future for public education across New York, the City School District of Albany emphasizes the fiscal imperative of remaining true to the principles of equity and access for all, and to identifying and meeting the unique needs of individual school districts and communities. A new formula must take into account local considerations such as current economic realities and rates of poverty; rapid growth in the enrollment of English-language learners; the diverse needs of every student, including students in special education programs; students' social-emotional and mental health needs; access to a range of career and technical education and graduation pathways; charter school growth; limitations imposed by the state's tax cap; and high percentages of tax-exempt property that further strain taxpayer resources in communities like Albany. Examples of some of these unique local factors in our school district include: â€¢ ENL growth â€“ Albany is one of 34 federally designated resettlement cities nationwide, a fact in which our city and our school district take great pride. Our school district's population of ENL students more than tripled from 2012-17. While that growth slowed for several years due to the federal government's immigrations policies from 2017-20, leadership changes since the start of 2021 have resulted in a renewed and significant increase in refugee and immigrant families moving to Albany. In 2023-24, we enrolled approximately 700 new English-language learners, double the highest annual enrollments of the 2012-17 peak years. Organizations that serve refugee and immigrant families in our community have advised us to anticipate similar enrollment growth during the 2024-25 school year as well. Currently, more than 17% of our total student population is comprised of students in our robust ENL programs. â€¢ Tax-exempt property â€“ 63% of Albany's property is tax-exempt, leaving remaining properties to bear a high tax burden. Despite this, and despite our low state-aid ratio for many years, our school district has held the line on property taxes. Over the last decade, we have had an average tax-levy increase of less than eight-tenths of a percent, including zero increases for the last two years and four times overall during that period. Nonetheless, Albany's property taxes continue to be higher than suburban communities in our region. We ask that the state recognize these economic impacts on districts like ours in considerations of future school funding mechanisms. We need the state's continued commitment to equitably fund the education that our students, families and community need and deserve while keeping our tax burden manageable. â€¢ Poverty â€“ The state's reliance on Free and Reduced Price Lunch data is an inaccurate measure of poverty in a school community and must be revisited as part of this work. We are fortunate that all of our students are eligible for free breakfast and lunch through the Community Eligibility Program. However, this makes our free-and-reduced data unreliable as a measure of our families' economic needs. Additionally, community poverty data embedded in the state's current school funding formula is badly outdated. It is critical that the state address this glaring problem in building a next-generation formula that holds up equity and access for every student as a fundamental right. â€¢ Social-emotional and mental health needs â€“ The social-emotional and mental health impacts of the pandemic were and continue to be severe throughout society. In cities nationally and statewide, families were disrupted by health and economic hardships, and beset by isolation and loss. Violent crime statistics soared during the pandemic. Student learning was severely disrupted and fragmented. These impacts were felt most acutely in poor communities and communities of color. This has increased the pressure on city school districts in New York to provide additional academic, social-emotional and mental health supports. Our school district has for many years, even prior to the pandemic, leaned in to these critical needs. The state's school funding formula must recognize and account for these unique local needs. â€¢ Charter school growth â€“ In part because we are host to state government, Albany has been a center of charter school activity. The percentage of charter students in our city is among the highest in the state and nation. As a result, our annual charter costs are about $40 million annually and continue to grow as charters are allowed to proliferate in our community and region. Many urban communities across the state also are faced with this fiscal and programmatic challenge. We urge the state to address charter growth and funding mechanisms in its planning. We ask the state to focus on assessing and meeting the unique needs of individual school districts and communities in planning for the future so that we can assure that, when they walk through our doors, every student has the resources and support they need â€“ every year â€“ to succeed, irrespective of the broader and complex challenges that their community may face.

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286. Rivkie Feiner

Affiliation: Member of East Ramapo Superintendent's Community Circle and Community Advisory Board member

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate; Member of East Ramapo's Superintendent's Community Circle and a member of the Community Advisory Board

Comments: It is estimated that the East Ramapo Central School District has been shortchanged approximately $20 million ANNUALLY for the past 20 years, due in part to a formula that does not account for the high percentage of nonpublic school students and the high cost of living in East Ramapo. This has been extremely hurtful and damaging to the children in our district and we look forward to your correcting this wrong immediately. Our district is unique due to having 76% of students in nonpublic schools and 24% of students in public schools AND with over 44,000 students in the district, we are the 2nd to largest district outside of NYC in the entire state and our transportation needs are complex with so many children and very limited infrastructure. We must ensure that any new statewide formula accounts for this uniqueness and brings to our district the full resources needed to fully fund all mandated services and all of the needs for all of our children. The funding formula is outdated and broken and has been calculating student poverty rates using data from the 2000 Census!!, does not reflect the growing numbers of students with disabilities and their different needs, does not reflect the rising costs of educating immigrant students, migrant students and others with limited English proficiency, or the post Covid reality of education and huge inflationary costs, etc. These students have varied degrees of educational attainment, including newly arrived students with no prior formal education. This is our opportunity to change the funding landscape for all residents, parents, public school and nonpublic school children and ensure an equitable future. The you for the opportunity to have our voices heard to increase the funding for our district and we look forward to a positive impact that will ensure all of our children receive the excellent education they deserve. Our children are our future!

287. Marjorie Marcille

Affiliation: North Tonawanda

Relationship to Education: Retired HS educator

Comments: Please make the formula fair for all. Also, please support the SUNY adjuncts with higher pay and opportunities for advancement.

288. Emma Case

Affiliation: New York City Public Schools

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Student; Graduate Student

Comments: Quality public education is key to a functioning democracy and to ensuring equity amongst all of our citizens. Prioritizing public education means investing in a just and prosperous future for all New Yorkers. Having spent the last 1.5 years as an intern in the NYC Public School District, I absolutely know the value that this additional funding would help provide for my students. The current Foundation Aid formula was created in 2007 to ensure that NYS was meeting this obligation, though it took until 2023 to bring schools to full funding levels. Over the past 17 years, the needs of students have evolved and grown tremendously, especially over the past 4 years since the pandemic began. The Foundation formula should be updated to reflect the real cost of educating students today, so that every public school has the resources it needs to support all students. Any modifications to the formula must be made on the basis of how much it costs to ensure public schools are getting the resources to meet their students' needs. This is imperative! Please vote with the needs of students, schools, and staff members in mind and properly fund this. Sincerely, Emma Case

289. Margo Martin

Affiliation: Groton Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Please see the file upload for Groton CSD comments.

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290. Lisa Kram

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please reconsider the unfair reckoning of funds. Thank you

291. Elliot Gulkowitz

Affiliation: Rockland County

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: When making changes to the formula, Please make sure the foundation aid formula properly recognizes the various demographics of communities within the state. Specifically, the current formula does not account for communities where there are private school students, and as such it places an unreasonable burden on the entire community that lives in those districts.

292. Audrey Seleski

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

293. Beth Mccheyne

Affiliation: South Seneca Central School

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: As a teacher in this district for over 30 years, I would like to express my agreement with Superintendent Stephen Parker Zielinski about the status of South Seneca and the proposed cutting of Foundation Aid as outlined in his letter which is posted here: https://www.southseneca.org/article/1669580 In a nutshell, our enrollment has stabliized, we have followed the rules about fund balance and are not holding more than 4%, and we are classified as a High Needs District. The dramatic cuts that have been proposed by Gov. Hochul will hurt students if implemented.

294. Yaffa Davidson

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Our East Ramapo community children, both public and non-public, have been shortchanged year after year due to the States misguided funding formula. This has caused rifts within the East Ramapo community which has led to anti-semitism and other ugly behaviors. Non-public student needs must be taken into account so they can also receive the special education and other services they are entitled to. We all pay taxes yet we are not receiving our fair share.

295. Michael Pariser

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: It's long overdue to update the funding formula for East Ramapo. There are 40,000 non-public school kids who get shortchanged from the services they need, because of the funding shortage and outdated formulas! Time for change is now!!

296. Jennifer Eisenstein

Affiliation: East Ramapo CSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator

Comments: East Ramapo is a unique district. With an overwhelming majority of its students in private schools, the district is unable to fulfill its duties to any of its students due to the aid formula which was never intended for a district such as this one. To place the burden squarely on the district taxpayers is simply wrong. It creates more problems for the children as parents struggle to pay exorbitant tax rates or rent rates. The formula must be changed to account for the services mandated to private school students or the district will continue to fail to serve the needs of its students across the board.

297. Levi Tiechtel

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments: Hi, we appreciate your support and understanding over the years. Our community and its need have grown by leaps and bounds. Please make sure to update the formula to reflect the current needs of our community, both the public and non public school children. Thank you very much.

298. adam singer

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: New York State desperately needs to give additional funding to the East Ramapo school district. The formulas are totally off for our district where the vast majority of children go to private school. This needs to be remedied at the state level. It's unacceptable to continue to Short Change the entire East Ramapo school district. The state needs to step up and step in. And give additional funding and otherwise leave the voters decisions intact.

299. Itamar Yeger

Affiliation: ERCSD

Relationship to Education: Other Elected Official; Rockland county legislator

Comments: We all know the current school funding formula is fundamentally flawed when it comes to districts with a large number of private school students. It borders on criminal to deny these special districts the funds they deserve and need. In the East Ramapo Central School District, this shortfall account to about 7% of the annual budget. It also violates various constitutional rights, both state and federal, that protect students, parents and taxpayers. The state has known the formula is a disaster for years, yet has done nothing to fix it. Instead, it has blended the taxpayers. Just recently, the state imposed a 4.38% tax increase, the first time it has done so in recent memory. In truth, the worst part of this fight is not the money, but the way it has pitted two group of marginalized and discriminated people against each other. The funding failure has set minorities such as blacks and Latinos against Orthodox Jews, themselves vilified and hated at far more than the margins on both left and right. I have heard it said that "for blacks and Jews the word paranoid has no meaning; they ARE out to get us." The formula needs to be updated to take districts like ERCSD into account, and properly fund it. Only giving this district what it deserves, for all students, will bring justice this district demands and deserves.

300. Taryn a singer

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

301. Joseph Haas

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The formula needs to better take into account non public school students as well as update the outdated poverty calculations. Additionally, students that are new immigrants or lack proficiency in English as well as students with special needs to be better represented.

302. Eric Snell

Affiliation: Brentwood UFSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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303. Jennifer Isaacson

Affiliation: East ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: It's completely unfair to forget about the students that are in non public . Parents are paying high tuition rates as well as high taxes. It's not fair

304. Yael Goldstein

Affiliation: Easy ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: More funding is needed to include non public school children's education!

305. Rifka teicher

Affiliation: East ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: The funding does not account for nonpublic students which recieve legal support from the public school district.

306. Andrew Zhinin

Affiliation: OUFSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: The Foundation Aid calculation needs to be revised for several reasons: Poverty Indicators: The current formula doesn't accurately account for the number of students facing poverty, especially in districts using the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which allows free lunch for all students. This leads to fewer Free and Reduced-Price Lunch (FRPL) applications, making the poverty data inaccurate. The formula should prioritize CEP data over FRPL applications and adjust the method of calculation accordingly. English Language Learners (ELLs): The formula undervalues the needs of ELL students by giving them a low weight of 0.5. Given the growing number of ELLs and the increased demands to support them, this weight should be increased to 1.0 to better reflect the actual resources needed, which could result in more Foundation Aid. Outdated Census Data: The formula relies on census data from 2000, which is no longer accurate for evaluating poverty in many districts. Instead, it should use more current data from the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) Program, which considers all students, not just those in public schools. Consumer Price Index (CPI) Adjustments: The Governor has reduced the CPI used to determine formula increases from 4.1% to 2.8%. This reduction decreases predictability in budgeting for school districts, leading to significant funding cuts, such as a $500,000 loss for Ossining. The CPI should either remain consistent or have a minimum increase set to ensure better budget stability. Outdated Regional Cost Indices (RCI): The formula uses outdated indices to adjust for student needs and regional costs, leading to inaccurate estimates of educational costs. Ossining, for example, should be included in the same RCI as NYC and Long Island due to similar labor costs, but it is currently excluded, which needs to be corrected.

307. Kayla Belloso

Affiliation: OUFSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

308. Jennifer Gerstenblit

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Increased funding is needed for the East Ramapo school district. The funding currently being received does not reflect the increased number of students with disabilities and the increased number of immigrant students with limited English proficiency and prior education. The most important thing we do as a society is to properly educate the next generation. They will be the leaders and visionaries of their future and our own. Education is not the area to be penny wise and pound foolish and that is what is going on in Rockland County. Every cent saved is countless dollars spent on supporting under educated citizens for the next seventy years. Let us think ahead and guarantee our children have an education that leads to success and independence.

309. Miriam Davidson

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: East Ramapo Central School district is under funded. The formula used to allocate funding is very outdated outdated. All students in the district are being negatively effected in a big way. It's time to fix this issue for the sake of all our children.

310. Hadas Gelb

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: The above named formula is outdated and flawed, using data from the year 2000 census!

311. Eva Gruenebaum

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Your aid formula needs to take into account the unique circumstances of this district with the preponderance of students attending private religious schools. We pay our taxes but have no representation due to the actions of Betty Rosa subverting democracy and forcing a higher tax rate on our beleaguered taxpayers and exhibiting blatant antisemitism by blaming the Orthodox Jews in the district. Please revamp the aid formula and keep us from being disenfranchised and blamed for an impoverished district due to a refusal to recognize the unique and compelling circumstances in our district

312. Miriam Perkowski

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As a tax payer in ERCSD I am deeply disturbed by the tax levy that was just forced upon us. Ignoring our vote - and our private school children - tramples our basic democratic rights. Every child deserves a quality education which is why the only way to fix the decades-long problem is to fix the school funding formula.

313. Matt Young

Affiliation: Ossining School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: You must consider the CEP not the FRPA formula when determining the poverty rate in Ossining. Because all students receive free breakfast and free lunch, there is no need for families to fill out an application for free or reduced lunch. Yet they are still poor.

314. Carlos Gomez

Affiliation: Port Chester UFSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The formula must be recalculated and more state aid should be granted to districts like PCUFSD. There are overwhelming burdens being put on this district by a variety of factors, especially those that are based on the Governor's and state's policies therefore, the correct funding must be distributed to meet those needs.

315. Elise Folk

Affiliation: Port Chester School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

Comments: As a parent in the Port Chester School District, I am grateful to the work the teachers and administrators do to support my child. However, they are sorely lacking in building upgrades and extra curricular programming at the elementary school level. My son's school doesn't have an art room, the "art show" was barely advertised and involved no 3D art of any capacity. There is no performance opportunity for students under 3rd grade, and even at that level it's just orchestra and band. There is no play, no electronics/robotics/coding programs. It is very bare bones. The teachers do the best they can, but it's frustrating that there are not more extracurricular activities. I feel additional funding could help enhance the school building (we closed a day this year for excessive heat which is ridiculous in this day and age to not update building needs), and they should be highlighting students and providing more activities.

316. Eric Levy

Affiliation: Ossining UFSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The current formula does not accurately capture the true number of students with poverty markers such as eligibility for free and reduced lunch. Foundation aid factors in how many students qualify for free and reduced-price lunch (FRPL) as a poverty marker. However, school districts like ours, where a substantial number of students qualify, become eligible to provide free lunch for all under a program called CEP (Community Eligibility Provision.) There is no need for families in these districts to complete FRPL paperwork in order to receive free lunch. This leads to lower FRPL application rates that do not reflect actual student need. We therefore encourage the prioritization of CEP data over FRPL data in the foundation aid formula because FRPL applications are being made redundant by CEP. It is our position that the number of CEP students should be multiplied by a factor instead of utilizing a 3-year rolling average of declining FRPL applications. ELL (English Language Learners) should be weighted more heavily in the formula given the significant needs of this population and the unfunded mandates from the State regarding educating these students. Currently, ELLs are weighted as .5. In Ossining, the number of ELLs in this District has doubled in less than five years. We estimate that changing the weighting of ELL students from .5 to 1.0 would amount to approximately $2.6 million more in Foundation Aid and more accurately reflect the resources needed to provide these students with an appropriate education. The current formula relies on outdated census data from 2000 that is not an accurate reflection of many districts' current demographics, including Ossining, especially when tasked with evaluating poverty. Instead, we feel that the formula should utilize the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) Program to measure poverty. The SAIPE includes all students and not just students in public schools in its calculation. The Governor has reduced the current Consumer Price Index (CPI) for determining formula increases (currently 4.1%) and instead used 2.8%, which was slightly higher than the 2.6% 10 year rolling average. The CPI should not be adjusted in this way and/or a minimum CPI increase should be established to help school districts have more predictability in budgeting. For example, a CPI adjustment of 4.1 to 2.8 results in a foundation aid allocation for Ossining that amounts to a reduction of nearly $500,000 in one year. The Foundation Aid formula uses outdated indices to adjust for student needs and regional costs. This results in inaccurate estimates of the local cost of a quality education and a district's student-weighted need. The RCI (Regional Cost Index) provides a unique multiplier for each of the state's regions based on the cost of labor for jobs in fields other than education that require a similar level of credentials. Ossining is inappropriately excluded from the same RCI as NYC and Long Island despite our labor costs being substantially similar. This should be rectified.

317. Jessica Hulett

Affiliation: Ossining Union Free School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The Ossining Union Free School District has faced tremendous harm due to the 15 years of frozen Foundation Aid as well as the current Foundation. Aid Formula. Here are all the reasons why this approach to school funding is inadequate for our district: - The current formula does not accurately capture the true number of students with poverty markers such as eligibility for free and reduced lunch. Foundation aid factors in how many students qualify for free and reduced-price lunch (FRPL) as a poverty marker. However, school districts like ours, where a substantial number of students qualify, become eligible to provide free lunch for all under a program called CEP (Community Eligibility Provision.) There is no need for families in these districts to complete FRPL paperwork in order to receive free lunch. This leads to lower FRPL application rates that do not reflect actual student need. - ELL (English Language Learners) should be weighted more heavily in the formula given the significant needs of this population and the unfunded mandates from the State regarding educating these students. Currently, ELLs are weighted as .5. In Ossining, the number of ELLs in this District has doubled in less than five years. - The current formula relies on outdated census data from 2000 that is not an accurate reflection of many districts' current demographics, including Ossining, especially when tasked with evaluating poverty. - The Governor has reduced the current Consumer Price Index (CPI) for determining formula increases (currently 4.1%) and instead used 2.8%, which was slightly higher than the 2.6% 10 year rolling average. The CPI should not be adjusted in this way and/or a minimum CPI increase should be established to help school districts have more predictability in budgeting. For example, a CPI adjustment of 4.1 to 2.8 results in a foundation aid allocation for Ossining that amounts to a reduction of nearly $500,000 in one year. - The Foundation Aid formula uses outdated indices to adjust for student needs and regional costs. This results in inaccurate estimates of the local cost of a quality education and a district's student-weighted need. The RCI (Regional Cost Index) provides a unique multiplier for each of the state's regions based on the cost of labor for jobs in fields other than education that require a similar level of credentials. Ossining is inappropriately excluded from the same RCI as NYC and Long Island despite our labor costs being substantially similar. This should be rectified. For these reasons, I believe the current Foundation Aid Formula needs to be revamped to ensure equity for our most vulnerable students and financial predictability for our school district.

318. John Yinger

Affiliation: Syracuse University

Relationship to Education: Researcher

Comments:

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319. David Capasso

Affiliation: Ossining

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

320. Garrett Sullivan

Affiliation: Port Chester High School

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Historically, the Port Chester School District has not received its fair share of foundation aid. The revision of this formula is vital to our school district community and will have significant implications for our students and their futures. Please support the Port Chester School District!

321. Karen LaRocca-Fels

Affiliation: Ossining Union Free School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The Foundation Aid formula should be constructed to ensure that school districts serving significant numbers of disadvantaged children (ELL students and children living in poverty in particular) receive a greater portion of aid. In addition, the cost of living number used in the formula should reflect the true cost of living/CPI. Finally, the formula should also address the loss of funding from the "harmed" school districts that suffered after the formula was reconfigured to "hold harmless" districts whose populations were declining -- mostly middle class and wealthy districts. The harmed districts (Ossining is one) lost years of funding, putting them further and further behind in their ability to address populations with significant need and shifting the responsibility of funding to communities whose populations are overwhelmingly living below the poverty line.

322. Romina Caceres-Cosme

Affiliation: Ossining UFSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

323. Stephen Alpert

Affiliation: Ossining UFSD

Relationship to Education: Tax-paying resident

Comments: 1. The aid formula should accurately capture poverty markers, for example by using the Community Eligibility Provision instead of the Free and Reuduced Price lunch metric. 2. To support state requirements to educate all students, the number of English Language Learners should receive full weight in the allocation formula. 3. The allocation formula should use the most up-to-date census information, particularly for determining school district demographics, wealth and poverty rates. 4. CPI increases in the formula should be based solely on published indices, and not subject to the governor's discretion. If smoothing year-to-year changes is desirable, the maximum rolling average period should be 3 years, not 10 years. 10 years is too long to be responsive to locally changing conditions. 5. The aid formula should have some built-in stability such as a maximum percentage change each year AFTER the implementation year. The initial adjustment may require some further state transitional support (for example, a 5-year phase-in) for districts that will receive substantially less under the new formula.

324. Monica Tenelanda

Affiliation: .

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: .

325. Kim Jeffrey

Affiliation: Ossining

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Schools that have been historically underfunded, such as Ossining, should receive 100% of funding. That does not even ask for additional funding for all the years we were shorted while schools who had lost enrollment received the same funding due to the hold harmless provision. Schools with loss of enrollment should receive less.

326. Rena Rosenblum

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: East Ramapo CSD suffers uniquely from a public aid formula that does not adequately meet the needs of this unusual district. As a religious parent who sends her children to private religious schools, a large percentage of my salary is allocated for tuition. This is a personal need and not a luxury, and one that I choose to sacrifice for. At the same time, as a professional and as a civic minded individual, I value a robust public education system that meets the needs of all children. Our district has high taxes, and yet even with a significant tax hike will be left with an 8- digit deficit. For years we have been lobbying for a revision of the aid formula so that this hard working district's residents can be fairly served. The only foreseeable way to remedy the growing deficit is to find a way to find the required public services that are provided to both public and private school students. Thank you.

327. Joseph Monastero

Affiliation: Cold Spring Harbor CSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Cold Spring Harbor Central School District Comments to Rockefeller Institute Foundation Aid Study The Foundation Aid formula was created in 2007 after the 1995 decision that New York Schools should provide all children a 'sound basic education.' There are two components of the formula; a base per pupil amount and a weighted pupil count to address specific student needs. Cold Spring Harbor Central School district will concentrate its feedback on the base per pupil amount. For 2024/25, the base per pupil amount is $8,040. The base amount has been increased, most years, by a consumer price index amount. From its inception in the 2007/08 school year until 2012/13 it was modified several times to try and address funding needs of a 'successful school' as determined by a study that is now about 20 years old. The last modification to the base per pupil amount was 12 years ago! In those 12 years, NYS public schools have faced tremendous challenges and mandates. The foundation aid per pupil base amount does not address any of these new challenges. The challenges include but are not limited to technology needs (hardware, software, and access), student mental health needs, cybersecurity enhancements, facility hardening, additional security staffing, new learning standards, student learning loss, significant family needs, lingering pandemic effects, and soaring cost increases that outpace CPI. These challenges are only exaggerated when we add in the soaring non-instructional costs of transportation, employee benefits and utilities. The strains to public schools that are saddled with an inadequate base per pupil amount coupled with the constraints of the tax cap legislation have made educating New York State students exceedingly difficult. Cold Spring Harbor schools, by any measure and definition, is a 'successful school.' Our graduation rate is over 98% and our students perform in the top 5% of NY State students on all standardized tests. Our students are the embodiment of 'success,' and our schools are the definition of a 'successful school.' We know that NY State wants the same success we enjoy at Cold Spring Harbor schools for all NY State students and as such, we offer our recommendations for a base per pupil amount going forward that ensures NY State students not only a sound basic education but a successful education that prepares them for the future they will live in. We propose the following: The per pupil base amount should be determined by looking to schools that are already the definition of success, like Cold Spring Harbor schools. We propose that the definition of a successful school should be the top 10% of schools in NY State based on graduation rate and on time graduation. After that is determined, collect expenditure data from these schools. o Collect expenditure data from the top performing 10% of public schools in NY State and back out the following non-instructional expenses that do not directly contribute to a 'sound basic education': Debt service Transportation Other non-instructional expenses (including benefits and administration) o Also back out the costs for Special Education and English Language Learners as these costs are aided by weighting the base per pupil amount. Add the expenditures for the top 10% of districts and divide the total by the number of students in the top 10% of districts. This is the new base per pupil amount. For Cold Spring Harbor schools, based on the above methodology, the base per pupil amount would be $18,531 (based on 2022/23 data). When compared to the current 2024/25 base per pupil amount of $8,040, it is easy to see that the current base per pupil amount is not adequate to educate a 'successful student.' We implore the Institute to recommend a base per pupil amount that recognizes the needs of today's students, acknowledges the costs to educate a 'successful' student and makes New York State the envy of all because we put children first!

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328. Elizabeth Pugo

Affiliation: Port Chester School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I first would like to thank Dr. Aurelia Hernandez for representing the Port Chester School District on the Long Island Public Hearing on July 30th, 2024. As the mother of two kids within the Port Chester School district that depends on Special Needs and 504 Plan programs, I stand by Dr. Aurelia Hernandez words and urge the foundation to recognize how crucial full funding is to communities like ours. Historically, the Port Chester School District has not received its fair share of foundation aid. The revision of this formula is vital to our school district community and will have significant implications for our students and their future.

329. Thomas Monahan

Affiliation: Ossining Union Free School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Communities such as Ossining have historically not received their appropriate amount of aid which puts an unnecessary burden on the schools resources as well as the property owners in the Village and Town of Ossining. Ossining has grown while many communities in Westchester have lost enrollment yet those communities receive funding that isn't needed. Please correct this formula and look to communities like Ossining that have been forgotten about and always seem to struggle with a high tax burden and lack of resources.

330. Renata Van der Wateren

Affiliation: Port Chester

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please make sure that divers school districts with high poverty rates have the resources to provide a great education to ensure that Kids have an opportunity to succeed in life and we built good communities. We need to make sure our wonderful teachers have the resources to change lives of our students.

331. Jennifer Ramirez

Affiliation: Ossining Union Free School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

332. Sharlene Mejia

Affiliation: Parent of two children in the school district of Ossining

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Our school district/ community has been impacted with a tremendous amount of new students. Our students need more financial support to help aid their education. The cost of living has gone up tremendously and Ossining schools help our parent body so much and are always looking to improve our students experience! Please reassess your research and report.

333. Cynthia Gallagher

Affiliation: School Administrators Association of NYS

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: File uploaded

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334. Lauren Dykstra

Affiliation: Port Chester - Rye UFSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Our school district receives new students everyday. From my observations, most of the new students who arrive after the first day of school, are English Language Learners. Most of those new students are also immigrants or have been out of formal schooling environments for a year or more. Please reevaluate the student population data in our district.

335. Amy Kapadia

Affiliation: Ossining Union Free School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

336. Teresa Pica

Affiliation: Port Chester

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate; psychotherapist in community

Comments: This is an outdated formula and needs to change. It is not equitable

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337. Zoila Farez

Affiliation: Port Chester schools

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Port Chester por varios aÃ±os sabemos que es el distrito que menos recibe en ayuda estudiantil y sin embargo es uno de los distritos que mÃ¡s caro es al momento de pagar los Taxes nuestros niÃ±os tienen los mismos derechos que cualquier otro distrito

338. Nancy Appelbaum

Affiliation: Binghamton City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please be sure not to discriminate against small mixed-income or low-income cities, such as Binghamton, in revamping the Foundation Aid Formula. Please consider the special challenges we face with one high school for our entire community. My daughter's high school faces many challenges in educating a very socioeconomically diverse student body that ranges from children in extreme poverty to the upper middle class. To meet the needs of everyone, ranging from kids who can barely read to those who need advanced courses, takes a lot of resources. Binghamton HS does pretty well with what it gets but it could do so much more! My family periodically considers leaving the school district--either moving or paying for another school--but so far, with some misgivings, we've stayed. We greatly appreciate the benefits of a racially integrated school. But we are not 100% sure our child's needs are being met. And we worry even more about the most disadvantaged students, whose needs are even greater.

339. Lisa Molinelli

Affiliation: Comsewogue

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Our taxes are some of the highest in the country, there is no disputing that. The fact that aid has been held from our district and is owed is not only extremely disappointing as a taxpayer, but also infuriating as a parent of a student In a district who has been stretched to the gills. Long Island should not be looked at like the rest of New York. Our cost-of-living is much higher than the majority of the state and our School districts battle every single year to try and keep from raising our property taxes, which already average $12,000-$14,000 per year per household. If there is money that is owed to our district, or any district, it should be released immediately and there should not have to be constituents needing to speak up. The fact that this is the first time I am even hearing about this, at the end of August, is despicable! Not once have I seen or heard of any public hearing until today, which those dates have clearly passed. I am urging you to release the borrowed funds immediately so that our students can benefit from aid that was already designated to Comsewogue.

340. Joel Freer

Affiliation: Highland Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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341. Todd Freeman

Affiliation: Cincinnatus Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Comments are included in the letter attached below.

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342. Frances Bohm

Affiliation: Brookhavaven-Comsewogue

Relationship to Education: Taxpayer-resident

Comments: Long Island, in general, pays more in taxes than we receive back for our schools. - While some larger districts were threatened to lose millions in Foundation Aid last year, some of those big hitters got money back while Comsewogue was shorted $400k in Foundation Aid. That's a lot for us, and it's OUR money. - 15 years ago New York State borrowed money from state aid for schools to relieve state budget deficits. This was called the 'Gap Elimination Act' (GEA). To date, Comsewogue is still owed $20.3 million in funds that were borrowed during that time, as Albany hasn't paid that 'borrowed' money back to public schools.

343. James Montague

Affiliation: Ossining Union Free School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The Foundation Aid Formula does not consider the impact of school district and municipal mismanagement as a result of political pressures. The Ossining Union Free School District has fallen victim to overcrowding caused by a failure to enforce housing regulations in the municipality. A huge influx of English as a second language students coupled with single family taxed homes being occupied by multiple young families with school aged children has left the district severely under funded and the housing occupancy rule following residents heavily over taxed.

344. Crystal Griffith

Affiliation: The Business Council of NYS, Inc.

Relationship to Education: NYS Chamber of Commerce

Comments:

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345. Nader Sayegh

Affiliation: New York State Assembly

Relationship to Education: Other Elected Official; Education Advocate

Comments: See attachment.

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346. Nekeisha Parker

Affiliation: Southeast Bronx Neighborhood Centers, Inc.

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate; Development Manager @ SEBNC

Comments: The Foundation Aid formula's shortcomings have a direct and significant impact on programs at Southeast Bronx Neighborhood Centers, Inc. (SEBNC), particularly in how they serve students in the Southeast Bronx. Despite the intent of the formula to ensure equitable funding for all school districts, the reality is that it remains inadequate, especially for communities like Morrisania, where SEBNC operates. Impact on SEBNC Programs: 1. Underfunded Schools Lead to Increased Demand on SEBNC: - The inadequacies of the Foundation Aid formula mean that schools in the Southeast Bronx often receive insufficient funding to meet the needs of their students. This underfunding affects everything from basic classroom resources to after-school programs. As a result, SEBNC has to step in to fill these gaps, providing additional support services, tutoring, and enrichment programs that the schools cannot fully offer due to budget constraints. 2. Strain on Resources: - SEBNC's programs are already stretched thin, and the inadequate school funding exacerbates this strain. With schools unable to provide necessary services, more students turn to SEBNC for assistance. This increases the demand for SEBNC's resources, making it challenging to maintain the quality and reach of the programs that support education, social development, and overall well-being. 3. Inadequate Support for High-Need Students: - The Foundation Aid formula is supposed to account for the higher needs of students in low-income areas, yet it often falls short. Many students in the Southeast Bronx require additional support, including those who are English Language Learners, have disabilities, or come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The insufficient aid leaves schools unable to adequately address these needs, which then forces SEBNC to expand its services to cover critical gaps in special education, language support, and mental health services. 4. Long-Term Educational Disparities: - The ongoing inadequacy of Foundation Aid contributes to long-term disparities in educational outcomes. Students in underfunded districts, like those served by SEBNC, are more likely to face challenges in academic achievement, graduation rates, and college readiness. These disparities perpetuate cycles of poverty and limit opportunities for social mobility, which SEBNC strives to combat through its various programs. However, without adequate school funding, these efforts are hindered. Impact on Students: 1. Limited Access to Quality Education: - Students in the Southeast Bronx are being directly impacted by the inadequate Foundation Aid formula. With schools lacking the necessary funds, students are often in overcrowded classrooms, with outdated materials, and limited access to extracurricular activities that are crucial for a well-rounded education. 2. Widening Achievement Gap: - The formula's failure to provide sufficient funding to high-need districts like those in the Southeast Bronx exacerbates the achievement gap between students in wealthier districts and those in underfunded ones. This gap affects students' future prospects, from college admissions to career opportunities, making it harder for them to break out of the cycle of poverty. 3. Increased Reliance on SEBNC: - As schools struggle to meet their students' needs, SEBNC becomes even more critical as a provider of educational and social services. However, the organization's resources are finite, and the growing demand can limit its ability to serve all students effectively. This can lead to students missing out on essential services that are vital for their academic and personal development. Conclusion: The inadequacies of the Foundation Aid formula have created a situation where students in the Southeast Bronx, including those served by SEBNC, are not receiving the full support they need and deserve. This underfunding places additional pressure on SEBNC to fill in the gaps, but the organization can only do so much with limited resources. The result is a cycle of educational inequity that leaves too many students at a disadvantage, underscoring the urgent need for reform in how school funding is allocated in New York State.

347. Shael Flessel Guirand

Affiliation: RJC student peer mediator

Relationship to Education: Student

Comments: My name is ShaÃ«l Flessel Guirand, I am a 12th grade student in Brooklyn. I am a student leader from AQE; The Alliance for Quality education, The YaYa network, The Circle Keepers and RJI; the restorative justice initiative. I believe that mental health services, social workers, and housing resources are crucial for schools and students because students motivations, performances and behaviors starts at home and in the students mentality. They need to be able to be supported inside and outside of the school.

348. Amina Jallow

Affiliation: YA-YA Network and The Urban Assembly School of Law and Justice (My School)

Relationship to Education: Student

Comments: My name is Amina, a Junior at a Brooklyn High School. I'm a student from the YA-YA network. while I may not cover everything and there will never be enough funding for students. I want to paint a picture to help you show the vision of a valuable education that inspires learning and engagement. imagine a passionate team of teachers, leading captivating courses that leave you feeling excited to learn. maybe so exciting you find your dream job within them. To top it off you have a guidance counselor in a cozy office to support your every need and guide you through tough days. At the end of your day you go to your after school program of lively chaperones there to keep you busy until your parents shift is concluded. This is an education I've dreamed of for so long. and education that enriches students with a wide range of course options, extracurriculars and electives. That also supports you mentally and gives you tools of success. schools can be this haven for students but misplaced funding hinders children of our future from receiving this gift. while the foundation Aid covers traditional needs. We now require modern resources and it's only a matter of time before we lose the ability to form an education haven. The public school system is a well of untapped potential that needs more and more support each day as students' needs may differ. Let's make it happen by allocating funds for schools full of potential.

349. Bryan Alfini

Affiliation: Ossining

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: When a community eligibility provision (c.e.p.) is filled out their is no need to fill out an FRPL, thus making them redundant by CEP. a rolling average of FRPL applicants should not be used in the formula. English language learners(ELL) should be strongly considered in the formula. ELL in Ossining has doubled in about 5 years. The (SAIPE) Small area income and poverty estimates program includes all students and should be used when updating the outdated census from 2000. Since the consumer price index has been reduced, it should not be adjusted or a minimum CPI increase established. The formula is using outdated indices. The regional cost index for Ossining is inappropriately excluded from the same RCI as N.Y.C. and long Island.

350. Linda Macias

Affiliation: Floral Park-Bellerose UFSD - Floral Park, NY

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator; School Board Member; Education Advocate

Comments:

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351. Charlene Williams Pulakos

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central

Relationship to Education: Resident and parent of former students

Comments: I have in the ERCSD for 29 years. My 3 sons graduated from the district. Over this time period I have seen the systematic and rascist reduction of services for public school children and the increase in the direction of my tax dollars to religious private schools. Even the buses that drive by throughout the year including state and federal holidays are newer and polished. The private school bus contracts should clearly be investigated. The inequality of the buses, the school facilities and the unbridled disrespect the male private school community members of the ERCSD Board have continuously displayed towards public school parents and issues has only gotten worse. It should also be noted that purchasing a home in ERCSD is being used as a selling point for private school home purchasers relocating to Rockland. As one Brooklyn Realter advertised "Pomona is Paradise," the access to unlimited public school funds and services is touted and boasted about. The transportation formula should be the same universally in all school districts.

352. Kevin Castle

Affiliation: Wallkill Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: See the uploaded written comments for the Wallkill Central School District

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353. Elliot Black

Affiliation: Franklin Central School

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

Comments: Dear Reader, Let me begin that I am a parent of two school aged children who are currently enrolled at Franklin Central School in the beautiful State of New York. I recently attended the Public Hearing in Laurens, NY and was encouraged to hear many impassioned speeches in support of Public Education. Our family, including our two inquisitive kids (age 9 & 6), left New York City several years ago in part because of our emotional agony over the so-called "School Choice" program and the impossibility of ever being able to afford to buy a place even after working multiple jobs and chasing the prices ever higher. After 13 years in the city, we decided to make a new start Upstate in the small Village of Franklin, which I love with all of my heart. The bottom line is that students, teachers and parents need support in BOTH Downstate and Upstate. I implore Albany and NYC to figure out ways to work together for the common good. Funding Public Education should be a non-negotiable and intractable part of every budget, and never again should anyone consider defunding education even one cent, let alone the widely condemned $400 million dollars. "Education is a fundamental right. It's the bedrock of societies, economies, and every person's potential. But without adequate investment, this potential will wither on the vine." - United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres As one speaker, Lorelle Dutcher, said at the Public Hearing in Laurens, "This is a Civil Rights issue." For a brighter future, FOR ALL, Elliot Black

354. Susan Lutz

Affiliation: Chatham Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Any reduction of aid to our district would have a devastating impact on the students in our school district. I serve as an ENL specialist in our district. In addition, I have a special needs son whose livelihood and growth depend on our district's ability to serve him. Our school district serves an increasingly diverse population of families with a committed staff that goes to all ends to serve our students. Reducing funds would further put our children's needs at risk of being served with full attention, care, and expertise. Cutting any of our budget would strangle our students' opportunities, development, growth, and quest for knowledge. How do we keep our doors open to serve our student's right to a high-quality education if funding is cut? My son and my students deserve the education we have committed to in the past yet constantly strive to improve for the future. We must not leave our children's growth to chance by allocating less funds in the hopes they will become deep-thinking, truly integrated citizens in our community, state, country, and world. We must fund our schools and truly leave no child behind.

355. Pawiter Parhar

Affiliation: DNC/DCCC

Relationship to Education: Retired Engineer

Comments: I don't have enough knowledge about Foundation Aid Formula but I am politically inclined to state and to Federal based upon Democracy and to Demcratic Government.

356. Adrienne Leon

Affiliation: Capital Region BOCES

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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357. Mary Garrison-Dennis

Affiliation: Central Islip

Relationship to Education: Retired school counselor

Comments: School funding has to keep up with the changes within communities and life is very different now than in 2007 when the formula for foundation aid was done. The district I retired from is experiencing extreme financial hardship now( not sure where the shortfall happened), but the children , mostly brown and black, will suffer much if aid isn't increased.

358. Athena Bahri

Affiliation: Cansino Education Center, LVUSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator

Comments: We need a voice for school of choice. More funding allocated for homeschooled students and homeschool parents/teachers. Our public schools are a failure as seen during the COVID pandemic by many families. Put the power of school of choice in the hands of parents not Bureaucrats and teachers unions who squander money that's supposed to support student education.

359. craig clark

Affiliation: ESL Educator

Relationship to Education: Retired Teacher

Comments: Changes to this equity-driven funding formula stand to impact our Black, brown, low-income, and rural communities most, making it essential that we ensure that all communities across the state receive the equitable funding their schools and families need. We must ensure that the Governor's focus on fiscal sustainability does not overshadow each student's constitutional right to a sound basic education.

360. Richard Gilbert

Affiliation: Rochester City School District

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: There seems to be no recognition that New York State schools which are in non-poverty areas are among the best in the nation. To take the average achievement means balancing high-achieving schools with low-achieving schools in poverty areas. This appears to reflect mediocre results to the whole system. High needs schools in poverty areas require greater overall funding than high-spending districts to create the semblance of an even start for New York students. As one teacher put it 'The job of teacher has expanded to â€˜counselor, therapist, doctor, parent, attorney.' As Rochester columnist Mark Hare puts it: 'â€¦socioeconomic integration of our schools is essential, though not sufficient to reverse the catastrophic outcomes in the city schoolsâ€¦.School is not just a place where information gets poured into your head; it is a community where children and parents learn from each other and learn to appreciate each otherâ€¦.demography is destiny.' Public education is a priority responsibility of the State. While no public problem can be solved 'by throwing money at it,' I believe investment in our children and youth is our best investment. I implore state officials and educators to tone down the 'war mentality' rhetoric around public education and fulfill the constitutionally-mandated obligation to provide a 'good, sound education' for every student in New York State.

361. Edgar Alfonseca

Affiliation: NYC School District 28

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments:

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362. Suzanne Elgendy

Affiliation: NYC District 28

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

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363. DONALD PRICE

Affiliation: East Ramapo Community Foundation for Public Education

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate; On a non-profit Foundation that funds teacher grants for student enrichment in East Ramapo Public Schools

Comments: I graduated from Ramapo HS in '76. So many changes in East Ramapo have changed the district from the highest performing District in Rockland to the lowest. A lot of the problems seem to stem from the 1200+ properties getting a religious property exemption. Most of these are just private homes. The impact is a double impact on Public School Students. The result is decreased tax revenue and the outsized impact on school board elections these homeowners have. I think property tax exemptions should be eliminated. Both locally and nationally. Another way would be to Gerrymander neighborhoods where the Public School Children live, and merge that into neighboring Suffern, Clarkstown & Nanuet schools. The School Board and home owners could then be in charge of their own tax issues and remove the unequal "tyranny of the majority" they possess.

364. Yolanda Smith

Affiliation: New York Education Finance Advocate

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

Comments: The New York State Foundation Aid Formula Submitted by: Yolanda Clemons Smith (New York Education Finance Advocate, www.NYEFA.com) in conjunction with the Citywide Leadership Team (Co-founded by: Dr. Jackie Cody, Lorraine Gittens Bridges, Monique Lindsay) It cannot be overstated how crucial the New York State Foundation Aid Formula is for funding public schools across New York City. The formula is the financial framework reflecting the commitment to equitable educational opportunities for all students. Established as part of a larger effort to address the constitutional mandate for a sound basic education, this formula aims to allocate resources based on student needs. This approach is meant to ensure that schools with higher concentrations of children with greater needs have the ability to provide a quality education and as a result, the formula is instrumental in addressing longstanding inequalities in funding that have historically disadvantaged urban schools. The largest share of state aid comes to New York City public schools in the form of foundation aid. For fiscal year 2025, foundation aid is predicted to be more than $9.9 billion dollars equal to over 73% of total state aid ($13.5 billion) coming to New York City Public Schools. Foundation aid stands in contrast to all other education aid (general and restricted) from New York state because it's the lion's share (80%) of all general support aids which were roughly $11.2 billion as of May 2024. However, foundation aid is not based on approved operating expenditures like other general support aids such as transportation, building, career education, and computer administration aid. Foundation aid is also very unlike restricted categorical aids. Categorical aids have more prescriptive funding requirements designed to ensure funds are spent for specific purposes, such as prekindergarten, special education, or school lunch. Implementation of the Foundation Aid Formula has impacted funding levels and provided a more needs-based approach to financial support for schools. This shift has allowed for more strategic investments in educational resources, such as teacher salaries. Teachers and other pedagogues are the most important inputs that directly affect the academic results we see for our children. In fact, roughly half of the general education instructional section of the budget for this fiscal year 2025 ($8.8 billion) is powered by state funds equal to $4.3 billion. This portion of the budget will support salaries for over 59,000 pedagogues including teachers. Over the past 25 years, the landscape of teacher salaries in New York City has undergone significant changes. In the early 2000s, the median salary for NYC teachers was relatively modest at $51,020 when compared to today's standards. Teacher salaries were subject to incremental increases, that may not have kept pace with the high cost of living in the city. The mid-2000s to early 2010s saw some improvements, largely driven by collective bargaining agreements and city-wide efforts to retain and attract high-quality educators. Presently, teacher salaries in New York City have seen more substantial growth. Larger salary increases have occurred partly thanks to the influx of additional funding resulting from the state's realization of its commitment to fully fund the Foundation Aid Formula. Today starting teacher salaries are scaled at more than $64,000 with starting salaries that will increase to more than $71,000 by 2026. Going forward, the use of robust funding mechanisms that properly adjust to local economic realities is essential to fostering an equitable and high-quality education system in New York City. Built-in formulaic adjustments will permit proper aid levels to be given in timely fashion. Ongoing alignment of teacher salaries with the growing demands of the profession will allow our public schools to address the diverse needs of our students, enhance the overall effectiveness of public schools, and continue to strive to become a model for effective urban public education.

365. Stephanie Kadison

Affiliation: School District 24

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments:

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366. Matt Young

Affiliation: Ossining School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

367. Jonathan Mildenberg

Affiliation: Chatham Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I'm really not sure why any government official who believes in the public school system as a way of becoming a better citizen and to transcend social and economic realities would ever support the changes in Hold Harmless- especially since it effects the school rural school districts who most need support. I think it's frankly disgusting and shows the real priorities of any politician who supports this. It's anti-family, anti-American dream, and anti-rural life.

368. Rubie Harris

Affiliation: Huntington Union Free School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: History of the District: Huntington UFSD is located on Long Island, NY, and we serve a very diverse population of students in our community. Our Student enrollment to date totals 4,121 students. Over the years, Huntington UFSD has experienced a 5.78% enrollment decline since 2007. Despite this, our economically disadvantaged population has increased from 31.9% to 56%, a 24.1% increase. More significantly, our English as a New Language student population has surged by 89%, from 575 in 2007 to 1,087 in 2023-2024. We serve a diverse student population, requiring additional resources, services, and staff. Our 2024-2025 school budget is $152 million, of which $21 million is supported through foundation aid. We receive an additional $10.4 million from the state for expense-driven aid areas. The local share of our budget is $117 million, 77% of our overall budget funding. Any adjustment in the foundation that decreases the state support means that we have to increase taxes for the continuity of programs or cut programs, extracurricular activities, athletics, or staff. History of Foundation Aid: Beginning with the 2009-10 school year, any increases in Foundation Aid were frozen, and in addition to freezing the aid, they created the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA), which further reduced state funding. At that time, Huntington UFSD foundation aid was $8 million, which we received from 2008-09 through 2011-12. Between that time, though, the compounded foundation aid owed totaled an additional $13.6 million. From 2009-10 through 2022-23, we would have received a compounded additional revenue of $95.8 million. The fact that we did not receive these funds from the state has put a more extensive financial reliance/burden on our community to cover educational needs, which is the state's responsibility. CPI Adjustment Impact: In addition to what happened regarding Huntington UFSD's foundation aid, the CPI factor change also impacted our educational plans for the 2024-25 school year. When CPI was cut from 4.1% to 2.8%, that reduction resulted in a loss of revenue received by the school district of $267,191. This shows you that what can be considered minor adjustments to the formula for some can have significant financial impacts on others. These funds could have provided additional mental health, ELL, special education support, and science and math intervention.

369. Leonard Kalman

Affiliation: Comsewogue School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments:

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370. Heather LLorca-Kropp

Affiliation: Comsewogue School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

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371. Maureen Budway

Affiliation: Comsewogue SD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I am a proud community member, taxpayer and parent of a student(s) in the Comsewogue School District in Port Jefferson Station, Long Island. I am very concerned that any new formula developed for the allocation of foundation aid, the primary source of state funding for school districts, does not penalize our district as the formula has in the past. For example, while our student population has held steady or slightly increased, our neighboring districts have seen declines. But because of the hold harmless provision, we actually received less funding than the formula indicated we were entitled to. We believe any new formula must address these factors: - district wealth based on regional comparisons and regionally adjusted costs, not statewide numbers. For example, Long Island should be considered a region unto itself and Comsewogue's district wealth should be compared to district wealth on Long Island. - enrollment increases or decreases â€“ but enrollment should not be the overriding factor - special needs populations, ENL populations, and increased mental health programming needs as an aftermath of the pandemic and societal changes over the past several years. These all have added and significant costs for districts. - regionally adjusted costs of state mandates. Again, Long Island should be looked at as a separate region, with its particular (and high) costs factored in. - impacts of changing retirement system contributions, inflation, health insurance and transportation costs. - percentage of commercial vs. residential property in a district â€“ the absence of any significant commercial property puts a greater strain on homeowner tax liability. - the relative percentage of property in a district that is 'off the tax roll,' placing greater strains on residential taxpayers in the district. Most importantly, there needs to be consistency of application of the formula so districts can readily project foundation aid levels when preparing annual budgets. Additionally, factors such as district wealth, district populations and regionally adjusted costs need to be updated in a timely fashion so that the formula is never using criteria that are decades old and not relevant to current-day circumstances.

372. Danielle Peyman

Affiliation: Comsewogue school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

373. Roseann Avella

Affiliation: Comswogue

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Long Island - Suffolk. County Taxpayer

Comments: I own multiple homes in New York. I'm a law abiding citizen and pay all my taxes. I have chosen to raise my children on Long Island in the Comswogue School District- Port Jefferson Station, NY. My children are strategically enrolled in Comswogue High School to obtain an amazing education. As a taxpayer and parent of children in this school district, I am very concerned that any new formula developed for the allocation of foundation aid, the primary source of state funding for school districts, does not penalize our district as the formula has in the past. For example, while our student population has held steady or slightly increased, our neighboring districts have seen declines. But because of the hold harmless provision, we actually received less funding than the formula indicated we were entitled to. We believe any new formula must address these factors: - district wealth based on regional comparisons and regionally adjusted costs, not statewide numbers. For example, Long Island should be considered a region unto itself and Comsewogue's district wealth should be compared to district wealth on Long Island. - enrollment increases or decreases â€“ but enrollment should not be the overriding factor - special needs populations, ENL populations, and increased mental health programming needs as an aftermath of the pandemic and societal changes over the past several years. These all have added and significant costs for districts. - regionally adjusted costs of state mandates. Again, Long Island should be looked at as a separate region, with its particular (and high) costs factored in. - impacts of changing retirement system contributions, inflation, health insurance and transportation costs. - percentage of commercial vs. residential property in a district â€“ the absence of any significant commercial property puts a greater strain on homeowner tax liability. - the relative percentage of property in a district that is 'off the tax roll,' placing greater strains on residential taxpayers in the district. Most importantly, there needs to be consistency of application of the formula so districts can readily project foundation aid levels when preparing annual budgets. Additionally, factors such as district wealth, district populations and regionally adjusted costs need to be updated in a timely fashion so that the formula is never using criteria that are decades old and not relevant to current-day circumstances. The priority needs to be about our children's education. The loss of aid severely impacts Comswogue School district and our children's education. Please consider the above facts and do not allow a loss of aid to occur in our district.

374. Annawa Naing

Affiliation: 30Q078

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

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375. Rosa Antelo

Affiliation: Comsewogue School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

376. James Hamilton

Affiliation: Comsewogue School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

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377. shaina waterbury-shaw

Affiliation: Comsewogue School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am a community member, taxpayer and parent of students in the Comsewogue School District in Port Jefferson Station, Long Island. I am very concerned that any new formula developed for the allocation of foundation aid, the primary source of state funding for school districts, does not penalize our district as the formula has in the past. For example, while our student population has held steady or slightly increased, our neighboring districts have seen declines. But because of the hold harmless provision, we actually received less funding than the formula indicated we were entitled to. We believe any new formula must address these factors: - district wealth based on regional comparisons and regionally adjusted costs, not statewide numbers. For example, Long Island should be considered a region unto itself and Comsewogue's district wealth should be compared to district wealth on Long Island. - enrollment increases or decreases â€“ but enrollment should not be the overriding factor - special needs populations, ENL populations, and increased mental health programming needs as an aftermath of the pandemic and societal changes over the past several years. These all have added and significant costs for districts. - regionally adjusted costs of state mandates. Again, Long Island should be looked at as a separate region, with its particular (and high) costs factored in. - impacts of changing retirement system contributions, inflation, health insurance and transportation costs. - percentage of commercial vs. residential property in a district â€“ the absence of any significant commercial property puts a greater strain on homeowner tax liability. - the relative percentage of property in a district that is 'off the tax roll,' placing greater strains on residential taxpayers in the district. Most importantly, there needs to be consistency of application of the formula so districts can readily project foundation aid levels when preparing annual budgets. Additionally, factors such as district wealth, district populations and regionally adjusted costs need to be updated in a timely fashion so that the formula is never using criteria that are decades old and not relevant to current-day circumstances.

378. Trish Magnetico

Affiliation: Comsewogue

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

379. Mike Magnetico

Affiliation: Comsewogue School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

380. Matthew Tedeschi

Affiliation: Berne Knox Westerlo CSD and Capital Region BOCES

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

Comments:

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381. Andy Cook

Affiliation: WSWHE BOCES Region CSO Advocacy Committee

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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382. Ann Popielaski

Affiliation: Comsewogue School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments: I am a proud community member of the Comsewogue School District in Port Jefferson Station, Long Island. I am very concerned that any new formula developed for the allocation of foundation aid, the primary source of state funding for school districts, does not penalize our district as the formula has in the past. For example, while our student population has held steady or slightly increased, our neighboring districts have seen declines. But because of the hold harmless provision, we actually received less funding than the formula indicated we were entitled to. We believe any new formula must address these factors: - district wealth based on regional comparisons and regionally adjusted costs, not statewide numbers. For example, Long Island should be considered a region unto itself and Comsewogue's district wealth should be compared to district wealth on Long Island. - enrollment increases or decreases â€“ but enrollment should not be the overriding factor - special needs populations, ENL populations, and increased mental health programming needs as an aftermath of the pandemic and societal changes over the past several years. These all have added and significant costs for districts. - regionally adjusted costs of state mandates. Again, Long Island should be looked at as a separate region, with its particular (and high) costs factored in. - impacts of changing retirement system contributions, inflation, health insurance and transportation costs. - percentage of commercial vs. residential property in a district â€“ the absence of any significant commercial property puts a greater strain on homeowner tax liability. - the relative percentage of property in a district that is 'off the tax roll,' placing greater strains on residential taxpayers in the district. Most importantly, there needs to be consistency of application of the formula so districts can readily project foundation aid levels when preparing annual budgets. Additionally, factors such as district wealth, district populations and regionally adjusted costs need to be updated in a timely fashion so that the formula is never using criteria that are decades old and not relevant to current-day circumstances.

383. Sydney Levy

Affiliation: Union Springs Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

Comments: It is vital to our school district to maintain the 'save harmless' provision of the funding formula. We are a small district in a rural setting. Our parents always vote 'yes' to increasing school taxes and supporting the projects and initiatives that keep our district a desirable place for children to be raised and educated, but there are limits to what we can absorb. With the rate of inflation the past four years and the expenses of keeping a current and competitive curriculum this funding is imperative for our school. Shame on New York State for cutting anything to do with education. Every dollar spent on education has a return on investment of over threeâ€¦pay it forward and keep funding our schools and our future.

384. Jason Levy

Affiliation: Union Springs Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

385. CHRISTINE ALLEN

Affiliation: Comsewogue

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments:

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386. David Indelicato

Affiliation: Comsewogue

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: The Foundation Aid formula should account for the increasing need for districts to invest in safety infrastructure as school shootings become more and more frequent. Most school buildings are woefully underprepared for an active shooter situation and simply rely on 'duck-and-cover' protocol. Ballistic shields and classroom doors with level 3 ballistic reinforcement would save lives and deter shooters, but they are costly. The Foundation Aid formula should take this into consideration.

387. Joseph Call

Affiliation: Haverstraw stony point

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: We need better checks and balances on how much taxpayers are paying and how Much the state is giving if the state gives 18 million the district should not just be able to raise budget by 18 million they should have to look and see how much they really need and give a discount to tax payers Lower the levy. The budget should Not be able to Go up by more than a certain percentage the same way taxes are supposedly capped. There are no check and balance on district waste. They say something costs x taxpayers allow them to do x and then it comes back 2 x or they just chose the wrong way to accomplish. For example air conditions . They should only be allowed to use mini split not whole schools u it much more affordable and on demand yes. Also any amount over 2k must be pointed out in a monthly accounting ledger in a board meeting. All contract must be posted so when superintendent gets 60k raise the co tract is visible.

388. Kayla Sloshay

Affiliation: Monsey Citizen

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: It is time that the state aid formula be changed to reflect the unique circumstances of the ERCSD. The state is unwittingly aiding and abetting antisemites who accuse the law abiding yeshiva parents, who pay huge tax burdens to fund the public schools, of taking their children's right to an education away. The public school children deserve an excellent education and they yeshiva students, whose parents pay for their tuition out of pocket and simultaneously save the state millions of dollars, deserve to see benefit from their tax dollars as well in terms of the mandated services every district must provide. The state formula may work well for almost all districts in New York State but it cannot work in ERCSD due to the unique makeup of the school age population. I am appalled at the state education commissioner's decision to increase our already sky high property taxes against the voter's will. I am likewise appalled at the state's efforts to impose its will on the education of private school students through its "substantial equivalency" campaign. No one here is ok with any of this, not the yeshiva parents and not the public school parents. We implore you to come up with a solution that work.

389. Isabella Birkett Green

Affiliation: Suffern Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I'm grateful to have the opportunity to submit comments for this study. I live in the lower Hudson Valley, Rockland County. My school district is Suffern Central School District. Our school district profile has been shifting over the past decade. That shift has been accelerated by the pandemic, growing economic burdens, the migrant crisis as well as a shifting housing market. One of the most significant line item changes to our budget is the increased cost of transportation. As you know, our state allows for students who attend private schools to utilize the public school transportation systems to travel to their chosen private school (within a certain mileage). That provision means that with the increase of families choosing private schools, our transportation costs have steadily increased over the last decade. Since 2016, that increase year on year has been approximately 8%, which now means we have a line item of over $14MM for transportation. And while our transportation aid from the state has been increasing as well, our true cost has still doubled since 2014, from $4.3MM to $7.4MM. Additionally, since the pandemic, our students require more resources; increase in school meals, more social workers, more psychologists, more support. The foundational aid formula needs to be updated. Essentially, my greatest concern, as a parent, teacher and community member, is that the state will not be able to support the public school community adequately and significant funds will continue to be allocated to the private schools at the expense of public school curriculum, programs, and student care. New York State should update the foundational aid calculation to ensure that our public schools are funded properly using updated data. Furthermore, the state should ensure that transportation funding is equitable and not becoming a burden on public school students and districts.

390. Tika Bordelon

Affiliation: yes

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: yes

391. Stephanie Meacham

Affiliation: Meacham

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments: Changes to this equity-driven funding formula stand to impact our Black, brown, low-income, and rural communities most, making it essential that you act now to ensure that all communities across the state receive the equitable funding their schools and families need. Education is the most important foundation of life and a healthy society. Please remember this with every action you take in these crucial matters.

392. Debbie Palumbo-Sanders

Affiliation: Victor Central School District

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: Dear Governor Hochul, Thank you for acknowledging the importance of the education funding formula in New York by providing the opportunity for stakeholders to comment. As a school board member for Victor Central School District, I was engaged in 10 cycles of budget development that required difficult decisions on priority of programs. The pandemic brought challenges to school districts and the federal money helped them move through this episode in history but it is time to look forward. Addressing the needs of students beyond academics is increasing with mental health support in the forefront of public education. Districts have a growing number of students with disability which require very specialized assistance. The number of English Language Learners is on the rise as the country welcomes a diverse population. Poverty is not going away and the future of children will be severely impacted without support. These are just a few of the examples of the different needs within a public school district. Each requires a well planned and executed program. Developing a program within a district is addressed over several school years and therefore requires predictable and steady funding. Our tax payers contribute to the revenue but with the tax cap and reduction in our foundation aid level, while student enrollment increased, our budget experienced constraints on developing progressive programs to meet the needs of our diverse school community. Consideration for adjustments to the formula needs to have a guaranteed annual increase based on inflation data, number of students being served and the special needs of the many different sub-groups within a school community. Basing the formula on data, not on opinions of politicians, budget staffers or state authorities, creates an equitable distribution of New York education funding. Thank you for taking your time to recognize my thoughts on the New York State education funding formula and the future of our children. Debbie Palumbo-Sanders Victor, New York 'Education is the most powerful weapon to use to change the world." Nelson Mandela

393. Montgomery J Granger

Affiliation: Comsewogue Union Free School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am a proud community member, taxpayer and parent of a student in the Comsewogue School District in Port Jefferson Station, Long Island. I am very concerned that any new formula developed for the allocation of foundation aid, the primary source of state funding for school districts, does not penalize our district as the formula has in the past. For example, while our student population has held steady or slightly increased, our neighboring districts have seen declines. But because of the hold harmless provision, we actually received less funding than the formula indicated we were entitled to. We believe any new formula must address these factors: - district wealth based on regional comparisons and regionally adjusted costs, not statewide numbers. For example, Long Island should be considered a region unto itself and Comsewogue's district wealth should be compared to district wealth on Long Island - enrollment increases or decreases â€“ but enrollment should not be the overriding factor - special needs populations, ENL populations, and increased mental health programming needs as an aftermath of the pandemic and societal changes over the past several years. These all have added and significant costs for districts. - regionally adjusted costs of state mandates. Again, Long Island should be looked at as a separate region, with its particular (and high) costs factored in - impacts of changing retirement system contributions, inflation, health insurance and transportation costs - percentage of commercial vs. residential property in a district â€“ the absence of any significant commercial property puts a greater strain on homeowner tax liability - the relative percentage of property in a district that is 'off the tax roll,' placing greater strains on residential taxpayers in the district. Most importantly, there needs to be consistency of application of the formula so districts can readily project foundation aid levels when preparing annual budgets. Additionally, factors such as district wealth, district populations and regionally adjusted costs need to be updated in a timely fashion so that the formula is never using criteria that are decades old and not relevant to current-day circumstances. Thank you.

394. Chrissie Onofrio

Affiliation: Port Chester - Rye UFSD

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

Comments:

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395. diana valvo

Affiliation: none

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; senior

Comments: make transparent

396. Kimberly Popken

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District/Poughkeepsie Public Teachers' Association

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Public education is the cornerstone of our democracy, and remains our best path to advancing equal opportunity at a time of deepening inequality. Public schools serve children of all backgrounds, abilities, and identities. We turn away no one. Adequately and equitably funding our public schools to meet the diverse needs of students is not just important; it is essential to ensuring the shared success and prosperity of our students, our schools, and our communities. As an educator in the Poughkeepsie City School District, I am advocating for a more equitable funding formula for small city school districts. According to the 2023 state report card, in Poughkeepsie, 84% of our students are economically disadvantaged; 20% are classified for special education; 15% are English language learners (ELL). Unlike many wealthier communities, we have a small tax base and depend heavily upon New York State funding. The restoration of an equitable Foundation Aid formula is not only necessary but crucial if we are to better counter the effects of poverty; to attract the most qualified educators and administrators to schools like ours, particularly during a teacher shortage; to offer more social-emotional learning (SEL) support through school psychologists, social workers, and counselors who address the trauma our students face every day; to meet the needs of our special education and ELL students to improve their graduation rates. We ask that you use this opportunity to address the inequities in public education to allow small city districts like Poughkeepsie provide better opportunities for our students and our communities. Prioritizing public education means investing in a just and prosperous future for all New Yorkersâ€¦especially our children.

397. Heidi Murphy

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

398. Linda Wygonik

Affiliation: ESM

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Union President

Comments: I am a member of the Eastport South Manor Teachers Association and I care deeply about public education and the educational opportunities and resources available to the students in our communities. I am writing to express my concern regarding the troublesome proposals in the executive budget that would change the way schools in our state are funded. The executive budget proposes to stop using the current Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is 3.8 percent, and instead begin using a 10-year rolling average of 2.4 percent. This will underfund the Foundation Aid formula, which is the main driver of school aid in our state and the distribution of equitable state aid funding. Coupled with the blunt cuts being proposed by changes to the Save Harmless provisions that will seriously affect my district, Eastport South Manor potentially leading to a compounding loss of programs and services such as mental health, enrichments and staff to assist students for years to come. In addition we ask that the foundation aid formula include provisions for the mandated programs for our English Language Learners and our Students with Disabilities. The proposed cuts will result in a decrease of $419 million in Foundation Aid. These cuts coupled with the growing mandates for our ELL students and our Students with Disabilities will strip our schools of the resources required to provide all students with the quality education they deserve. This decision not only breaks a promise made to our children and educators, it also jeopardizes the future of our communities by undermining the foundation of a strong and equitable education system. New York's students deserve better, and I know that the Legislature wants better for the communities they serve and for the entire state. We urge you to stand up for our students and schools by doing everything you can to properly fund our public schools. Our children deserve a future built on the promise of a high-quality education.

399. James Lever

Affiliation: ESMTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

400. Kelly McMahon

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

401. Elizabeth McClure

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor CSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

402. Anthony Longo

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

403. Susan Rorke

Affiliation: Eastport-South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments:

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404. Kim Messick

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie city school district

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

405. Tina Bennett

Affiliation: Eastport-South Manor Central School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

406. Carleigh Koren

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

407. Karen Kaiser

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor Central School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

408. Kristen Weller

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie city schools

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

409. Ann Lierow

Affiliation: Greenwood Lake Union Free School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Please see attachments.

File uploads:

410. Rose McGuire

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

411. Andrea Kutchma- French

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie schools

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

412. Noelle Willis

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

413. Toni DAlessandro

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

414. Michael Stolarski

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

415. Kathy Orza

Affiliation: PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

416. adriana loftus

Affiliation: Eastport-South Manor CSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

417. Sonia Brown

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

418. Katherine McGuinness

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

419. Gina Collins

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

420. Sara Scanga

Affiliation: Cazenovia Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Dear Rockefeller Institute researchers, I am writing to advocate for the Cazenovia Central School District. I am a parent of a child as well as a taxpayer in the Cazenovia School District. Cazenovia is experiencing a time of challenges due to the closing of Cazenovia College. These challenges have extended to our public schools, which are so important to our community. Even though we are a small school district, our community is incredibly involved in our schools and we strive to give our students larger-school experiences despite our size. The financial challenges we're experiencing risk the success of programs that are so important to meeting the needs of all students. Specialized classes in the agriculture department, which truly changed my older child's life for the better, as well as other enriching experiences are at risk if CCSD continues to experience budget shortfalls. Our community has lost Cazenovia College, and I worry that we will experience a decline that impacts our children, our property values, and our local businesses if our public schools are not fully funded. It's critical that the NYS uses a Foundation Aid Formula that equitably distributes all available state aid directly to school districts. Your efforts in reviewing the financial needs of all public schools across the state, including CCSD, are greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Sara Scanga

421. Stacy Grady

Affiliation: PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

422. Em Cazer

Affiliation: PCSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

423. Megan Murray

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor Central School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

424. Jessica Carrabus

Affiliation: Eastport South-Manor School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17mkzj8UQek8H8dS1hDrE4iZyRjVRXYj2ro0eFIDo1bM/edit?usp=sharing

425. Brielle Colello

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

426. Melissa Bobal

Affiliation: ESM Teachers Union

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

427. Jennifer Minihane

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

428. Joseph Bellofatto

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

429. Patricia Grieco

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

430. Melissa Riccardi

Affiliation: PCSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

431. Rachel Andersen

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

432. Susan Ferrito

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

433. Lisa Kalomiris

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor Central School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments:

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434. Michel Lee

Affiliation: LEAF (Legal Environmental Advocacy Fund) of Hudson Valley

Relationship to Education: Researcher; Policy Analyst & Public Advocate

Comments: LEAF (Legal Environmental Advocacy Fund) of Hudson Valley Strongly opposes any cuts and urges New York State prioritization of funding to its schools, with emphasis on not just movement towards education equity in schools, but movement towards a cleaner, healthier, and more vibrant state economy which will benefit all our children as they grow into adulthood. To be a leader in the emerging clean energy economy, New York must invest in its schools today. 'Fiscal sustainability' must not be a cover for New York State to dodge its constitutional duty to ensure the availability of a sound basic education to all children of the state. The effort to increase equity in New York's schools provides a unique locus and opportunity to achieve the realization of other State objectives. Green schools which broadly introduce sustainability in thought and programmatic activity could support an array of other state goals. Such goals include: creation of a cleaner environment, nourishment of public health; development of affordable energy efficient housing; preservation of a vibrant agricultural sector that enables small farms to thrive and delivers fresh produce to â€˜food desert' areas; reduced dependence on polluting unsustainable fuels; and making our communities more resilient to our changing climate. LEAF's full Comments are submitted via an uploaded file.

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435. Gary Stein

Affiliation: Eastport-South Manor Central School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

436. Mustafa ABUELQUMSAN

Affiliation: Terryville Road elementary

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Researcher

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437. Christina Gurnee

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Public education is the cornerstone of our democracy and remains our best path to advancing equal opportunity at a time of deepening inequality. Public schools serve children of all backgrounds, abilities, and identities. We turn away no one. Adequately and equitably funding our public schools to meet the diverse needs of students is not just important; it is essential to ensuring the shared success and prosperity of our students, our schools, and our communities. As an educator in the Poughkeepsie City School District, I advocate for a more equitable funding formula for small city school districts. According to the 2023 state report card, in Poughkeepsie, 84% of our students are economically disadvantaged; 20% are classified for special education; 15% are English language learners (ELL). Unlike many wealthier communities, we have a small tax base and depend heavily upon New York State funding. The restoration of an equitable Foundation Aid formula is not only necessary but crucial if we are to counter the effects of poverty better; to attract the most qualified educators and administrators to schools like ours, particularly during a teacher shortage; to offer more social-emotional learning (SEL) support through school psychologists, social workers, and counselors who address the trauma our students face every day; to meet the needs of our special education and ELL students to improve their graduation rates. We ask that you address the inequities in public education to allow small city districts like Poughkeepsie to provide better opportunities for our students and our communities. Prioritizing public education means investing in a just and prosperous future for all New Yorkersâ€¦especially our children.

438. Robert Bolen

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

439. Scott O'Brien

Affiliation: Rocky Point UFSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Dear Rockefeller Institute of Government, On behalf of the Rocky Point Union Free School District, I would like to extend our sincere gratitude for the opportunity to provide feedback regarding the Foundation Aid formula. We deeply appreciate the Institute's commitment to evaluating and revising this critical component of state aid. As a mid-sized K-12 public school district located on the north shore of Long Island in Suffolk County, NY, we are acutely aware of the significant impact that Foundation Aid has on our ability to effectively serve our students. Over the past decade, Rocky Point UFSD has faced challenges related to declining enrollment, which, while seemingly suggesting a reduced need for funding, has not lessened our financial demands. In response to mandates and shifting student needs, we now must annually budget to support areas such as Special Education, English Language Learners (ELLs), mental health services, and enhanced security measures. The rising costs associated with these critical areas, alongside increased investments in cybersecurity, highlight the necessity for a Foundation Aid formula that accurately reflects and supports the evolving landscape of public education. If revisions to the Foundation Aid formula consider reducing the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or increasing the emphasis on enrollment figures, we strongly advocate for preserving the "Save Harmless" provision. This measure is crucial for maintaining the level of support needed to provide essential services, particularly in Special Education, mental health, and ELL programs, as well as in ensuring adequate school security. Moreover, we urge that the new formula more comprehensively account for the cost of living on Long Island. A formula that takes these regional economic factors into consideration will better enable us to plan and allocate resources effectively, ensuring that we can sustain high-quality education and support services for our students. We look forward to reviewing the revised Foundation Aid formula and hope it will provide a predictable and equitable framework that accommodates the needs of districts experiencing declining enrollment, as well as the cost of living on Long Island. Thank you once again for your dedication to this important issue and for considering the perspectives of districts like Rocky Point UFSD. Sincerely, Dr. Scott O'Brien Superintendent of Schools Rocky Point UFSD

440. Susan Casali

Affiliation: Brookhaven Comsewogue UFSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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441. Theresa Catanzaro

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

442. Kelly Spadafora

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

443. Kelly Spadafora

Affiliation: Sachem Schools

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am a parent and member of the Sachem School Community and I care deeply about public education and the educational opportunities and resources available to the students in our communities. I am writing to express my concern regarding the troublesome proposals in the executive budget that would change the way schools in our state are funded. The executive budget proposes to stop using the current Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is 3.8 percent, and instead begin using a 10-year rolling average of 2.4 percent. This will underfund the Foundation Aid formula, which is the main driver of school aid in our state and the distribution of equitable state aid funding. Coupled with the blunt cuts being proposed by changes to the Save Harmless provisions that will seriously affect my district, Eastport South Manor potentially leading to a compounding loss of programs and services such as mental health, enrichments and staff to assist students for years to come. In addition we ask that the foundation aid formula include provisions for the mandated programs for our English Language Learners and our Students with Disabilities. The proposed cuts will result in a decrease of $419 million in Foundation Aid. These cuts coupled with the growing mandates for our ELL students and our Students with Disabilities will strip our schools of the resources required to provide all students with the quality education they deserve. This decision not only breaks a promise made to our children and educators, it also jeopardizes the future of our communities by undermining the foundation of a strong and equitable education system. New York's students deserve better, and I know that the Legislature wants better for the communities they serve and for the entire state. We urge you to stand up for our students and schools by doing everything you can to properly fund our public schools. Our children deserve a future built on the promise of a high-quality education.

444. Lori Franchi

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments:

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445. Pamela Hokanson

Affiliation: Westminster Community Charter School

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator; Education Advocate

Comments: Good Morning. By way of record, I registered to speak at the public hearing in Buffalo on July 25 but never received a confirmation to attend in person. Westminster Community Charter School disproportionally serves low-income and minority students which are key categories of funding for Foundation Aid. While Charter Schools generate Foundation Aid for districts, charter schools do not receive aid at the levels or in proportion to the demographics of enrolled students. Amending Foundation Aid to ensure equity for All public school students, regardless of type would reflect the disconnect and provide additional resources at the school level. Today, both the Foundation Aid formula and charter school tuition calculation do not allow, specifically charter schools, for differentiation of resources that disproportionately serve the students we know require the most resources to be supported. Foundation Aid should be revised in a way that places the focus on student needs above systems and should create a way to ensure equity of funding across all public school types without pitting schools and systems against each other. Additionally, the mechanism by which funding for students with disabilities needs to be entirely revisited. The 1.41 multiplier was based on what is now an outdated analysis of what some districts were spending at the time on serving students with disabilities. Much has changed since this analysis; in addition, it would be more appropriate to base funding on an understanding of student need, not necessarily existing spending practices. Thank you.

446. Tracey Lysko

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

447. Peter Gomez

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor CSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

448. Tina King

Affiliation: ESMCSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

449. Cheryl Harvey

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

450. Courtney Miller

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

451. Pamela Camacho

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor Central School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

452. Teresa Eng

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor CSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: To Whom It May Concern: I am a member of the Eastport South Manor Teachers Association and I care deeply about public education and the educational opportunities and resources available to the students in our communities. I am writing to express my concern regarding the troublesome proposals in the executive budget that would change the way schools in our state are funded. The executive budget proposes to stop using the current Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is 3.8 percent, and instead begin using a 10-year rolling average of 2.4 percent. This will underfund the Foundation Aid formula, which is the main driver of school aid in our state and the distribution of equitable state aid funding. Coupled with the blunt cuts being proposed by changes to the Save Harmless provisions that will seriously affect my district, Eastport South Manor potentially leading to a compounding loss of programs and services such as mental health, enrichments and staff to assist students for years to come. In addition we ask that the foundation aid formula include provisions for the mandated programs for our English Language Learners and our Students with Disabilities. The proposed cuts will result in a decrease of $419 million in Foundation Aid. These cuts coupled with the growing mandates for our ELL students and our Students with Disabilities will strip our schools of the resources required to provide all students with the quality education they deserve. This decision not only breaks a promise made to our children and educators, it also jeopardizes the future of our communities by undermining the foundation of a strong and equitable education system. New York's students deserve better, and I know that the Legislature wants better for the communities they serve and for the entire state. We urge you to stand up for our students and schools by doing everything you can to properly fund our public schools. Our children deserve a future built on the promise of a high-quality education. Sincerely, Teresa Eng

453. Lisa Maffia

Affiliation: ESM School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

454. Brianne Appel

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

455. Ellen Martinez

Affiliation: ESM School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

456. Todd Plymale

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

457. Stephanie Green

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: As a small city school district that is very dense, including 5 elementary, a middle and high school, we need more than what we've been getting. Our district is essentially 100% free and reduced lunch, with many of our families receiving SNAP benefits. Our students never have enough support both academically and emotionally, because we don't have enough funds to hire enough support personnel. We often have to provide them with basics, including clothing, school supplies, and food for home. If there is a change in the formula, it should benefit districts like ours, that have little to no tax base, due to the high number of federal and local governance buildings, churches, and many non profits.

458. Shivani Renjen

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor Central School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

459. allison jahn

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

460. Kerri Lacey

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments:

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461. Patricia Capobianco

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

462. Heather Basirico

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

463. Mary O'Hanley

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor Teachers Association

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments:

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464. Toni Borkowski

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor CSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I am a member of the Eastport South Manor Teachers Association and I care deeply about public education and the educational opportunities and resources available to the students in our communities. I am writing to express my concern regarding the troublesome proposals in the executive budget that would change the way schools in our state are funded. The executive budget proposes to stop using the current Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is 3.8 percent, and instead begin using a 10-year rolling average of 2.4 percent. This will under fund the Foundation Aid formula, which is the main driver of school aid in our state and the distribution of equitable state aid funding. Coupled with the blunt cuts being proposed by changes to the Save Harmless provisions that will seriously affect my district, Eastport South Manor potentially leading to a compounding loss of programs and services such as mental health, enrichments and staff to assist students for years to come. In addition we ask that the foundation aid formula include provisions for the mandated programs for our English Language Learners and our Students with Disabilities. The proposed cuts will result in a decrease of $419 million in Foundation Aid. These cuts coupled with the growing mandates for our ELL students and our Students with Disabilities will strip our schools of the resources required to provide all students with the quality education they deserve. This decision not only breaks a promise made to our children and educators, it also jeopardizes the future of our communities by undermining the foundation of a strong and equitable education system. New York's students deserve better, and I know that the Legislature wants better for the communities they serve and for the entire state. We urge you to stand up for our students and schools by doing everything you can to properly fund our public schools. Our children deserve a future built on the promise of a high-quality education.

465. Jonathan Jacobson

Affiliation: NY State Assembly; NYSSBA; Mid-Hudson School Districts of Beacon, Highland, Highland Falls, Marlboro, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Red Hook, and Wallkill

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator; Other Elected Official; Education Advocate

Comments: Please see attached testimony from a public forum on Foundation Aid, with 13 participants representing the Mid-Hudson region. Each speaker's name, title, and district is included in the document.

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466. Stephen Burns

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor CSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

467. Katherine Dodenhoff

Affiliation: Eastport-South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

468. Brendan Hogan

Affiliation: ESMTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

469. Albert Fitch

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

470. Trish Collins

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

471. Ronald Oldenborg

Affiliation: ESMCD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

472. Hannah Wood

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

473. Anthony Bozzanca

Affiliation: Comsewogue

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am a proud community member, taxpayer and parent of three students in the Comsewogue School District in Port Jefferson Station, Long Island. I am very concerned that any new formula developed for the allocation of foundation aid, the primary source of state funding for school districts, does not penalize our district as the formula has in the past. For example, while our student population has held steady or slightly increased, our neighboring districts have seen declines. But because of the hold harmless provision, we actually received less funding than the formula indicated we were entitled to. We believe any new formula must address these factors: - district wealth based on regional comparisons and regionally adjusted costs, not statewide numbers. For example, Long Island should be considered a region unto itself and Comsewogue's district wealth should be compared to district wealth on Long Island. - enrollment increases or decreases â€“ but enrollment should not be the overriding factor - special needs populations, ENL populations, and increased mental health programming needs as an aftermath of the pandemic and societal changes over the past several years. These all have added and significant costs for districts. - regionally adjusted costs of state mandates. Again, Long Island should be looked at as a separate region, with its particular (and high) costs factored in. - impacts of changing retirement system contributions, inflation, health insurance and transportation costs. - percentage of commercial vs. residential property in a district â€“ the absence of any significant commercial property puts a greater strain on homeowner tax liability. - the relative percentage of property in a district that is 'off the tax roll,' placing greater strains on residential taxpayers in the district. Most importantly, there needs to be consistency of application of the formula so districts can readily project foundation aid levels when preparing annual budgets. Additionally, factors such as district wealth, district populations and regionally adjusted costs need to be updated in a timely fashion so that the formula is never using criteria that are decades old and not relevant to current-day circumstances.

474. Jason Nazak

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

475. kathleen gibson

Affiliation: Eastport south Manor School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

476. Lisa Brassell

Affiliation: NYC

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am a parent from in NYC. I have two children in the public school system, one in a NYC public school and one in a special-education inclusion charter school. It is important for NYS to fund basic educational services for students. Students who have complex educational needs need proper funding in order to succeed in life. Students with disabilities need much smaller class sizes and more services, and schools are not being funded well enough to provide this. Students with disabilities who are academically advanced are at a particular disadvantage, as there are no specialized gifted programs to support them, and most academically screened schools assume they do not need to provide supports. There is a lot of money spent on things that are not academics for preK-12 students, and more money needs to be targeted for educational supports. ICT classes need to be smaller than general education classes, even with two teachers. And if even one student needs an ICT placement for any class, schools should have the proper funding in place in order to provide it. No one should be told their Foreign language class cannot support them because it isn't considered a "core class". No one should be told they cannot have AP classes with ICT support. My son's charter school is able to leverage its funding to provide exemplary special educational support we weren't able to get in regular public schools, but only goes until 8th grade. High Schools are not being given enough money for special educational supports to provide for students. Any modification to the Foundation Aid formula should take into account the true cost of special education supports, and take into account the wide variety of student needs.

477. Jay Lynch

Affiliation: PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

478. Nancy D'Angelo

Affiliation: Center Moriches School District

Relationship to Education: concerned citizen

Comments: Our public schools are vital support systems in our communities, adapting to new challenges and providing essential services. However, to provide every student the support they need, we need to ensure they have enough resources. More funding is so important for the students to get services that they need. Not all districts are wealthy.

479. Denise McMahon

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

480. Carolyn Montvidas

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

481. Heather Cowden

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor High School

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

482. Carolyn McKenna

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

483. Teresa Bova

Affiliation: Morse Elementary School

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

484. Madison Skala

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

485. Keri Alden

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

486. Tiffany LaGrandier

Affiliation: Comsewogue School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Student

Comments: I am a proud community member, taxpayer and parent of a student in the Comsewogue School District in Port Jefferson Station, Long Island. I am very concerned that any new formula developed for the allocation of foundation aid, the primary source of state funding for school districts, does not penalize our district as the formula has in the past. For example, while our student population has held steady or slightly increased, our neighboring districts have seen declines. But because of the hold harmless provision, we actually received less funding than the formula indicated we were entitled to. We believe any new formula must address these factors: - district wealth based on regional comparisons and regionally adjusted costs, not statewide numbers. For example, Long Island should be considered a region unto itself and Comsewogue's district wealth should be compared to district wealth on Long Island. - enrollment increases or decreases â€“ but enrollment should not be the overriding factor - special needs populations, ENL populations, and increased mental health programming needs as an aftermath of the pandemic and societal changes over the past several years. These all have added and significant costs for districts. - regionally adjusted costs of state mandates. Again, Long Island should be looked at as a separate region, with its particular (and high) costs factored in. - impacts of changing retirement system contributions, inflation, health insurance and transportation costs. - percentage of commercial vs. residential property in a district â€“ the absence of any significant commercial property puts a greater strain on homeowner tax liability. - the relative percentage of property in a district that is 'off the tax roll,' placing greater strains on residential taxpayers in the district. Most importantly, there needs to be consistency of application of the formula so districts can readily project foundation aid levels when preparing annual budgets. Additionally, factors such as district wealth, district populations and regionally adjusted costs need to be updated in a timely fashion so that the formula is never using criteria that are decades old and not relevant to current-day circumstances.

487. Laura Tietz

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

488. Jessica Davis

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

489. Michele Morstadt

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor CSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

490. Emily Siegel

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments:

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491. Joseph Papamichail

Affiliation: Eastport-South Manor

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

492. Lisa Blake

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments:

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493. Sharon Klune

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor CSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

494. Bryana Gensinger

Affiliation: Eastport Southmanor School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

495. Teresa Wanamaker

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

496. Cherish Barry

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

497. Denise DiCarmine

Affiliation: PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

498. Amber-Ann Grant

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

499. Shellie Porter

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

500. Teresa Bova

Affiliation: Morse Elementary School

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

501. Taylor G

Affiliation: Eastport- South Manor School Distrixt

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

502. Nedra Garriques

Affiliation: Ocarina/ppsta

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

503. Valerie Wald

Affiliation: Teacher at Central Park East High School, NYC District 4

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Please see attached file.

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504. Cheryl Haines

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

505. Kristen Hendrickson

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

506. Julie Hayen

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

507. Kristin Visconti

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

508. Ralph Brongo

Affiliation: Palmyra-Macedon Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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509. Kaitlyn Somerville

Affiliation: Eastport-South Manor Central School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

510. scott heptig

Affiliation: eastport south manor school district

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

511. Marion Mastrangelo

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

512. George Marino

Affiliation: Eatport/South Manor Teacher's Association

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

513. George Marino

Affiliation: Eastport/South Manor Teacher's Association

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

514. Kate Hooper

Affiliation: Fulton City School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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515. Denis Shea

Affiliation: Clarkstown School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I live in West Nyack, part of the Clarkstown School District, which borders the East Ramapo school District. My five sons all attended and graduated from the Clarkstown schools. In fact I was a Physics teacher at Clarkstown South H.S for 34 years. I attended Catholic grammar school and high school in NYC. About 10,000 students attend the East Ramapo public schools and about 30,000 attend private or religious schools, mostly Yeshivas, in the district. Imagine what the cost would be, if al these students attended the public schools. I understand that the formula for alotting aid to school districts must be complicated. Aid is given for transportation, textbooks, health care etc., but more should be done. I propose that the total number of students in the district be considered in giving aid. Students in the public schools be counted as one student and a student attending non public schools be counted a a 0.4 or 0.6 or some fraction of a student. This way, parents of students in the non public schools can say that their taxes are reduced because they students attend non public schools. However, the biggest beneficiaries are the students in the public school. As time goes on, more families will want to move into the district because of the school system. Conversely, if something is not done East Ramapo will deteriorate even more. The Suffern School District, up until a few years ago was called the Ramapo School District. People in the now Suffern School District did not want the name Ramapo connected to their schools and wanted the change.

516. Lori Black

Affiliation: ESM CSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

517. Sora Malka Teichman

Affiliation: Agudah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

518. Yoseph Gross

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

519. Shoshana Kahn

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

520. Yosef Friedman

Affiliation: East Ramapo, New York.

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

521. Bracha Brown

Affiliation: Aguda

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Pls give funding

522. ELI LOEBENBERG

Affiliation: yeshiva of spring valley, yeshiva shaarei torah of rockland

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

523. Dovid LaBrie

Affiliation: 25

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

524. Doniel Chaifetz

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

525. Kayla Wiederman

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

526. Zev Bald

Affiliation: Darchei torah

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Requesting that you take care of the non public schools in our state

527. benzion lamm

Affiliation: pockland county

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: please do not raise the levy tax not fair on us

528. Norman Bander

Affiliation: Scarsdale Education Center LLC

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Researcher

529. Solomon Romand

Affiliation: Bais Yaakov of 18th Ave

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator

530. Chaim Neurath

Affiliation: E Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

531. Samuel Book

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

532. Edmond Hakimian

Affiliation: Great Neck

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

533. C Schechter

Affiliation: Kings county

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

534. Shmaya Schwartz

Affiliation: Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

535. Yosef Piotrkowski

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Community

Comments: I feel it is discriminating against my community which they must pay more property taxes even though we are paying for our private schools which saves the government thousands and thousands of dollars from tuition fees which we pay out of our own pocket

536. Yaakov Benjamin

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Hello as a resident and taxpayer in East Ramapo I live in the village of New Hampstead. I have five children four of them go to private schools. This is a similar situation to thousands of residence of East Ramapo. This district has approximately 40,000 students 30,000 of them attend private schools and 10,000 or less a 10 public schools, I pay taxes for public schools between six and $8000 a year and for this my children receive a credit for textbooks and transportation it is unconscionable what is going on and the formula must be fixed of these students decided tomorrow to go to public school and join the public school system Would be overwhelmed beyond belief. This is unfair and it must be corrected

537. Ephraim Perlstein

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

538. Elissa Berkowitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

539. Menashe Leser

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

540. Shlomo Lichtenstein

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

541. Avrohom Dorfman

Affiliation: Dorfman

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: This is absolutely ridiculous as we pay so much in self-tuition and are not using the public school system. Please do not put more taxes on us which are completely unacceptable. This will not be forgotten

542. Isaac Rice

Affiliation: Nassau County

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I am reaching out to you as a parent of a nonpublic school student, a perspective that may not be the first to come to mind when discussing feedback on the Foundation Aid intended for public schools. However, it is precisely this expected exclusion that motivates me to write to you. The Foundation Aid formula completely overlooks nonpublic school students. While this might not cause significant issues in some regions, it has profound consequences in districts like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 75% of the students attend nonpublic schools. Despite being obligated to provide certain services to nonpublic school students, the district receives no Foundation Aid to support these services. This situation almost guarantees a budget shortfall, leading to a struggle between public and nonpublic school parents over an insufficient pool of resources, ultimately causing divisions within communities. As a Jewish parent, I have personally felt the tensions and hostility this deficit creates, which has fueled antisemitism in our community for decades. There are additional flaws in the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While using outdated data likely distorts the funding needs across the state, the impact is particularly severe in districts like East Ramapo, which has undergone significant changes in the last 25 years. The district has not only grown in population but now also includes a substantial number of English language learners in public schools. These students require additional services, further straining an already financially burdened district that is operating under a formula designed for a very different demographic. Thank you for examining this issue to ensure that districts like East Ramapo receive fair treatment. Although my child attends a nonpublic school, I firmly believe that every child, regardless of the type of school they attend, deserves the resources necessary for success. I urge you to update the Foundation Aid formula to reflect these needs. Sincerely, Isaac Rice

543. Aviva Korngold

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent of students in a different district

Comments: There has to be better solution than unfairly raising taxes in East Ramapo.

544. Avrohom Yarmish

Affiliation: Agudah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

545. Yehudis Sherwinter

Affiliation: Agudath Israel

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

546. Chana Leser

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

547. SCOTT RUBIN

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

548. Benzion Retter

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Board Member

Comments: We pay a tremendous amount of tuition to private schools. We're saving the state hundreds of millions of dollars. The state should thank us instead of punishing us. It's against the values that America stands for. Very frustrating, as you can well imagine.

549. Jacob Lederberger

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I have children in a non-public school and own a home in east ramapo. It is preposterous to think, that not only do I save the state money by paying privately for my children's education, I also have to pay the exorbitant school property tax due to the failed formula of allocation by the state. Please remember, we are all taxpayers, and there is no reason to treat parents that send to private schools as second class citizens.

550. David Rosenfeld

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

551. Ilana Merl

Affiliation: District 22

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Two of my children with learning disabilities are starting the school year without service provodors. This will be detrimental to their success in school as they rely on the extra help which they are mandated by the state. The current situation is unfair to those of us with children who just want to learn.

552. Benjamin Yuhanan

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Other Elected Official; Researcher; Education Advocate

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Thank you, Benjamin Yuhanan

553. Robert Gross

Affiliation: Agudath Israel

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

554. Shimon Rieder

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

555. robert weiss

Affiliation: NYC

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly.

556. Miriam Weinberger

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I am writing to you as a parent , an educator and a tax payer in the East Ramapo school district. I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely M Weinberger

557. Tzvi Malks

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, I have family members in East Ramapo where I grew up a child. I am now working in another district as an OT. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Tzvi Malks

558. Sarah Abramczyk

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

559. Shlomo Ungar

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

560. Ahron Golding

Affiliation: NYS Tax Lawyer

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Tax Attorney

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I am an attorney with a practice in New York State. I write to you because I am concerned that the Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide to them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Why are we using old data? Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Ahron Golding, JD MTax

561. Yehuda Koff

Affiliation: Agudah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

Comments: It's not a fair idea

562. Solomon Nathan

Affiliation: Ateret

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

563. Yonah Pitterman

Affiliation: NYC DOE

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

564. Mark Herzka

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

565. Rachel Elefant

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

566. Ilan Fuchs

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Other Elected Official; Researcher

567. Harry schlachter

Affiliation: Ohel Familt Services

Relationship to Education: Concerned citizen

568. Sarah Becker

Affiliation: NYC Queens

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

569. Judith Hammelburger

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The formula needs to be updated to best offer support for all students, public school of private

570. Judah Wischnitzer

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

571. Joseph Weinberger

Affiliation: East Ramapo CSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Tax Payer In affected district

572. Israel Weingarten

Affiliation: Brooklyn NY

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The Formula in the way the state calculates funds is faulty

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573. Eliyahu Zukierman

Affiliation: New York Yeshiva Family

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

574. Mordechai Nulman

Affiliation: North Rockland

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please use current data from 2024 to evaluate how much money is given out to the public schools, at this point in Rockland County there are way more PRV school students than students in the public school system, it doesn't make sense how taxes should be going up, the public school system should be cutting staff and cutting costs as the population shifts to more PRV schools, it would be nice instead to have more funding for the PRV schools being that PRV school parents are paying a lot in taxes and not getting what we are paying back. Thanks.

575. samantha nassimi

Affiliation: Nassau County

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

576. Miriam Kohn

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a parent of school-age children. My children attend non-public schools in East Ramapo CSD, all of which are privately funded by tuition and fundraising, with only a small percentage of funds being mandated from district funds. Yet, even this small percentage is a large sum due to the large population in East Ramapo that chooses private schooling. However, The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my children attend nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Miriam Kohn

577. Shayndel Moore

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

578. Akiva Eisenberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo School district

Relationship to Education: Grandparent

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute, I write to you as a nonpublic school prior parent and now grandparent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. The current foundation aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. This oversight has serious repercussions for the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This formula guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents. As a Jewish parent/grandparent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. Also, the formula relies on Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. While my grandchildren attend nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Akiva Eisenberg

579. Joe Gutman

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Board Member

Comments: As is well known because most students (possibly 75-90%) are in private school our district ends up with the highest taxes in the country and yet our district does not receive the funding it needs from the state. Imagine if all the private school students went to public school the state would need to send around 800 million a year to fund us. Why cant the state send a fraction of that and get our budget under control. The option is not to continue raising taxes. Its already unaffordable. with rising inflation this new tax raise will force many families to cut other essentials to the household budget to keep their house. the formula must be revised asap and out district funded retroactively.

580. Will Besharim

Affiliation: New Rochelle New York

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

581. yosef elbaum

Affiliation: NYC

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

582. Yaakov Hendeles

Affiliation: Yeshivas Chaim Berlin

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please review the formula in order to that public schools have adequate support. Otherwise, nonpublic school parents will have to pay higher taxes. I send this message as a concerned member of Agudath Israel of America. Thank you.

583. Ezra Lasdun

Affiliation: K'hal Adath Jeshurun

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Dear Sir/Madam, Two of my children attend Yeshivas in East Ramapo. Tuition is not cheap and I am far from upper class but the schools I choose to send my children to represent the lofty values we believe in. I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula, which currently fails to account for private school students and relies on outdated data. As a stakeholder in our state's educational system, I believe it is imperative to address these issues to ensure that our funding mechanisms support all students equitably and reflect current needs and realities. Firstly, the current funding formula does not consider the significant number of students attending nonpublic schools. This omission results in an incomplete and inequitable distribution of educational resources. Nonpublic schools play a vital role in our educational landscape, and their students should be included in funding considerations to ensure that all students receive the support they need. Secondly, the reliance on outdated data undermines the effectiveness of the formula. As educational demographics and needs evolve, so too must the data that informs our funding decisions. Relying on obsolete information can lead to mismatches between funding allocations and current requirements, exacerbating disparities and inefficiencies within the education system. It is crucial that the State revises the Foundation Aid formula to address these issues. By incorporating nonpublic school students into the funding model and updating the data used, we can ensure a more equitable and accurate distribution of educational resources. This revision will not only benefit students directly but also contribute to a more robust and effective educational system overall. I urge The Rockefeller Institute to consider these concerns and advocate for a comprehensive review and update of the State's Foundation Aid formula. Addressing these issues will be a significant step towards ensuring that every student in our state, regardless of the type of school they attend, has access to the support and resources they need to succeed. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. I look forward to seeing positive changes that will benefit all students across our state. Sincerely, Ezra Lasdun

584. Gittel Bagdadi

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: To Whom It May Concern, The formula as it stands requires school district to provide certain funding to private school students, yet does not account for private school students in the formula for the allocation of foundation aid . So parents who already paying school tax, and private school tuitions are now going to be taxed again in the East Ramapo School district to make up for this gap in the formula. I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Thank you, Gittel Bagdadi

585. shulamit hess

Affiliation: Concerned member of Agudah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

586. avrohom m rabinowitz

Affiliation: Agudas Yisroel

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: trying to fix the system by taxing those who already sacrifice so much for their children's education is extremely unfair and very misguided

587. Joel Goldberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As a 45yr resident of East Ramapo, I have watched the dynamics of the non-public/public school ratio change dramatically. As the parent of 12 children whom I have put through private school at an enormous personal expense, I also have underwritten the cost of maintaining our expansive and bloated public school system through very high property taxes, which I believe is from the highest per capita in the country. Every single child is entitled to an education, and while we pay the bulk of our childrens education, at the very least we unapologetically are entitled to the mandated services and bussing which the school district must supply. There is something very broken with the state formulas where those who cost the system the least are unconstitutionally assessed by the state much more than our fair share by dictator Dr. Rosa. This broken system must be fixed. Incidentally, I beleive that of the only 30% of students attending public school in our district, at least half are illegal ailiens. Hence, it is the Biden federal gvt that shoud be picking up the tab.

588. Rachel Glezerman

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

589. Moshe Kohn

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

590. Marc Braunstein

Affiliation: Woodmere/Hewlett, Nassau County

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

591. simha chetrit

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

592. Ariel Greenberg

Affiliation: Education committee consultant

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

593. Naftoli Gottesman

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

594. David Reich

Affiliation: securely yours inc

Relationship to Education: nys state taxpayer

Comments: Dear Foundation Members Religous jews pay our taxes (& lots of it,if i may say comparing to Fla), that go to fund public schools. Why are we & everybody else, that send their children to private schools not being covered for full costs, which would be substantially less then the public school costs per child. our schools generate high quality at least equivalent to or id say, better then public schools. why are we paying for others & getting anything for our schools/parents? im not getting into how to fix issues with the public school systems educational results (or lack thereof) or crazy overblown budget, just give us our dues. Thank you so much for looking at this honestly & truthfully (another thing hard to find nowadays). David Reich

595. Leah Stern

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

596. Chaim Cohen

Affiliation: ERCSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I approve the below message: I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely,

597. Hillel Jacobson

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; taxpayer

Comments: I write to you as a nonpublic school parent and taxpayer who is burdened with paying high property taxes to fund the local school budget as well as the additional cost of private school tuition regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Please note that the East Ramapo non-public school community is not an affluent community. Like many areas it has a mix of lower, middle and upper class families. There are wealthier communities getting far more aid because the ratio of private to public school population is much lower. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly.

598. Chaim Rosenfeld

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

599. Jacob Dan

Affiliation: Brighton, NY

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

600. Nachum Srebro

Affiliation: PTACH-Special Ed

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

601. Ronald Rosenberg

Affiliation: Ronald L Rosenberg

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I respectfully request that the current evaluation and study give greater weight to account for non-public school students in the calculus of funding formulas. Not fairly accounting for this constituency disenfranchises a significant percentage of the community. Thank you!

602. Brochie Hartman

Affiliation: Basis Yaakov Elementary

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

603. Adina Dan

Affiliation: Brighton, NY

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

604. Douglas Liff

Affiliation: Rockland county- Haverstraw

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Form Letter To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. sincerely, Douglas Liff

605. Abie Greenblatt

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

606. Chaim Block

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; School or District Administrator

607. Diana Huebner

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

608. Stuart Englard

Affiliation: Resident of the East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Rockefeller Institute of Government: I am a nonpublic school parent in the East Ramapo School District. The District is bitterly divided between private school parents with hefty property tax bills in addition to the private school tuition they pay, and public school parents who want their schools properly funded. Satisfying both groups has proven impossible due to a Foundation Aid formula that does not account for districts like East Ramapo where 75% of the students attend private schools. The District must provide services for these students but receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This creates an impossible situation where private school parents are asked to pay substantial taxes in addition to their private school tuition bill while public schools are underfunded due to the flawed Foundation Aid formula. Your attention to this issue is greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Stuart Englard [REMOVED}

609. Joe S

Affiliation: NYC

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

610. Jonas Goldschmidt

Affiliation: I have lived in the East Ramapo CSD for the past 27 years.

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: East Ramapo's percentage of Private School enrollment vs. Public School is one of the highest in the country. Yet, at the same time East Ramapo's School Taxes are also one of the highest in the country. This unjust fact needs to be investigated. For years now, this has been a great burden to parents like us who educate their children in private schools at a great sacrifice of self-paying private tuition, yet have to pay one of the highest school taxes. New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students and uses obsolete data. The state funding formula must be fixed and this unjust decision must be reversed immediately. Thank you from a very concerned tax payer.

611. David Glustein

Affiliation: NYS Taxpayer and Resident, member of Agudath Israel organization.

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

612. Charney Bauman

Affiliation: Community Board 16, Bklyn, NY

Relationship to Education: A concerned grandmother from NY

Comments: Why must Jewish private schools always have to beg for most monies that are allocated for ALL school children!!! These parents relieve school districts of lots of $ that parents pay out of there own pockets. All children should be treated equally.

613. Ezra Fireworker

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator; Resident in Rockland County

Comments: Kindly work on accommodating the county to have the proper finding for travel and school needs for private schools. County & School Taxes in the area are more than adequate to supply all the children needs in the county. Thank You Ezra Fireworker

614. Yisacher Feldberg

Affiliation: 22

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

615. Eliezer Gelb

Affiliation: EYG Group Benefits, Inc

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

616. Shaul Susholz

Affiliation: District of East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

617. Basha Goldschmidt

Affiliation: I have lived in the East Ramapo CSD for the past 27 years.

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

618. Miriam Glustein

Affiliation: NYS Taxpayer and Resident, member of Agudath Israel organization.

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; NYS Taxpayer and Resident, member of Agudath Israel organization.

619. Rivka Glustein

Affiliation: NYS Teacher and Taxpayer, member of Agudath Israel organization

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

620. Simeon Zoimen

Affiliation: Agudath Israel

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: see attached letter

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621. sara Lonner

Affiliation: Parent of P3 provider, grandparent of NY students

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate; Parent of regular education and special education teachers

Comments: As parent of teachers and a grandparent of students I understand the importance of a proper edcation. It is critical that NYS funding formulas be based on accurate, current data. It is also imperative and whatever funding is provided for non-public students be included in the calculation. Perhaps the number of children per district include all public school children + the number on non-public children * the percent of total funding that is provided for a non-public school student. It is in the best interest of all residents of the state that funding is distributed in a way that helps all students in the state get a proper education.

622. Andrea Kahn

Affiliation: Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

623. Robert Wachsler

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Social Worker

624. Lynn Friedman

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate; East Ramapo Resident

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a resident of Ramapo and East Ramapo nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish resident of Ramapo and non public school parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my children attend nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Lynn Friedman

625. Svitlana Zelikovych

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

626. Deborah Zoimen

Affiliation: Agudath Israel

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: See attached letter

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627. Avraham Goldschmidt

Affiliation: Lived in East Ramapo all my childhood and went there to school.

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

628. Shoshana Rosenberg

Affiliation: Region 7 District 21

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments:

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629. reuben gidanian

Affiliation: Queens

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I write to you as a nonpublic school parent. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. The fiscal deficit pits public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide. Thank you for researching this issue. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Reuben Gidanian

630. sande rubin

Affiliation: sd14

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

631. Gittel Goldschmidt

Affiliation: Lived in East Ramapo all my life and went there to school.

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

632. Eli Wiener

Affiliation: Yeshiva Of Spring Valley

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To: Rockefeller Institute of Government, I am a concerned Parent and resident in Rockland County. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. This oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely,

633. Mark Wasserman

Affiliation: Agudath Yisroel

Relationship to Education: Concerned citizen

Comments: The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely,

634. Menucha Goldschmidt

Affiliation: Lived in East Ramapo all my life and went there to school.

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

635. Renee Fein

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Grandparent

636. Jeffrey Reichman

Affiliation: Geog District #21 - Brooklyn

Relationship to Education: Parent in Brooklyn NY - Geog District #21 - Brooklyn

637. Mark Isaak

Affiliation: MARK ISAAK

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

638. moshe goodman

Affiliation: Siach Yitzchok

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator

639. Chavie Genack

Affiliation: EAST RAMAPO

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The formula needs revision, as the funding is clearly not being used efficiently and correctly.

640. Sarah Rosenbaum

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Home owner/taxpayer

Comments: I am a strong advocate for quality education in both the public school system and private schools. It is unbelievable that the State of New York is unable to accommodate the students in our district in a fair manner. There has to be a way to understand the school population in our district and allocate funds that work for both the public and private schools. The Foundation Aid formula must be reviewed to ensure that all students are given adequate funding to support their education needs. Thank you Sarah Rosenbaum

641. Yosef Goldschmidt

Affiliation: Lived in East Ramapo all my life and went there to school.

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Student

Comments: East Ramapo's percentage of Private School enrollment vs. Public School is one of the highest in the country. Yet, at the same time East Ramapo's School Taxes are also one of the highest in the country. This unjust fact needs to be investigated. For years now, this has been a great burden to parents like mine who educate their children in private schools at a great sacrifice of self-paying private tuition, yet have to pay one of the highest school taxes. New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students and uses obsolete data. The state funding formula must be fixed and this unjust decision must be reversed immediately. Thank you from a very concerned student and child of a tax payer.

642. Abraham Stefansky

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Student; Researcher; Education Advocate

643. Yaakov M. Goldschmidt

Affiliation: Lived in East Ramapo all my life and going there to school.

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Student

Comments: East Ramapo's percentage of Private School enrollment vs. Public School is one of the highest in the country. Yet, at the same time East Ramapo's School Taxes are also one of the highest in the country. This unjust fact needs to be investigated. For years now, this has been a great burden to parents like mine who educate their children in private schools at a great sacrifice of self-paying private tuition, yet have to pay one of the highest school taxes. New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students and uses obsolete data. The state funding formula must be fixed and this unjust decision must be reversed immediately. Thank you from a very concerned student and child of a tax payer.

644. Michael Simonovits

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a non-public school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for non-public school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where fully 75% of students attend non-public school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to non-public-school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against non-public school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends non-public school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or non-public school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Michael Simonovits

645. Babette Paul

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

646. Joseph Markowitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

647. eliyahu amira

Affiliation: kings

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: o the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Eliyahu Amira

648. Rachel Goldschmidt

Affiliation: Lived all my life in East Ramapo and going there to school.

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Student

Comments: East Ramapo's percentage of Private School enrollment vs. Public School is one of the highest in the country. Yet, at the same time East Ramapo's School Taxes are also one of the highest in the country. This unjust fact needs to be investigated. For years now, this has been a great burden to parents like mine who educate their children in private schools at a great sacrifice of self-paying private tuition, yet have to pay one of the highest school taxes. New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students and uses obsolete data. The state funding formula must be fixed and this unjust decision must be reversed immediately. Thank you from a very concerned student and child of a tax payer.

649. Yosef Benhabib

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

650. CHANA PERL

Affiliation: AGUDATH ISRAEL

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: KINDLY REVIEW THE OLD PROTOCOL & GIVE THE REQUIRED FUNDING TO NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS AS WELL.

651. charles morsel

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

652. Rivka Radich

Affiliation: East Ramapo School district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

653. Aviva Greenblatt

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

654. Alan Francis

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

655. William Buzzini

Affiliation: Queens

Relationship to Education: Community member

Comments: You are forcing people who cannot partake of the public benefit of free education to bear an insane burden.

656. Michael Heinemann

Affiliation: Rockland County

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you regarding the Foundation Aid formula as a nonpublic school parent, since the formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. This may have negligible impacts in some areas, however in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 75% of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Michael Heinemann

657. Addie Goldstein

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

658. Cheryl Hager

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate; ERCSD Parent for 24 years; 5 children in this school district

Comments: Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. Agudath Israel of America expressed outrage and concern with the ramifications of the order and is working with others on pathways to respond to these actions. For the next few days there is something that every New Yorker, and especially East Ramapo residents, can do about it. The Rockefeller Institute has been tasked by the state to conduct a study to assess the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula and discuss potential modifications to how the formula works. As the form letter describes, the major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data. Please write your own comment letter or personalize the form letter below to make your voice heard. Comments to the Rockefeller Institute can be submitted here and are due this Friday, September 6th. Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum Director, Rockland Regional Office Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Director of New York Government Relations Agudath Israel of America Mr. Avrohom Weinstock Director of KnowUs Agudath Israel of America Form Letter To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Cheryl Hager

659. CHAIM SCHUWAKS

Affiliation: New York State Commissioner of Education

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely,

660. Adam Cohen

Affiliation: A

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

661. Henny Gold

Affiliation: BBY

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments:

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662. Yosef Lipsker

Affiliation: Jewish

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

663. Chaim Rosenberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I am writing to you as a parent who sends my children to private schools. Despite paying over $7,000 in school taxes, I still pay full tuition for my children's education. While I believe that every child, whether attending public or private school, deserves access to a high-quality education, it is simply unfair to impose additional tax burdens on families like mine. On top of the school taxes, I also pay over $9,000 in Town & Village property taxes. This growing tax burden is unsustainable, especially for families that are already contributing significantly to the educational system by funding private education out of pocket. Our community saves the state billions of dollars by self-funding our children's education, yet we are continually asked to shoulder even more financial responsibility due to a funding formula that does not account for the large population of nonpublic school students. The current Foundation Aid formula is outdated and flawed. It fails to recognize the unique needs of districts like East Ramapo, where three-quarters of the students attend nonpublic schools. This oversight leads to fiscal deficits, which in turn creates division between public and nonpublic school parents, and contributes to rising tensions in the community. Additionally, the formula relies on Census data from the year 2000, which does not reflect the current population dynamics of East Ramapo, including the significant increase in English language learners and other students who require additional services. This only exacerbates the financial strain on the district. It is time for the state to revise the funding formula and acknowledge the contributions of communities like ours, who are saving the state billions by sending children to private schools. I urge you to ensure that future policies reflect the realities of today's diverse school populations and do not unfairly burden families who are already doing their part. Thank you for considering these important changes. Sincerely,

664. joseph portal

Affiliation: bais mikroh

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

665. Adina Sinnreich

Affiliation: District 14

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

666. ben Traube

Affiliation: ny

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

667. Florence Morgenstern

Affiliation: East Ramallah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent and grandparent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Florence Morgenstern

668. Dovid Weiss

Affiliation: East ramapo school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

669. Steven Sutton

Affiliation: MDY

Relationship to Education: Concerned parent

Comments: The fact that a bill was passed to ultimately burden parents for shortsightedness of NY's governing body in 1 school district will set the tone for more of the same throughout other school districts. This is an outrageous attempt to punish parents who are already struggling to pay for their tuition bills while getting zero in return from the state. It's a triple whammy: 1) paying their own tuition bills 2) not getting free education that the state is obligated to provide every student 3) not allowing deductions for the tuition paid for religious education purposes.

670. Joseph Fischbein

Affiliation: Beth Medrash Elyon, Monsey, NY

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

671. Edward Silver

Affiliation: District 15 (Lawrence)

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

672. Michael Morgenstern

Affiliation: East Ramapo central

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

673. sara wiesenfeld

Affiliation: none

Relationship to Education: none

Comments: please lower taxes

674. Vivian Hoffman

Affiliation: 27queens

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

675. Frimit Blum

Affiliation: Agudath Israel

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

676. Rivka Vorchheimer

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Community member

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a sibling of students attending a nonpublic school, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my siblings attend nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Rivka Vorchheiemer

677. Mordy Srebro

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

678. Fradel Gluck

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

679. Moshe Wiener

Affiliation: nan

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

680. Yehuda Brog

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; School or District Administrator; Education Advocate

681. Yehuda Silberstein

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged.

682. Eli Hurwitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

683. William Markowitz

Affiliation: Yeshiva of Far Roackaway

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school teacher, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While our students attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, William Markowitz

684. saul gold

Affiliation: kings county

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

685. Mariam Nussbaum

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am fortunate to reside and raise my son in the lovely Town of Ramapo. My son is a student in a stellar private school. The school provides a safe environment where education is on a high level. The funding formula that does not include the many, many private students effects both the private and public school students. It is prudent that the state revisits the funding formula so that every student has equal opportunity to grow and and be an asset to society. Your consideration is appreciated. Mariam Nussbaum

686. Sarah Katz

Affiliation: Bais Yaakov of Queens

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a parent of a 1.5 year old who will soon be a nonpublic school student, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Sarah Katz

687. Abe Azar

Affiliation: Magen David Yeshivah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

688. Eric Braun

Affiliation: Agudah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

689. Rafi Pearl

Affiliation: YUHSB

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: It is extremely challemging for families who due to religious reasons send their children to private schools which in New York are not funded by the state. The state benefits extensively by not having to fund those children. To now double tax those families seems backwards and archaic. Thanks for your attention. Sincerely, Rafi

690. Leah Stern

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: former student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school student, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish student, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While I attended nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Leah Stern

691. Eliyahu MOSKOVITZ

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

692. richard Abramson

Affiliation: Agudath Yisroel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Researcher

693. Estherr MOSKOVITZ

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

694. david kaplan

Affiliation: private school

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments:

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695. Yosef Shmidman

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

696. Yitzchok Katz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

697. Marvin Metzger

Affiliation: East Ramapo, Agudah Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Former school administrator, Teacher and parent

698. aviva feivelson

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: concerned individual

699. Jennifer Alvarado

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

700. Schloimi Porges

Affiliation: 071

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

701. Suri Scharf

Affiliation: Advocate

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I am a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Suri

702. Joshua Ragofsky

Affiliation: Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

703. Sarah Greenspan

Affiliation: Brooklyn district 22/ Orthodox Union

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

704. Aaron Berkovich

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

705. Michael Peres

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

706. Dov Klahr

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

707. Uri Schuster

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

708. Yiska Raz

Affiliation: Aguda

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Outrageous!

709. bernard hochhauser

Affiliation: Agudah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please use current information and do not short change the students who attend private schools.

710. ELIE MARON

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

711. AVROHOM BECKER

Affiliation: BMG

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; TEMPLE PRESIDENT

712. Philip Schreiber

Affiliation: 99846574

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I am very upset that non public school students do not get there fair share of services. A look at the budget sees a more than 60% in salary and Benefits. almost all go to the public school staff. What about special services and after school programs don't we deserve our fair share? I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Philip Schreiber

713. Miriam Aron

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

714. Rachel Fried

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

715. Raphael Berman

Affiliation: NYC District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

716. Aaron Wahl

Affiliation: New York City

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I emohatically urge you to update the Foundation Aid formula to ensure all students, public and nonpublic, receive the necessary resources to succeed. The formula does not account for nonpublic school students, which creates significant financial strain in districts like East Ramapo, where 75% of students attend nonpublic schools. This oversight leads to a fiscal deficit, fueling serious division and exacerbating antisemitism in our community! Additionally, the formula relies on outdated Census data from 2000, further distorting funding needs in districts with changing populations. I am a teacher in the School system, and a parent of 6 children in the system, and urge you with all the sincerity and urgency I can. The current state funding formula IS FAULTY! I IMPLORE YOU TO CHANGE IT. Regards, Aaron Wahl

717. David Sanders

Affiliation: Concerned Nonpublic School Parent

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

718. Boruch Sternglantz

Affiliation: NYC

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

719. Steven Bass

Affiliation: Private School Parent

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

720. naomi Greenberg

Affiliation: Young Israel of West Hempstead

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: I write to you as a nonpublic school grandparent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent & grandparent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my children attended nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly.

721. Elisheva Teitelbaum

Affiliation: Friend

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a friend of the families in the East Ramapo district, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jew, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my friends attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Elisheva Teitelbaum

722. asher weiss

Affiliation: sharei torah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

723. Joel Kaplan

Affiliation: East Ramapo NY

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The formula used does NOT account for NON-Public school students. We have been self-funding for years. Thank you for working on this to fix this so it benefits everyone properly.

724. Alyssa Schupper

Affiliation: Kings County

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

725. Michael Krull

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please treat our kids fairly, we are among the poorest distircts in NYS with most public school kids below the poverty level and english language learners. The current formul treats us as wealthy because it looks at the total tax base divided by public school students.

726. Esther Safrin

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: East ramapo school district resident and parent of 4 children in private schools

727. Abraham Amster

Affiliation: YTCTE

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

728. Howard Lasker

Affiliation: NYC

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 75% of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Howard Lasker

729. harold Schonfeld

Affiliation: Agudath Israel

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: It is simply a disgrace that I pay my taxes, go to work to support my family, and my situation is totally ignored. I send my kids to yeshivas because of my beliefs AS WELL AS the trash that is taught in the public schools regarding lack of respect for honesty, hard work, family values, and political rubbish. I feel that I am entitled to much better for my kids. Yes I spend lots of money on this. I should be repayed for the dollars that I am NOT costing the taxpayers to educate my kids. Why is it too much to ask for people like me to be treated as full members of society having the right to be heard?

730. Norman Gold

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments:

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731. Samuel Student

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school student, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish student, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While I attend nonpublic school, I believe that all students, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Samuel Student

732. Nechemiah Zweig

Affiliation: Yeshiva of Spring Valley

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

733. Aliza Ferziger

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

734. esther miltz

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: i am a parent and a taxpayer in East Ramapo. what was done is 1000% wrong.

735. Hillel Anton

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

736. Stacey Lentini

Affiliation: Eastport South manor School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

737. Jennifer Avery

Affiliation: ONC BOCES

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator

Comments:

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738. Jill Jaffe

Affiliation: eastport south manor school district

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

739. Vichna Belsky

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Enough is enough! It's time to fix the broken formula that is shortchanging everyone.

740. Chana Twersky

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

741. esther hirschfeld

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

742. Yitzchock Stern

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

743. Yakov Gross

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

744. Malka Kay

Affiliation: Dist 27

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments: State's Foundation Aid education funding formula does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data.

745. Neil Adler

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I concur very strongly with the words from the Agudah movement! Agudath Israel of America expresses deep concern regarding the recent decision by Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa to significantly and unilaterally raise the tax levy upon the predominantly Orthodox Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. The tax levy — the highest increase in memory — raises East Ramapo's already high property taxes by a whopping 5.38% instead of 1%, the increase legitimately decided by the voters of East Ramapo and its elected school board. The state Commissioner interceded in the local matter at the behest of a taxpayer, supported by the NAACP, who was concerned that the suggested budget would be insufficient for public school needs. The Commissioner's order conceded that her intervention here was 'extraordinary' in response to the contention that the move would effectively 'permit any taxpayer to challenge any action by any boardâ€¦ including whenever they do not agree with the budget.' The East Ramapo school board, which can be removed by the Commissioner, had little choice but to approve the Commissioner's actions last week, but stated that it did so under protest. A particularly dangerous aspect of the Commissioner's order is its framing of the events as neglectful or malicious actions taken by a white (Jewish), private school (yeshiva) attending majority against a Black and Hispanic, underprivileged, public-school attending minority. While assuredly not the intent, this rhetoric only inflames already dangerous racial tensions and antisemitism and does nothing to solve the issue. Agudath Israel has argued, publicly and recently, that the state's formula to fund districts and public schools (Foundation Aid) is fundamentally flawed and at fault here. It does not account at all for nonpublic school students, even though the district is required to supply certain services to all children. Given the unique demographics of East Ramapo, where most children attend yeshiva, the district has, naturally, experienced budgetary shortfalls. 'In effect,' said Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum, Agudah's Rockland Regional Director, 'instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in this district alone, the state has enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula.' To be clear, Agudath Israel supports properly funding public schools. All children deserve the facilities and resources to succeed. But the funds to accomplish that ought to come from the state legislature, not through an unprecedented, unilateral tax levy imposed by the Commissioner of Education. Agudath Israel therefore urges the state to resolve the deficiency at its heart. The state must act in the best interest of public-school and nonpublic school children alike and fix the formula, instead of usurping the voice, and further taxing the pocketbooks of, East Ramapo's Jewish residents.

746. Esther Safrin

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: East ramapo school district resident and parent of 4 children in private schools

747. Hal Frechter

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

748. Josh Rosenberg

Affiliation: Yeshiva Beth David

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Board Member

749. Ivan Sperber

Affiliation: New York City

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

750. Ari Krasnow

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Agudath Israel of America Logo ACTION NEEDED BY THIS FRIDAY: Tell New York State to fix the broken school funding formula Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. Agudath Israel of America expressed outrage and concern with the ramifications of the order and is working with others on pathways to respond to these actions. For the next few days there is something that every New Yorker, and especially East Ramapo residents, can do about it. The Rockefeller Institute has been tasked by the state to conduct a study to assess the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula and discuss potential modifications to how the formula works. As the form letter describes, the major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data. Please write your own comment letter or personalize the form letter below to make your voice heard. Comments to the Rockefeller Institute can be submitted here and are due this Friday, September 6th. Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum Director, Rockland Regional Office Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Director of New York Government Relations Agudath Israel of America Mr. Avrohom Weinstock Director of KnowUs Agudath Israel of America Form Letter To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Ari Krasnow

751. Myron Levi

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Other Elected Official

Comments: The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent/grandparent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged.

752. Gitti Auspitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: We live in Rockland County and our children are in the Wast Ramapo District for Schooling. We have lived in Monsey,NY for the last 13 years and have sent our 6 children to non-public schools, where we pay our children's tuition, which is quite exorbitant and our already very high taxes. By increasing our taxes an additional 4% + is creating a great financial burden on our family and I am sure many of my children's friends families. Please reconsider the new tax levy very seriously and veto the new tax levy. Thank you for taking the time to reading my letter.

753. Joseph Taub

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

754. Harry Goldbaum

Affiliation: NYS

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Dear Officers of the Rockefeller Institute of Government, This message expresses serious concerns regarding the Foundation Aid Program designed to fund public schooling. My children are currently enrolled in Private Schools. Yet, as the Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students whatsoever, this may have severe negative impacts towards all parents of school-age children, as well as adversely affect their children. For instance, in some districts, such as the East Ramapo Central School District, 75 percent of students attend nonpublic school. Not including private school attendees, has serious financial ramifications. It is mandatory for all schools, including private schools, to provide certain services to its student body, yet no Foundation Aid is provided to assist in paying for these vital items. This engenders a substantial fiscal deficit, and pits public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of the inadequate funding, wreaking havoc and communal ill will in its wake. Indeed, much unnecessary hostility has resulted, exacerbated by the ancient scourge of antisemitism against many members of our community. Additionally, the Foundation Aid formula relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. The population and data of the East Ramapo community (and other similar locales), have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. Indeed, East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a Foundation Aid formula no longer representative of current residence. Your further research of this issue will ensure that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged and is appreciated. Cordially, Harry S Goldbaum

755. Zev Saftlas

Affiliation: East Ramapo resident

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am very upset about this foundation aid formula. I live in east ramapo and deserve a right to vote on being taxed. I vote in almost every election and you can check my voting record Zev Saftlas

756. Moshe Gottesman

Affiliation: 0

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Overburdened taxpayer

Comments: Although I am not in the Ramapo district, I also live in a district where a majority of the students attend private or parochial schools. If this tax furmula is approved, I fear that our alredy overburdened community will suffer more.

757. Zevi Miller

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The current situation is unfair and discriminatory. We pay tens of thousands in school tax and also in private school tuition. The formula needs to change.

758. Simi Eisenstadt

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

759. chaim Foxman

Affiliation: agudath isreal of america

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

760. Jean Chaifetz

Affiliation: 22

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

761. Jonathan Reiser

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

762. Stuart Naftel

Affiliation: nan

Relationship to Education: Concerned Citizen

Comments: I write to you as a resident of Rockland County, specifically, the East Ramapo Central School District, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. I would like to see that ALL students - public and private - have the resources they need to succeed. It seems obvious that a Foundation Aid formula which discriminates against private school children, harming both public and private school children in the process, clearly needs to be changed.

763. natanel snow

Affiliation: SD # 15

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

764. Yosef Chaifetz

Affiliation: 22

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

765. Saul Taub

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, the unilateral tax levy imposed upon me and the members of my district by the Commissioner of Education, Dr. Betty Rosa, has convinced me of the need to speak out regarding the injustice that is taking place, and the need for reform. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Saul Taub

766. Chana Weiss

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

767. Tova Fuchs

Affiliation: Far Rockaway

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

768. Steven Schick

Affiliation: Ohr Reuven High School (Teacher), NYU Silver School of Social Work Rockland Branch (Student)

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Student

769. Suzanne Gurwitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

770. Tova Wacholder

Affiliation: YahalomNY

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: In East Ramapo Central School District, with 38,000 yeshiva students ka'h and 5,000 public school students, funding for 5,000 students is meant to cover the costs of 38,000 children. Please change the formula to ensure that every child gets counted; not only the children attending public school.

771. Ian Posen

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Homeownwer, Taxpayer, Community member

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a concerned community member, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against the community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Ian Posen

772. Ethan Pfeiffer

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: This is a very important project that you are looking into. We have been struggling with required funding for non-public school students were the formula does not provide state funding for this. We need to find an equitable solutions, so the state mandated services do not come on the backs of public school students. The state formula needs to have an amount associated for each non-public school student to cover mandated services, such that the public school students and non-public school students each receive their fair share.

773. Gilah Lazarus

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

774. Zev Juravel

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I would hope that your solutions to funding issues works be fair, equitable and take all pertinent traits into consideration.

775. Douglas Magid

Affiliation: East Ramapo parent

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

776. Jamie Walsh

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

777. Yitzchok Diskind

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

778. JOSEPH BEYDA

Affiliation: GRANDPARENT

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Stop using outdated statistics and use the current information.

779. Charles Landerer

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I hope this letter finds you well. I'm reaching out to you as a father of three extraordinary children with special needs who attend a nonpublic school in the East Ramapo Central School District. Not as a nameless statistic on a spreadsheet, but as a living, breathing advocate for my children and their education. Each day, I witness my children confront their individual challenges with a courage that fills me with awe. Their determination fuels my drive to provide them with every opportunity to succeed. However, the current Foundation Aid formula, which disregards the needs of nonpublic school students, poses a formidable obstacle. In our district, where a significant 75% of students are enrolled in nonpublic schools, this oversight has severe implications. Despite the district's obligation to provide certain services to these students, it receives no Foundation Aid to support them. This situation inevitably leads to a financial deficit, creating a rift between public and nonpublic school parents, each vying for a share of an already stretched budget. As a Jewish father, I feel the tension this financial strain generates. I've experienced the hostility, and it's disheartening to see how this issue has fueled antisemitism in our community. What outsiders fail to see, though, is the strong sense of unity in our district. We're a diverse community, my children play alongside their Hispanic friends, we celebrate each other's traditions, and we share a mutual respect for one another. The true issue lies not in our differences, but in the outdated Foundation Aid formula that disproportionately affects us all. The formula, based on U.S. Census data from 2000, is out of touch with our current reality. East Ramapo has seen significant growth and demographic change over the past two decades, including a large influx of English language learners in public schools. These students, like my children, deserve and are entitled to additional resources which our district, already grappling with a fiscal deficit, struggles to provide. I write to you with a sense of desperation, but also hope. Desperation because I see the daily struggles of our children due to inadequate funding. Hope because I believe in the power of education and its ability to transform lives. I implore you to advocate for an update to the Foundation Aid formula—one that reflects the true needs of our diverse community. Every child, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, deserves access to the resources necessary for their success. Thank you for your dedication to our children's futures and for considering my concerns. I believe that together, we can bring about the change our community so dearly needs.

780. Barry Indig

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

781. Marcos Bentolila

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

782. Raizi Sova

Affiliation: North Rockland

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

783. Samuel Neuwirth

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

784. Chantal Hinds

Affiliation: The Century Foundation

Relationship to Education: Researcher

Comments: Please see the comment attached as a PDF document.

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785. Malka Basch

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

786. Moshe S. Levin

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

787. Moshe Zlotnick

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

788. Pinchos Rosengarten

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

789. Esther Werber

Affiliation: Parent of children in ERCSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent of children in the ERCSD, including a child classified as hearing impaired, who is entitled to district services per law as a child with a disability. Perhaps I an not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. I am seeing this first-hand as my child has not been provided with services that she was approved for and that are listed on her ERCSD IEP. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Esther Werber

790. YITZCHOK ZIDELE

Affiliation: Kings County

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

791. Bentzion Bamberger

Affiliation: Agudah

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: We need justice and fairness!!

792. Alissa Landerer

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I hope this letter finds you well. I'm writing to you from the heart, as a concerned mother of three extraordinary children with special needs who attend a school in the East Ramapo Central School District. Each day, I watch my children face their unique challenges with a bravery that both humbles and inspires me. Their strength is my guiding light, propelling me to fight for their right to a quality education. However, the current Foundation Aid formula, which overlooks the needs of all school students, has created a hurdle that is becoming increasingly hard to overcome. Our district, where a significant 75% of students are enrolled in nonpublic schools, is profoundly affected by this oversight. The district is bound by law to provide certain services to these students, yet it receives no Foundation Aid to support these obligations. This imbalance invariably leads to a financial shortfall, breeding tension between public and nonpublic school parents who are all vying for a piece of an already insufficient budget. As a Jewish mother, I've felt the ripples of this tension. I've personally experienced the hostility, and it's distressing to witness how this issue has given rise to antisemitism in our community. However, what I find more disheartening is the misrepresentation of our community by external agencies like the NYCLU. They've unfairly characterized the situation as an issue of racial discrimination, driving a wedge in our diverse community. But, let me assure you, the real problem we face isn't about race or religion—it's about an outdated funding formula. Our district is a tapestry of diverse cultures. My children play alongside their Hispanic friends, we share meals, celebrate each other's traditions, and support one another in times of need. The real issue lies in the Foundation Aid formula, which has failed to adapt to the significant growth and demographic change in East Ramapo over the past two decades. The formula, based on the U.S. Census data from 2000, is no longer reflective of our community's needs. We have a large number of English language learners in our public schools, who require and are entitled to additional resources. Yet, our district, already grappling with a fiscal deficit due to the outdated formula, struggles to provide these services. So, I write this letter more in sorrow than in anger, hoping for understanding and action. I firmly believe that every child, irrespective of the school they attend, deserves access to the necessary resources for their success. I implore you to advocate for an update to the Foundation Aid formula, one that reflects the true needs of our diverse community. Thank you for your commitment to our children's future. I believe that together, we can overcome the challenges our community faces and create a brighter future for our children.

793. Jonathan Gewirtz

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Taxpayer in the district

Comments: As I'm sure you have heard from many others, including our elected officials, the foundation aid formula does not account for the unique nature of our school district. There are also a select, few others to my understanding, who have similar issues in terms of the formula. Because the school district is responsible to provide things like transportation to non-public school students, who certainly deserve the ability to attend schools of their own choice with appropriate busing, the district is constantly at a deficit. In most other districts, the formula works because public school students are the majority of the student body. In East Ramapo, there is an overwhelming majority of non-public school students mainly for religious reasons. The first amendment right to practice one's religion, should not come at a high cost for those who choose it, nor those in the community of those who choose it. The unfair burden on taxpayers creates a rift in our community, which is fomented and exacerbated by the faulty aid formula. It is not an accurate representation of meeting the needs of the school children, and the fact that this deficit recently led to increased taxes against the will of the taxpayers and voters is a travesty. You have the opportunity to right a wrong and provide guidance that can create an equitable system for each district in the state. I urge you to take this opportunity and advise New York State to include the cost and needs of non-public school students in the calculations. As many of us age, so we do not have school-age children, and we head into retirement and reduced income, we should not be forced out of our homes in order to pay rising costs that are a result of a faulty formula. I thank you for your assistance in this matter.

794. Cheryl Greenwald

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

795. Naftali Minzer

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Shorter version: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write as a nonpublic school parent to address a significant oversight in the Foundation Aid formula, which fails to consider nonpublic school students. In districts like East Ramapo, where 75% of students attend nonpublic schools, this omission has severe consequences. The district is required to provide services to these students but receives no Foundation Aid to support them, leading to fiscal deficits and community tension, exacerbating antisemitism. Moreover, the formula relies on outdated U.S. Census data from 2000, which misrepresents the current needs of districts like East Ramapo, where the population has grown and now includes many English language learners requiring additional services. I urge you to update the Foundation Aid formula to ensure all students, public and nonpublic, have the resources they need to succeed. Sincerely, Naftali Minzer

796. Leah Skurmik

Affiliation: Agudath Israel

Relationship to Education: Someone who cares about proper justice

797. Yoel Lichstein

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

798. Judith Lehmann

Affiliation: Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments:

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799. Yaakov Danziger

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

800. Leah Lichstein

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

801. Nina Bernstein

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

802. Shmuel Sokol

Affiliation: K

Relationship to Education: Researcher

803. Lisa Laniado

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

804. Boruch Steinharter

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

805. Alexander Srugo

Affiliation: Far Rockaway

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

806. Aharon Subar

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Community Member

807. Rochelle Maimon

Affiliation: Suffern Central

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

808. Yacov Rubin

Affiliation: Resident in Chestnut Ridge. East Ramapo School District for 11+ years. Rockland resident for 37 years.

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Both my wife and I grew up in Rockland County and attended private schools. Our respective parents paid (and continue to pay) property taxes that are among the highest in the nation, while simultaneously paying private school tuition. As residents of Chestnut Ridge, we have likewise been paying very high property taxes while simultaneously paying private school tuition for over a decade. Recently, it came to our attention that the superintendent attempted to unilaterally raise the School District component of the property taxes even higher--by a staggering 5%,--despite the residents declining to vote for an increase in the school more than 1%. The State does not account for the private school families in determining their formula for funding and it is the parents such as us who are forced to bear the brunt by paying exceedingly high property taxes (and escalating) in addition to the private school tuition. I ask that you re-examine the formula to allow for funding for districts in which residents pay for private school so there can be a more equitable result. By correcting the Foundation Aid formula you will ensure that all students, public and nonpublic, have the resources they need to succeed.

809. Sara Raful

Affiliation: Yahalom

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

Comments: I truly believe that this is unfair and must be reconsidered. I do believe that you have a faulty system and an internal examination rather than an external solution - which is a hefty demand on already stressed parents is not a a fair route to go. Please please consider these struggling parents. They have so much on their plate already, and its just not right.

810. Joshua Lichstein

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

811. Chaim Gottesman

Affiliation: East Ramapo resident

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

812. Binyomin Wolff

Affiliation: District 28

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

813. Miriam Rosenberg

Affiliation: Scsd

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As a private school parent living in districts.with minimal public school attendance, it is mind boggling that tbe majority of students who do recieve books and transportation from the district, are not counted in the aid formula. East ramapo has 3/4 of its students in private school. Almost 25 000!

814. Shia Mermelstein

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

815. Linda Fiskus

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent of former students and grandparent of current students

Comments: This situation, where non-public students have been the vast majority in our district, has been going on for decades. Albany doesn't care one wit about us, although we save the state millions by funding our own schools. There have been attempts to change the formula to include the non-public sector to no avail. And now the New York State Commissioner of Education had the CHUTZPAH to overule our votes! Is this democracy?? Enough is enough! If all our yeshiva students would apply to the public schools for the following year (which they won't be able to accomodate because there is no space or funds for such a large number), maybe that would get their attention to finally adjust the formula to make it fair for all of us.

816. Nechama Kaplan

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Citizen of East Ramapo

Comments: Good day I hope I find you and your loved ones well. I am reaching out regarding the formula used for the foundation aid. In East Ramapo they have raised our taxes due to the faulty formula not accounting for nonpublic students whatsoever and quite honestly the data used in the formula is obsolete.

817. Moses Engel

Affiliation: Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: It is unfair for parents like myself to not only we are funding most of our childrens education, but still pay our pair taxes, to have us ignored and make us pay for a broken system.

818. yehudoh moller

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments:

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819. Yehudah Lipson

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Researcher

820. Rachelle Coren

Affiliation: Parent and staff

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Rachelle Coren

821. Daniel Coren

Affiliation: Parent

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

822. Shmuel Liberman

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Student

823. Mendel Eisenberg

Affiliation: Brooklyn District 20

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, Lets keep this short and ..... I am a parent paying my full taxes plus paying private tuition. I respectfully request that State aid formula should be recalculated to give ALL children access to the programs approved by the State. As state Government is a body, it is self understood that the right hand and the left hand should work in sync. If certain programs are mandated to All, it should be self understood that the formula providing for those services should be based on ALL children. We are not asking for handouts, even though we remove a huge burden of full tuition for our kids from the State Education Department, we are just asking for the State to be fair and in sync with their own legislation. Respectfully, Mendel Eisenberg

824. Elissa Klein

Affiliation: Charter Champions of Rochester

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate; Former School Administrator

Comments:

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825. Yosef Lichtenstein

Affiliation: Yeshiva Degel Hatorah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am writing to request your support in addressing the critical need for increased funding for our schools in New York State. As an engaged member of our community, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges that our schools face due to inadequate funding, which directly impacts the quality of education our children receive. With the increasing demands on our educational system, it is more important than ever to ensure that our schools have the resources they need to provide a safe, enriching, and equitable learning environment for all students. Adequate funding is essential to support critical programs, update educational materials, maintain facilities, and hire and retain qualified educators who are the backbone of our education system. I urge you to consider the significant impact that additional funding could have on the future of our children and the state as a whole. By investing in our schools, we are not only supporting the academic success of our students but also fostering a brighter future for our communities. I kindly ask for your advocacy and action in ensuring that our schools receive the financial support necessary to meet the needs of every student in New York State. Your assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated by countless families, educators, and, most importantly, the students who are depending on us. Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. Sincerely,

826. Moshe Fogel

Affiliation: Yeshiva Ketana of Queens

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

827. sylvie weiss

Affiliation: ERSB

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; parents & grandparents

Comments: Fairness - Equality - for the students and the parents. Come on. Real review and overhaul long ago needed. Thank You for your fairness.

828. Avrohom Gershbaum

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

829. Eliyahu Weissman

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

830. Leah cherns

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

831. Amy Finkelstein

Affiliation: Agudah

Relationship to Education: Concerned community member

832. Dov Fiskus

Affiliation: East Ramapo resident

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

833. Zev Davidowitz

Affiliation: Yeshiva of South Shore

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

834. Malkey Wallerstein

Affiliation: Rambam Medical

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate; Mental Health Professional

Comments: I would appreciate if parents who take an active role by paying for their children's education and supporting their development are supported rather than penalized with draconian tax levies!

835. Chaim gross

Affiliation: Congregation MAchna Shalva

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; School or District Administrator; Education Advocate

836. Judith Selevan

Affiliation: ohel

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

837. parent ERSCD

Affiliation: ERSCD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

838. Joseph Weiss

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Former Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a former nonpublic student, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish student, I felt the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000 (!) almost 25 years ago. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While I attended a nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Joseph Weiss

839. ISAAC BRAUN

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: neighbor

840. Aron Biegeleisen

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

841. Debra Ginsberg

Affiliation: West Hempstead District

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

842. Basheva Dear

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I voted. Why doesnt that count. I voted NOT to have my taxes raised. Is this a democratic country??? Please revise your funding formula! Our district has many many privately funded students! We save the State nearly a half billion dollars every year! We fund our childrens private education and also pay high taxes for public school. We hardly get anything in return. Please consider this and fix the broken formula of funding! Thank you

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843. Esther Israel

Affiliation: Agudath Israel

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

844. Ari weber

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: How can anyone in their right mind use data from the year 2000 to make decisions on 2024. Ludacris!!! I have lived here all my life and gone through schooling in this district and it has only gotten worse and worse!! As a parent of 6 private school children paying over $50k annually for private schools tuition and additionally for the East Ramapo school system I demand that answers be produced and a plan concretized to finally fix this terrible issue. Thank you

845. Aura Schiff

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

846. Ala Gable

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

847. Joseph Kaufman

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write as a nonpublic school parent to address a significant oversight in the Foundation Aid formula, which fails to consider nonpublic school students. In districts like East Ramapo, where 75% of students attend nonpublic schools, this omission has severe consequences. The district is required to provide services to these students but receives no Foundation Aid to support them, leading to fiscal deficits and community tension, exacerbating antisemitism. Moreover, the formula relies on outdated U.S. Census data from 2000, which misrepresents the current needs of districts like East Ramapo, where the population has grown and now includes many English language learners requiring additional services. I urge you to update the Foundation Aid formula to ensure all students, public and nonpublic, have the resources they need to succeed. Sincerely, Joseph Kaufman

848. Martha Kennelly

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

849. Moshe Ribiat

Affiliation: Rockland

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: We are overburdened with paying high taxes together with our private yeshiva tuition. Please review how it is that we pay from the highest taxes in the country and please consider tuition vouchers as they do in Cleveland.

850. Michoel Schmutter

Affiliation: East Ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Agudath Israel of America Logo ACTION NEEDED BY THIS FRIDAY: Tell New York State to fix the broken school funding formula Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. Agudath Israel of America expressed outrage and concern with the ramifications of the order and is working with others on pathways to respond to these actions. For the next few days there is something that every New Yorker, and especially East Ramapo residents, can do about it. The Rockefeller Institute has been tasked by the state to conduct a study to assess the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula and discuss potential modifications to how the formula works. As the form letter describes, the major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data. Please write your own comment letter or personalize the form letter below to make your voice heard. Comments to the Rockefeller Institute can be submitted here and are due this Friday, September 6th. Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum Director, Rockland Regional Office Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Director of New York Government Relations Agudath Israel of America Mr. Avrohom Weinstock Director of KnowUs Agudath Israel of America CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A LETTER Form Letter To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Michoel Schmutter

851. Yosef Silver

Affiliation: East ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

852. AVRAHAM GOLDSTEIN

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

853. Max Profesorske

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

854. Alexis Fiola

Affiliation: ESM

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

855. Max Moller

Affiliation: Neighbor in same county

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Hi, Please address the root cause of this education funding formula. Using old Data and not accounting for non-public school students only breaks the system and causes rife between neighbors. Please find our public schools properly without increasing the tax levy. Thank you

856. MOSHE GUTTMAN

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

857. Joseph Shajnfeld

Affiliation: NYC DOE

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, Please, I write to you as a teacher. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish teacher, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Joseph Shajnfeld

858. Rachel Asia

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

859. Yosef Asia

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

860. Sarah Lev

Affiliation: Ashar

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: This additional taxation is unacceptable.

861. Shlomo Fishelis

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as an East Ramapo School District nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in my district, the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Shlomo Fishelis

862. Joshua Zeitman

Affiliation: Yeshiva of Spring Valley

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

863. Abraham Ekstein

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Board member of private school with 3,300 students

864. Bentzion Katz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, Yet my concern pertains to all school students in my district. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Bentzion Katz

865. Meyer Silber

Affiliation: New York City

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: When will the contribution on non-public schools be factored into the financial scheme for eduction? It is time to fairly address this issue; it has been ignored for far too long.

866. Raizy Mayer

Affiliation: private school

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

867. Yoel Hirsch

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

868. Hannah Hoch

Affiliation: Developmental Psychology Practice of Queens

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Psychologist

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a child psychologist, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish person, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Hannah Hoch

869. D Waftig

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

870. Abraham Waftig

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; School or District Administrator; School Board Member; Education Advocate

871. Chaim Ziffer

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

872. Golda Turner

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Retired Parent of 15 Students, grandparent of many students

Comments: I am an East Ramapo taxpayer for over 40 years, and have put our 15 children through private Yeshiva school here. Our local grandchildren also attend private Yeshiva schools, as do the children of the vast majority of local residents. All these years, our hard earned taxes went mostly to support public schools, while we all paid tuition for private schools. The only benefits we private school families saw from our taxes was some books and bussing. The State formula is skewed in our area, where the vast majority of residents don't send their kids to public school, choosing instead a private school with religious education. Ramapo is already one of the highest taxed areas in NY with little in services to show for it, and we feel it is unfair for some official to declare that our votes don't count and we must divvy up even more in taxes to pay for a small minority of the local students. Approximately 2 out of 3 students in East Ramapo attend parochial schools. It is interesting to think what would happen if we all enrolled our thousands of kids in the public school system....

873. Baruch Cywiak

Affiliation: Yeshiva Torah Vodaath

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

874. Shane Ronay

Affiliation: PLEASE SELECT

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Dear Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write as a parent of nonpublic school students —ideally not the typical voice sought for feedback on Foundation Aid, which is intended to support public schools. However, it is precisely this exclusion that brings me to reach out. The current Foundation Aid formula does not at all take into consideration nonpublic school students. While this may have little impact in some districts, it has huge consequences our district - East Ramapo Central School District, where 75% of the students attends private schools. The district is still required to provide certain services to these students, though Foundation Aid is not engaged to cover these costs, as I am mandated to write a check shortly for over $13,000 to East Ramapo for my annual school taxes. This situation creates a financial shortfall, fostering competition between public and private school parents for limited resources, which ultimately divides communities. As a Jewish parent, I have certainly felt the tension caused by this funding gap, which has only worsened over the years, contributing to an increase in antisemitic sentiment toward our community, when our community provides the vast majority of tax funding for the district. Additionally, the Foundation Aid formula is based on antiquated U.S. census data that is over 20 years old. Although relying on such old data may distort the allocation of funds statewide, it is obviously significantly more problematic in rapidly changing districts like East Ramapo. The district has seen significant growth since 2000, including a substantial increase in the number of English language learners in public schools, who require additional support and services. This further stretches the district's already limited resources, which are allocated according to a formula that does not reflect the current population's needs. Thank you in advance for looking into these issues, so that districts like East Ramapo receive fair funding. Although my child attends a nonpublic school, I believe that all children—whether in public or nonpublic settings—should have access to the resources they need to thrive. I urge you to revise the Foundation Aid formula to reflect this inclusive approach. Sincerely, Shane Ronay

875. Baila Agishtein

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The formula needs to take into account families that pay education taxes and send their children to religious schools. the formula should account for all children in a district and not just the number of children attending public schools.

876. Naftali Bick

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

877. Rivka Blachman

Affiliation: Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

878. Hindy Diamant

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate; CFO of Not for Profit Community based organization

879. Abraham Blackman

Affiliation: Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

880. Cindy Romand

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

881. Pincus Lang

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a member of a community which most children attend nonpublic school, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where I live and where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child will, in the upcoming years, attend nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Pincus Lang

882. Nelson Buchinger

Affiliation: East ramapo school district

Relationship to Education: Parent of non public school student

Comments: below Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. Agudath Israel of America expressed outrage and concern with the ramifications of the order and is working with others on pathways to respond to these actions. For the next few days there is something that every New Yorker, and especially East Ramapo residents, can do about it. The Rockefeller Institute has been tasked by the state to conduct a study to assess the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula and discuss potential modifications to how the formula works. As the form letter describes, the major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data. Please write your own comment letter or personalize the form letter below to make your voice heard. Comments to the Rockefeller Institute can be submitted here and are due this Friday, September 6th. Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum Director, Rockland Regional Office Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Director of New York Government Relations Agudath Israel of America Mr. Avrohom Weinstock Director of KnowUs Agudath Israel of America Form Letter To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely

883. Rachelle Lang

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent of soon-to-be nonpublic student

884. David Romand

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

885. Sara Buchinger

Affiliation: East ramapo school district

Relationship to Education: Parent of a non public school student

886. Daniel Baum

Affiliation: Nanuet

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

887. Shoshy Frenkel

Affiliation: Region 7 - Districts 20-21

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Slp

888. Devorah Ansbacher

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

889. Hanna Pfeiffer

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

890. Jonah Olshin

Affiliation: Yeshiva University

Relationship to Education: Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a student studying for rabbinical ordination, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a person connected with the Jewish community, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Jonah Olshin

891. Raphael Kalikstein

Affiliation: east Ramapo

Relationship to Education: property tax payer & expert. Parent of special need child

Comments: If using poverty factor to determine aid, it should be based on the actual income of the population in each school district. This is generally how most gov't programs are run. Cost factor should be based on the actual budget that is being spent, not just public school students. The amount of all school age students can be also factored in. Capital improvement should not be included in this calculation.That can be a separate formula, which could also depend on necessity of improvement. There could be a teacher student ratio factor, so that districts with less students per teacher can get less funding. Average daily enrollment of all students, which will give bonus for districts with better enrollment based on prior year performance. Special needs children should have a higher percentage of their cost be covered by the State budget, so that school budget constraints do not jeopardize the disabled population's education, whom need aid most. Please make budget formula fair.

892. sandra lieder

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: taxpayer in the town of ramapo

893. Mordechai Leiser

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Please follow the advice of Agudath Israel of America and fix the formula problem that fails to take into account non-public school students. It will make live easier and happier both for the school districts and the taxpayers.

894. Pam Sherr

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I am writing to you as a parent of a nonpublic school student, a perspective that might not be the first to come to mind when discussing feedback on Foundation Aid meant for public schools. However, it is precisely this expected exclusion that I wish to address. The current Foundation Aid formula completely overlooks nonpublic school students. While this may have minimal consequences in some regions, in districts like East Ramapo Central School District, where the majority of students—about 75%—attend nonpublic schools, this oversight leads to significant challenges. The district is required to provide certain services to nonpublic school students but receives no Foundation Aid to support these obligations. This situation almost inevitably leads to financial shortfalls, fostering competition between public and nonpublic school parents for limited resources, and ultimately tearing communities apart. As a Jewish parent, I have personally felt the tensions created by these deficits, tensions that have persisted for decades and have contributed to rising antisemitism within our community. Additionally, the Foundation Aid formula is based on U.S. Census data from 2000. While outdated data likely skews funding distribution statewide, it is particularly problematic in districts like East Ramapo, which has undergone significant changes in the last 25 years. The district's population has grown considerably, and the number of English language learners in public schools has increased. These students require additional services, further straining a district that is already financially burdened by an outdated Foundation Aid formula that no longer reflects the current population. Thank you for your efforts to ensure that districts like East Ramapo receive fair funding. Although my child is in a nonpublic school, I strongly believe that every child, whether in public or nonpublic school, should have access to the resources they need to succeed. I urge you to update the Foundation Aid formula to reflect this reality. Sincerely, Pam Sherr

895. Janine Blitzstein

Affiliation: Resident of East Ramapo Centrsl School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

896. Debby Smith

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: I write to you as an education advocate, East Ramapo resident and a faithful NY citizen and taxpayer, to thank you for researching the Foundation Aid formula and to express my objections to the inequitable school funding formula in New York State. The Foundation Aid formula is inequitable and discriminatory against both public and nonpublic school students. In our East Ramapo Central School District, many nonpublic school students are ELL and require additional support. 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school and receive NO Foundation Aid! As the law requires that basic services like transportation be afforded all students, the funding inequity results in a gaping fiscal deficit - and even worse, pits public school parents against nonpublic school parents, as both are vying for the same small allocation. At a time when antisemitism is on the rise, this outrageous and inequitable funding formula fuels the fire of hate and resentment against Jews. The Foundation Aid formula is flawed in many ways. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000 - a quarter century ago! There have been many changes since - most notably, outmigration of many young families from New York City resulting in hundreds of new nonpublic school students; rising numbers of f English language learners in public school who need and deserve additional services, including a recent influx of migrants. To summarize, I believe the formula is archaic and wholly inadequate. It is my hope that your commission will concur, and will recommend that the formula be adjusted so that all children in our district get the services they need to succeed, and so that peace can be restored to our community.

897. Chaim Wolkenfeld

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: It is my belief that the current formula the State is using is faulty and needs to be adjusted. In a district like East Ramapo with more than 70% of the kids attending private schools, it is only fair that the formula for school aid should include state aid for the private school students as well. As a tax payer, I am paying high enough school taxes to begin with (in addition to self-funding my kids' education) and increasing taxes to cover the holes in the public school system is simply not fair to me and to the community.

898. yitzchok applegrad

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; School or District Administrator

899. Janine Blitzstein

Affiliation: Resident of East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

900. zahava rosenfeld

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you both as an educator at the district and as a parent of nonpublic school children. I service mostly the nonpublic schools in the district. I witness the many struggles within the district to provide all students, both public and non-public, with their mandates as per the IEP due to the lack of adequate funding. This is because the Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. There is no available funding for the district to provide all services necessary to the students. This severe fiscal deficit pits public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. Mrs. Rosenfeld

901. mindy applegrad

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

902. Joseph Griffo

Affiliation: New York State Senate

Relationship to Education: Other Elected Official

Comments:

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903. isaac friedman

Affiliation: monsey

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Student

Comments: this is unheard of blatent antisemitisem to the max!!!!!!!! instead of appreicating these parents that with grat sacrifice pay for their kids education and save the stste around A HALF A BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR this is what they get?????/ shame on you!!!! when will you start working for "we the people" instead of being busy wiyh these unheard of dangreus antisemetic stupid act?????? WAKE UP!!!! AND SHAME ON YOU, AGAIN!!!!!

904. Menachem Liberow

Affiliation: Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

905. Sharon Richtman

Affiliation: Non public school parent

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

906. Rebekah Dembitzer

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

907. Miriam Shajnfeld

Affiliation: Nonpublic School Parent - NYC

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Miriam Shajnfeld

908. Yosef Richtman

Affiliation: NYS nonpublic school parent

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

909. Amy Paulin

Affiliation: NYS Assembly - Westchester Delegation

Relationship to Education: Other Elected Official

Comments:

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910. Jason Appelbaum

Affiliation: AGUDAH

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please help parents who are trying to Make a better world by giving a good education to their children that's usually a private education and that usually means cutting back on things like clothing not going out to shows not doing things that normal people do because we're trying to make sure that we keep our kids in school and we have to pay for it out of pocket. The better train doctors the better train lawyers the better train people who are out there are usually because the parents are not only paying for those classes but are sitting down and studying with them plus they have to go to work. Lower the taxes help parents who are trying to help the world around them by having their children do well in school and be trained for our future.. The care we give to our children now are the professionals they'll be taking care of us when we are senior citizens they will be the doctors and the lawyers and the tax lawyers and so forth please help us make a better world give us a break on taxes....

911. Chana Richtman

Affiliation: Recent graduate of a NYS nonpublic school

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

912. joy Rosenwasser

Affiliation: EAST RAMAPO in Rockland County NY

Relationship to Education: senior Homeowner retired

913. Esther Hazan

Affiliation: 21

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

914. Shaya Eisen

Affiliation: ERCSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. Agudath Israel of America expressed outrage and concern with the ramifications of the order and is working with others on pathways to respond to these actions. For the next few days there is something that every New Yorker, and especially East Ramapo residents, can do about it. The Rockefeller Institute has been tasked by the state to conduct a study to assess the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula and discuss potential modifications to how the formula works. As the form letter describes, the major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data. Please write your own comment letter or personalize the form letter below to make your voice heard. Comments to the Rockefeller Institute can be submitted here and are due this Friday, September 6th. Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum Director, Rockland Regional Office Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Director of New York Government Relations Agudath Israel of America Mr. Avrohom Weinstock Director of KnowUs Agudath Israel of America This is the first change needed to really push other much-needed changes forward for East Ramapo. We need more money from the state to service the needs of our community better. Please fill out this link Written Comment Submission Form for Foundation Aid Study with the written letter below. Easy copy and paste. Takes just 1-3 minutes. Written Comment Submission Form for Foundation Aid StudyFill out this form to submit written comment about the Foundation Aid formula. Form Letter To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public Or private school, should have the resources they need to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid Formula accordingly. Sincerely Shaya Eisen

915. Allen Schiff

Affiliation: East Ramapo SD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

916. Moshe Schwartz

Affiliation: Gradus Group

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To whom it may concern, Formulas need to be accurate and always reflect current reality. Please make sure to advise the state that needs to be updated , so as not to disadvantage non public school students. Respectfully Moshe Schwartz

917. Leba Berkowitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Other Elected Official

Comments: It's not fair & the vote form higher taxes didn't pass .. lo & behold they increased it anyway .. so why are we voting .. corrupt what's going on here The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly.

918. Shira Herman

Affiliation: Zichron Shmuel

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

919. Sarah Lev

Affiliation: Ashar

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: This additional taxation is unacceptable.

920. Naftali Lefkowitz

Affiliation: Yeshiva of Spring Valley

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

921. Michael Levi

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

922. Naomi Lefkowitz

Affiliation: Yeshiva of Spring Valley

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

923. Nechama Sternberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Legal homeschool

Comments: To whom it may concern, I have lived in this district for most of my life. Unfortunately the taxes here continuously keep rising. I personally haven't used the public school. I did either private or homeschool. For homeschool I wasn't forgiven any books. I have come up either the curriculum and submitted it to the local district. It was always approved. I'd like to know the taxes here go up and the salaries don't usually follow the increase. Life here has become difficult for any dur to financial restraints. What will be the plan to keep the taxes from continually rising? Public transportation has become less reliable. It is the means of transportation for many in the area. I'm concerned that people will pay the taxes and not be able to pay for basic necessities such as food and shelter as well as utilities. Please refrain from making us pay more than what we can afford. This was written on behalf of many people in the district. Some of whom do not have access to email or internet for religious reasons. Thank you Nechama Sternberg

924. Moshe Stareshefsky

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

925. Lazer And Michelle Philipson

Affiliation: Suffern central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Dear Rockefeller Institute, As a resident of Rockland County, a parent of three children attending a private school, and a member of the Suffern Central School District community, I'm deeply concerned about the flawed Foundation Aid formula. This outdated formula neglects private school students like mine, causing a significant burden on our community. In Rockland County, particularly in East Ramapo and Suffern Central School District, many students attend private schools. Yet, the formula ignores this reality, leaving our districts underfunded and struggling to provide essential services. This disparity pits public and private school parents against each other, creating unnecessary tension and strife. Moreover, the formula's reliance on 2000 U.S. Census data is woefully inadequate. Rockland County has undergone significant growth and demographic changes since then, including a substantial increase in English language learners in public schools. As a parent, I've seen firsthand the impact of this flawed formula on our community. I urge you to update the Foundation Aid formula to: 1. Account for private school students 2. Reflect current demographics and growth Specifically, I request that you consider the unique needs of Suffern Central School District and ensure that the revised formula addresses the challenges we face. All children, regardless of their school choice, deserve equal access to resources and opportunities. I request that you address this critical issue to ensure a fair and equitable education system for all. Sincerely, Lazer And Michelle Philipson

926. Michael Lipkin

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: district resident

927. David schwartz

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a sibling of a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, David Schwartz

928. levy KESSLER

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

929. Ben Blumenberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

930. Esther Hafif

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

931. MARK LIPSCHITZ

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

932. Miriam Levitz

Affiliation: NYC parent

Relationship to Education: parent of students who graduated from Yeshiva schools in NYC

Comments: If all parents of yeshiva students would enroll their children in Public School (as they have a right to do) for the same semester, the system would collapse due to the large number of students who are educated outside of the public school system. Those parents who send their children to non public schools should be applauded for reducing the load on the local school board. Instead, they are treated as if they are a threat to the local school board. What a shame!!

933. Peshe Schiller

Affiliation: District 20

Relationship to Education: retired teacher

934. Mark Berger

Affiliation: nan

Relationship to Education: Concerned Parent

935. Daniel Yaniv

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

936. nadezhda nisanova

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Need funds

937. Anita Hajioff

Affiliation: East ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

938. Yosef Neumann

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: It is outrageous what is happening in our school district especially for the private school parents Samantha taxes that we pay we get nothing for it please have the change immediately

939. Abraham Schon

Affiliation: kings county

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Researcher

940. rechel pollack

Affiliation: New York parent

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

941. dov pollack

Affiliation: New York resident

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

942. Shea Gold

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

943. deborah fessel

Affiliation: 7

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: please be considerate to tuition paying students

944. Michael Peres

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

945. Jennifer Gerstenblit

Affiliation: East Ranapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; TAX PAYER

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, We are nonpublic school parents who have lived in the district for over twenty years. We have put four children through private school and are currently paying for our youngest to attend private high school. The issue we have is that the Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Yehoshua and Jennifer Gerstenblit

946. David Heinemann

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

947. Dov and Hadassah Greenberg

Affiliation: Congregation Dexter Park

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

948. Chaim Tabak

Affiliation: East Ramap

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am a parent in East Ramapo and I have 2 Children who need Therapy Services. The Schoold District has cut down on providing services to private school students due to lack of funding. The way I understand the funding formula it is discriminating against the district because it mandate providing services to private school students, but doesnt take it into account when providing the funds.

949. RACHEL BERMAN

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I cannot understand the difficulty that the state has in understanding that the state funding formula does not work for the East Ramapo School District. The state gives mandates to the private schools and it is required to fund the follow through of those mandates. When 3/4 of the students in the East Ramapo School District attend private schools, the funding formula is skewed due to the low numbers of students enrolled in the Public Schools. Additionally, the cost of funding the Private School mandates is high. The money for funding these mandates comes from the general East Ramapo School Budget leaving less money for the Public Schools who are, as stated, receiving less funding due to lower numbers of students enrolled. At the same time the Public Schools are also dealing with new immigrant English Language Learners. The state is apparently unaware of how many private school students there are in the East Ramapo District and how much of the East Ramapo budget is going to the mandates. The state has to ensure that the additional 3/4 of the students in the East Ramapo School district are also accounted for in the formula and provide a larger budget to the district to ensure that all the children in the East Ramapo School District receive a proper education.

950. Trane Asia

Affiliation: east ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

951. shani nissan

Affiliation: east ramapo resident

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

952. Sara Gluck

Affiliation: East Ramapo school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: It I'd criminal and undemocratic to raise taxes so significantly when the public specifically voted against it. East Ramapo has long been underfunded and that shouldn't come at the expense of the residents. A significant amount of students are enrolled in private schools and barely get anything from the state, while all their tax dollars go to public school students. I think a huge change is needed in the amount of public school students accepted from 1 residential house. There seems to be 5-6 families living in 1 house that all send their children to public school and the tax they (or their landlord) pay for that property doesn't begin to cover so many students coming out of that 1 house.

953. Julie Epstein

Affiliation: Port Washington Union Free School District

Relationship to Education: School Board Member; The Board of Education and Superintendent of Port Washington Union Free School District

Comments:

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954. Frieda Gartenhaus

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments:

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955. Justin Garrett

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

956. Miriam baer

Affiliation: Ersd

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

957. Aryeh Rubin

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

958. Gabriel Levy

Affiliation: Magen David Yeshivah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

959. Sylvia Schlusselberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I am shocked that NYS is using the greatly outdated Foundation Aid formula that relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. I am also appalled that Ms Rosa had the ability to literally impose taxation without representation on all of us hard working tax payers in the East Ramapo School District.

960. Yitzy Fromovitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

961. Norbert Jakubovic

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

962. Deena Levi

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a former nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child used to attend nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Deena Levi

963. levy KESSLER

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

964. Mark Vorhand

Affiliation: Boyan

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

965. David Freeman

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

966. batya Freeman

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

967. Chava Freeman

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Student

968. Rachel Klein

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

969. Esther Moskovitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. The state must act in the best interest of public-school and nonpublic school children alike and fix the formula, instead of usurping the voice, and further taxing the pocketbooks of, East Ramapo's Jewish residents.

970. Mark Schlusselberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

971. Bracha Wahl

Affiliation: Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Dear Rockefeller Institute, It is unfathomable to use OBSOLETE data! This formula is BASED ON OLD CENSUS DATA! Do the research, the rapid community growth means NEW DATA! ! This is CRUCIAL!

972. Elana Weiss

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I believe that the formula used for Foundation Aid does not take into account the unique situation in Rockland County. It is a disgrace that the will of the voters was completely ignored.

973. Robin Luchins

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Taxpayer

Comments: I will keep my comments brief. My husband and I moved to Rockland County in the East round post School District 40 years ago. We raised our four daughters here and we chose to send them private school. We also paid taxes which have been grossly over the normal rate for any place else in New york. Due to the faulty formula in our particular School District this has been a disaster. It has caused tension among various Community groups that wouldn't be necessary if the state would change its formula. Everyone is entitled to a public school education and as a tax paper I'm happy to pay my taxes and my fair share. However it isn't a fair share. Lawmakers have tried to address this and have not been successful. We need this fixed before the entire system Falls apart.

974. Tzvi Seidman

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Form Letter To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Tzvi Seidman, Taxpayer, Parent and Teacher

975. David Meisels

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District, NY

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

976. Leslie Laskin

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I'm a resident of Rockland County and reside within the East Ramapo Central School District. Over the years since we moved here (2000-2024) I have seen a tremendous growth in the population of the Orthodox Jewish community. The members of this community pay, out of pocket, for the education of all of their children - and many families have over 5 children. I am frustrated and confused how, when most of the children in this school district attend private schools, our school taxes go up and up and up, even when we vote no to an increase. I'm all for the existing public schools being properly funded but it seems that the state contribution does not accurately reflect the demographics of this county. In fact, when I attended a meeting of the school board about the increase, I learned that the state's formula for the state contribution to our district is based on old data and does not even take into account the numbers of children attending private schools here. I'm not sure how those numbers would be ascertained when the children are not registered in the public schools, but it is more than inequitable to burden private school families to support these schools. The property/school tax in this area is out of proportion with most of the country. Something needs to be done. Please re-evaluate these formulas so that the more accurately reflect our demographics and needs so that all children can benefit from a good education.

977. Rivky Meisels

Affiliation: East Ramapo school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

978. Chana Gancz

Affiliation: Cheder Chabad

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

979. Fishel Honig

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent of 5, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Fishel Honig

980. Raizy Honig

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

981. Aron Grossman

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; School or District Administrator; Tax payer

Comments: I'm advocating to please ensure that the state does rectify the school funding formula so that East Ramapo School District gets its fair share and stops the hate between the communities

982. Moshe Friedman

Affiliation: East ramapoo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

983. JAMIE SHEEHAN

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

984. Margaret Deutsch

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

985. Joseph Brachfeld

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The system is broken. My taxes are increasing but the public school system doesn't get what it needs.

986. Irving Rothman

Affiliation: Kingâ€™s County

Relationship to Education: Concerned individual

987. Elchonon Neiman

Affiliation: Richmond

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

988. Esther Mondrowitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: We all want our children to succeed. And they deserve it. As a parent of a non public school student, I beseech you to please keep them in mind while assessing the state funding for non public schools. We pay tuition and we want them to thrive and achieve their goals. And they need the resources in order to do so. They need funds. Our school has ran charity fundraisers because they did not have enough funds to service our children. It is the children that are suffering. Please help them. Please don't forsake them. May God bless you all.

989. Pinchus Brachfeld

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Student; Former student

990. Dani Cohen

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

991. Daniel Spekman

Affiliation: Brooklyn

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am greatly concerned about the New York State Commissioner of Education, Dr. Betty Rosa, significantly and unilaterally raising the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. Setting aside the fact that the tax raises East Ramapo's already high property taxes by a whopping 5.38% instead of 1%, the increase legitimately decided by the voters of East Ramapo and its elected school board, apparently under duress, based upon apparently outdated U.S. Census data from the year 2000. Will Dr. Betty Rosa next wantonly increase taxes from people residing in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island and The Bronx next. We have a system of Checks and Balances in America, take for example the proposed Congestion Toll Hikes that were slated for NYC, which our esteemed Governor Hochul, upended at the last minute. I believe that Property Tax increases are outside of the jurisdiction of Dr. Betty Rosa, without an upper level of Governmental supervision. I am asking you, the Rockefeller Institute, to independently reevaluate the actions taken by Dr. Betty Rosa, and come to a more equitable solution to Dr. Betty Rosa's proposal.

992. shimshon neiman

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I am writing to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly.

993. Israel Shenker

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Stop funding based on students in public schools and start funding based on students in the district. Also find a way to have the money follow the student and not be granted to failing public schools.

994. Larry Rosman

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Tax Payer

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a former nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my children formerly attended nonpublic school, they have since grown and graduated but I still pay exorbitant taxes,I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Larry and Charlene Rosman

995. Jonathan Russ

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District Parent affiliated with Agudath Yisroel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

996. Yoel Klein

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, As a parent of a child attending a nonpublic school, I find myself in an unexpected position when it comes to providing feedback on Foundation Aid, which is primarily aimed at public school funding. This oversight is exactly why I am reaching out. The Foundation Aid formula completely excludes nonpublic school students. While this might not be significant in some regions, it has severe consequences in areas like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 75% of students are in nonpublic schools. The district is obligated to offer certain services to these students but receives no Foundation Aid to support these services. This situation almost ensures a financial shortfall, creating a conflict between public and nonpublic school parents, each competing for a share of insufficient resources, ultimately fracturing communities. As a Jewish parent, I have witnessed the animosity this deficit fosters, which has persisted for decades and has intensified antisemitism within our community. Moreover, the Foundation Aid formula is based on U.S. Census data from 2000. While outdated data may skew the funding landscape statewide, districts like East Ramapo, which have undergone significant demographic changes over the past 25 years, are particularly affected. The district has not only grown but now also includes many English language learners in public schools who require additional services, further straining the district's finances under an outdated formula. Thank you for investigating this matter to ensure that districts like East Ramapo receive fair funding. Although my child attends a nonpublic school, I believe that every child, regardless of the type of school they attend, deserves the necessary resources to succeed. I urge you to revise the Foundation Aid formula to reflect this belief. Sincerely, Yoel Klein

997. Miriam Klein

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a parent of a nonpublic school student, an unexpected voice in the discussion of Foundation Aid for public schools. Yet, it's precisely this unexpected perspective that highlights a critical issue. The Foundation Aid formula's exclusion of nonpublic school students has far-reaching consequences, particularly in districts like East Ramapo Central School District. Here, where 75% of students attend nonpublic schools, the district must provide services without corresponding aid, creating an inevitable fiscal deficit. This shortfall pits public and nonpublic school families against each other, fostering community division and, in our case, exacerbating antisemitism. As a Jewish parent, I've witnessed this tension firsthand. Furthermore, the formula relies on outdated Census data from 2000, failing to account for significant demographic shifts. East Ramapo, for instance, has seen substantial growth and an influx of English language learners, straining already limited resources. While my child attends a nonpublic school, I firmly believe all children deserve access to necessary resources, regardless of their school type. I urge you to revise the Foundation Aid formula to reflect current realities and ensure equitable support for all students. Thank you for your attention to this crucial matter. Sincerely, Miriam Klein

998. Eliezer Travis

Affiliation: Agudah

Relationship to Education: Student

Comments: Where's the justice

999. Jody Brauner

Affiliation: East ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Social worker

Comments: Re foundation aid formula and east ramapo central school district. I am writing to express my concern about the unfair treatment of taxpayers in rockland county. Our residents already pay one of the highest property taxes in the state. The majority of the public school attendees in ramapo are not property owners and the tax burden for the needs of the school district falls entirely on hard working families who are struggling to raise their families while now having an additional tax burden mandated by one person. Please be fair and change the tax configuration to add federal funds to help this floundering school district

1000. Henny Kohn

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Agudath Israel of America Logo ACTION NEEDED BY THIS FRIDAY: Tell New York State to fix the broken school funding formula Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. Agudath Israel of America expressed outrage and concern with the ramifications of the order and is working with others on pathways to respond to these actions. For the next few days there is something that every New Yorker, and especially East Ramapo residents, can do about it. The Rockefeller Institute has been tasked by the state to conduct a study to assess the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula and discuss potential modifications to how the formula works. As the form letter describes, the major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data. Please write your own comment letter or personalize the form letter below to make your voice heard. Comments to the Rockefeller Institute can be submitted by clicking here and are due this Friday, September 6th. Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum Director, Rockland Regional Office Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Director of New York Government Relations Agudath Israel of America Mr. Avrohom Weinstock Director of KnowUs Agudath Israel of America CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A LETTER Sample Letter: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Henny Kohn

1001. Isaac Frankel

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As a tax payer, parent of a school age child attending private school, we need a fair formula where our tax dollars support our childrens education.

1002. Joshua Spector

Affiliation: nan

Relationship to Education: NY Resident

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a former nonpublic school student, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While I attended nonpublic schools, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Joshua Spector

1003. Ari Kaufman

Affiliation: East Ramapo school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: We are getting unfairly punished for choosing private school. The vast majority of voters here are private school goers and we have the right to vote accordingly

1004. Yosef Goldberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1005. Sarah Rosenthal

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate; Social Worker working for over 2 decades with students with special needs and their families

Comments: To The Esteemed Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write as a licensed social worker working since 2001 with children eligible for services through NYS OPWDD and HCBS Children's Waiver who attend public and nonpublic schools in East Ramapo Central School District, as well as a Jewish parent and grandparent whose children attended and grandchildren attend nonpublic schools in East Ramapo. I write to share my views about the Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some parts of New York State, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish person whose children attended and grandchildren attend nonpublic schools in East Ramapo School District, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo Central School District has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English-as-a-second-language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo Central are not shortchanged. I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Thank you for your kind consideration of my concerns. Sincerely, Sarah Rosenthal, LMSW

1006. michael rosenberg

Affiliation: EAST RAMAPO

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1007. MARTIN LEHRMAN

Affiliation: - None -

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

1008. Mary Reiser

Affiliation: Eastport-South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

1009. Yechiel Lefkowitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As a parent and resident in Ramapo I am deeply disturbed by the intense meddling by Dr. Betty Rosa in the private affairs of parental education choices. I ask that you consider other methods of determining how costs should be spread throughout the district and the unfair and undemocratic method the DOE is using to enforce its policies. Thank you

1010. David Lieber

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

1011. Solomon Steiman

Affiliation: Queens District 25

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1012. Robert Lazarus

Affiliation: East Ramapo/Ashar

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; School Board Member

Comments: There is clearly a formula issue that doesn't work for East Ramapo. Take a look at the numbers as opposed to using a national algorithm that does indeed work for most districts.

1013. Aaron Davis

Affiliation: Private

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate; Taxpayer

1014. Moshe Tauber

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1015. Nathan Leshkowitz

Affiliation: Dean of Rabbinical Ordination Department Yeshiva Torah Vodaath

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1016. Esther Sorotzkin

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1017. Suzanne Gurwitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1018. David Oster

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1019. Dan Pines

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Taxpayers are unjustly targeted in my school district since major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data

1020. Hinda Feldman

Affiliation: east ramapo school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1021. Miriam Lewis

Affiliation: Hasc-Gan Ezra

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: While my child attended nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly.

1022. Malka Kohn

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1023. Bayla Balsam

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1024. judith levi

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The current formula is patently unfair to this district which is an anomaly, having a preponderance of non public school children whose parents pay enormous sums to privately educate them but are entitled to certain public funds for bussing, etc. In calculating state aid to our district, there is no formula to figure in the cost of entitlements to non public school children, and state aid thus calculates assistance only on the basis of public school children, thus depriving our district of funds to which we are entitled.

1025. Sara Nordlicht

Affiliation: nan

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

1026. Fraida Gutnick

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1027. Joseph Septimus

Affiliation: Kings County

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1028. Shimon Rosenberg

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Aa a parent sending 4 kids in Private schools, I can no longer bare the high tuition cost. We should get government funding the same as public schools Parents should not have to bare the cost. Thank you for understanding.

1029. Miriam Dickstein

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I am a parent of 9 children who went to non-public schools in East Ramapo, NY, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school. At great personal sacrifice non-public school parents self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone. Please don't allow the state to enact punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for the thousands of nonpublic school students in East Ramapo, NY. The Foundation Aid formula that is used relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. The East Ramapo non-public school population has grown significantly since that time! Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. All children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Thank you!

1030. martin levi

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: The East Ramapo school district is unfairly deprived of state funds due to the inequitable formula for state aid which excludes private school children from the formula which determines the amount of aid allocated to a district. Since the overwhelming majority of East Ramapo students attend yeshivas, their needs are not being considered when allocating funds for state mandated entitlements such as bussing etc., thus needlessly and inequitably straining the budget of the district. It is unconscionable that local taxpayers should have to shoulder the shortfall which should fall under the purview of the state. Martin Levi

1031. Esther Weissman

Affiliation: Suffern Central

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please fix this very broken system. We can do better for loyal, Jewish Americans.

1032. Chaya Kagan

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1033. Yoav Factor

Affiliation: East Ramapo and Suffern

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1034. Benjamin Fogelman

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Regarding tax increase

1035. Esther Bergstein

Affiliation: Bais Chana of Vein

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Grandparent of a student

Comments: This formula is totally not based on the reality if this district I wonder what would happen if all the non-public school children would register for public school

1036. Yocheved Kraus

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1037. Shoshanah Posner

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The current setup is just crushing to working families. I came from Brooklyn where the school district provided a plethora of services for my kids to help them learn better. There is absolutely nothing offered here and my taxes are astronomical. Please change the ruling and let our kids get a better education with fair funding!

1038. Isaac Scheiner

Affiliation: ERCSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please fix it once and for all !!!!!!

1039. Howard Mermelstein

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1040. Abraham Klein

Affiliation: Yeshiva Darchei Torah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1041. Avrahom C Young

Affiliation: Agudath Israel

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate; parent of former students and current teachers

1042. Sima Terebelo

Affiliation: Brooklyn parent of private school children

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I pay private school tuition to ensure that my children receive excellent education that I have control over. I save the government many thousands of dollars through my hard work and sacrifice to pay for private schooling. I am also taxed through city state and homeowners taxes to support the public school system which I gain nothing from. This is ridiculous and unfair. Lower our taxes!

1043. Joshua Heber

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Dear Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. '

1044. Irving Moskovits

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Non-public school parent

1045. Julia and Saul Erlbaum

Affiliation: zip code 11367

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1046. Rivkie Kurlander

Affiliation: Gan Geshmack

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Group Family Day Care Provider in Rockland County

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government: I write to you as a parent whose children have gone through the nonpublic school system in Rockland County, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this is precisely the issue that I am writing to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Mrs. Rivkie Kurlander

1047. Abraham Kirsh

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Hi, To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly.

1048. M Laz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1049. Sara Gelbendorf

Affiliation: Agudah

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

1050. Ezra Lazarus

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1051. Eliezer Frommer

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1052. Bracha Fass

Affiliation: 22

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1053. Meir Kohn

Affiliation: Ahavas Beis Yaakov

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1054. David Schuster

Affiliation: Peer Bais Yakov

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1055. Sara Neuhaus

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Resident, prior student, future parent

1056. Joshua Juravel

Affiliation: Far Rockaway

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Researcher

1057. Karen Schneck

Affiliation: Beth Jacob Academy

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Concerned parent in a neighboring community

1058. Dovid Pick

Affiliation: Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1059. Eva Kahana

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I write to you as the grandmother of non-public school students, the mother of former East Ramapo students (and the mother of a non-public school teacher). I have willingly paid high school taxes in East Ramapo for over 40 years, with the feeling that education is important for all children in the district, whether I chose to send my children to public school, or educate them privately in accordance with my beliefs. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students, which make up 75% of East Ramapo students. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children, yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. As the child of a Holocaust survivor who wants to live in peace with my neighbors, this scares me. Additionally, the Foundation Aid formula relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000, although the East Ramapo population has grown considerably since then. Demographically the population has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. Please update the Foundation Aid formula so that every child in the district has the funding necessary to ensure they receive the education they need.

1060. Rivka Pick

Affiliation: Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1061. Moshe Florans

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1062. Henny Naparstek

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1063. Ann Zeilingold

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; concerned taxpayer

Comments: Subject: Urgent Need to Revise Foundation Aid Formula Dear Members of the State Education Committee, I am writing to bring your attention to a critical oversight in the current Foundation Aid formula that is having severe consequences in districts like East Ramapo Central School District. As a parent of a nonpublic school student, I may seem an unlikely advocate for public school funding reform. However, the issues at hand affect our entire community and require immediate attention. Key Issues: Nonpublic School Students Unaccounted For: The current formula ignores nonpublic school students entirely. In East Ramapo, where 75% of students attend nonpublic schools, this creates a significant funding gap. The district must provide services to nonpublic school children without corresponding Foundation Aid. Community Division: The resulting fiscal deficit pits public and nonpublic school parents against each other. This has led to long-standing community strife and increased antisemitism. Outdated Census Data: The formula relies on U.S. Census data from 2000. East Ramapo has grown and changed dramatically since then. There is now a large population of English language learners requiring additional services. Proposed Action: I urge you to update the Foundation Aid formula to: Account for nonpublic school students in districts where they form a significant portion of the student population. Use current demographic data to accurately reflect district needs. Ensure adequate funding for essential services for all students, regardless of school type. While my child attends a nonpublic school, I firmly believe that all children deserve access to the resources they need to succeed. An updated, equitable Foundation Aid formula is crucial for achieving this goal and healing our divided community. Thank you for your attention to this pressing matter. I look forward to seeing positive changes that will benefit all students in our district and across the state. Respectfully, Ann Zeilingold Concerned Parent and Community Member East Ramapo Central School District

1064. Feiga Tsinman

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1065. Yehuda Gross

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The formula for which funding given to school that is used needs to be revamped. I send my children to private school and the amount of school taxes I pay for services that I don't receive is truly unfair. To then raise our taxes against the vote of the district is an abuse of power.

1066. Shirah Goldstein

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1067. Susan Sullivan

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1068. Brittany Kaiser

Affiliation: NYC

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate; Former teacher, new parent

Comments: I am an educator, an advocate, and a parent. I am also a product of New York State public schools. I have seen first-hand and from multiple vantage points how improved state funding can narrow gaps in educational experiences and outcomes for students. I grew up in Hastings-on-Hudson, where the median household income is currently over $150,000. Every elementary school student in Hastings has weekly enrichment in music, visual art, physical education, science, and library/media studies. The middle school in Hastings has two dedicated ENL teachers, although the population needing those services is tiny compared to neighboring districts like Yonkers. Hastings High School is a 'blue ribbon school,' where graduates often go on to attend Ivy-league colleges. I taught for nearly a decade in NYC public schools. I was fortunate to teach with incredibly dedicated and talented educators, with administrators who were truly committed to enabling each student to reach their full potential. I taught at M.S. 50 in South Side Williamsburg, where their award-winning bilingual debate team made history by becoming the first team in NSDA history to debate in a language other than English. I also taught at The Earth School, where students who came to us with significant behavioral and learning needs grew to be enthusiastic and confident learners in just the span of a year or two. We were able to achieve this through extensive early intervention, which was a team effort among classroom teachers, several speech teachers, an ENL teacher, a psychologist, a school counselor, a social worker, and others. Under the current Foundation Aid formula, successes like this are possible, but because the formula hasn't kept pace with current education costs, the successes come at the cost of other essential programs, staff, and services. Administrators may be forced to choose between maintaining a science or art program versus retaining a full-time school counselor. There are rarely sufficient funds to configure classes that are small enough to meet students' needs. Vital services like after-school programming are perpetually at risk, even if they are make-or-break for many students and their families. While a district like Hastings may be able to raise property taxes to avoid this fate and provide all necessary resources, the average district cannot. If the Foundation Aid formula is adjusted to better reflect the cost of educating our children, fewer districts will be forced to forgo necessary services and personnel, and more districts will be able to achieve the successes that are commonplace in towns like Hastings. If the formula is adjusted such that funding is decreased, even a little, the on-the-ground impacts will be disastrous, and they will affect our most vulnerable learners most dramatically. As for specific adjustments, I have made recommendations below. It is imperative to do extensive modeling to predict the effects of each of these adjustments, as well as their compound effects. Any adjustment that would cut funding substantially to any individual district should be phased in such that the effects are not dramatic from year-to-year. Large drops in funding always have detrimental effects on vulnerable populations, and often result in the loss of skilled professionals who may then leave the field entirely. The Successful School District model for assessing base cost must be replaced with multiple, expert-vetted methodologies. The Foundation Aid Formula must fully fund essential personnel at every school. Small schools have been found to improve school performance in various ways, but the current Formula forces districts to partially fund certain positions at small schools, which is unsustainable. If there are eight schools in a district, that district will need to employ at least eight full-time nurses, regardless of how many students attend each school. Each school needs a dedicated principal, nurse, school counselor, parent coordinator, and ENL teacher, and their (regionally adjusted) salaries should be added into the Formula, separate and apart from the average per-student cost. Hold harmless should be considered holistically as a part of a revised Formula. The above adjustment - funding essential personnel in every school - would mitigate the negative impacts of large cuts in funding when enrollment drops, and would also help schools with enrollment increases to run smoothly in the interim before resulting funding increases take effect. Pre-K, which is one component of a sound basic education, should be indexed in the formula. At the very least, an adequate formula would take into account access to Pre-K in a given district since K-2 education will incur more expense in districts where Pre-K enrollment is low. Census data is, by itself, insufficient for measuring the incidence of poverty given its infrequency and its inability to accurately count vulnerable populations. Additional weights are needed to reflect the true costs of educating students in poverty, such as a separate weight for students in temporary housing, and a concentration weight to reflect the added cost to schools when a larger percentage of the student body lives in poverty. Calculating education spending without factoring in mental health supports and restorative justice programs is unsustainable. Students need these essential supports in order to access the education to which they are constitutionally entitled. Lower class sizes should be factored into the Formula, especially for NYC given the new Class Size Law which will necessitate increased spending. Given our evolved understanding of the resources needed to educate students with disabilities and multilingual learners, and the fact that educators have come to depend heavily on expensive technology to support both student groups, weights for students with disabilities and multilingual learners should be increased. For both of the above groups, a flat weight is inappropriate. An analysis should be performed to model differentiated weights that reflect varying needs within the broader groups. Education finance experts should determine which range of weights best reflects the actual cost of educating these students today. While I advocate for increased funding in many areas, I also acknowledge that New York State's education spending is high compared to other States, and that average educational outcomes do not reflect what one would hope given that expenditure. I don't think any credible experts would predict that cutting funding would improve outcomes, but the situation does beg the question of whether money is being spent strategically. In the interests of answering this question and of working towards sustainable education spending, I believe it is necessary to implement structures that ensure ongoing transparency and accountability. If there are any funds that are not being spent prudently at the district level, that problem will not be resolved by cutting Foundation Aid. Without oversight, bureaucratic over-spending and bloated contracts will continue, while employees directly serving students will fight over the crumbs left over after cuts to the Formula. To address unnecessary spending with an eye towards sustainability, mandate that districts regularly report and justify their spending both to the State as well as to the public. Appoint a panel of independent experts to monitor for conflicts of interests between those who profit from expensive contracts and those with purchasing power. When the graduation rates for English language learners and students in foster care are less than 60%, it is unethical and harmful to cut funding and then hope that districts will somehow do better for those students despite decreased resources. The purpose of the Foundation Aid Formula is to ensure that every student in New York State receives the sound, basic education to which they are constitutionally entitled. Under the current insufficient and out of date Formula, districts are not able to provide this education, as evidenced by low graduation rates, among other measures. Any adjustments to the formula that are motivated by the desire to lower State spending are unconstitutional, unethical, and unsustainable. The Rockefeller Institute has a moral imperative to recommend changes that are in line with the increased costs of educating students in 2024 and beyond, and which give consideration to the public comments received during the short study period.

1069. Eli Konovitch

Affiliation: Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1070. Antoinette Santoro

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1071. David Friedman

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1072. Michael Schwartz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1073. Chava Anteby

Affiliation: Wellspring Early Intervention

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Occupational Therapist who work in private schools

Comments: I work as an occupational therapist with preschool children in private schools. The work that I do is funded by East Ramapo Central School District. The services that I provide are vital for the development of the children I work with. These services are mandated for private school students yet, due to the faulty state formula this money is deducted from the money for public school students and the district is not provided with the funding for all of the mandates (special services, transportation, textbooks) for the private schools separately. Please provide SEPARATE funding for the private school mandated services instead of ignoring the self-funded education of private schools which actually saves the district from fully funding the education of the MAJORITY of students in this unique district.

1074. David Fish

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Resident

1075. Elisheva Schiff

Affiliation: ERCSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a as a former private school student, currently living in and working for the East Ramapo Central School District. This may not be the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for non-public school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to non-public school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against non-public school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As someone who has attended meetings (e.g., board meeting) within this district, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. I believe that all children, whether they attend public or non-public school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Elisheva Schiff

1076. Akiva Steinman

Affiliation: Yeshiva Mesivta Chaim Berlin

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1077. Raizel Reit

Affiliation: District 20

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1078. Aharon Jacoby

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1079. Yosef Sheinfil

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1080. Chana Lax

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1081. Michael Goldstein

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Homeowner

1082. Danielle Wood

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1083. Andrew Weissman

Affiliation: Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1084. Shoshana Sheinfil

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1085. Shira Vorchheimer

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1086. neil daham

Affiliation: east ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Agudath Israel of America Logo ACTION NEEDED BY THIS FRIDAY: Tell New York State to fix the broken school funding formula Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. Agudath Israel of America expressed outrage and concern with the ramifications of the order and is working with others on pathways to respond to these actions. For the next few days there is something that every New Yorker, and especially East Ramapo residents, can do about it. The Rockefeller Institute has been tasked by the state to conduct a study to assess the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula and discuss potential modifications to how the formula works. As the form letter describes, the major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data. Please write your own comment letter or personalize the form letter below to make your voice heard. Comments to the Rockefeller Institute can be submitted by clicking here and are due this Friday, September 6th. Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum Director, Rockland Regional Office Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Director of New York Government Relations Agudath Israel of America Mr. Avrohom Weinstock Director of KnowUs Agudath Israel of America CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A LETTER Sample Letter: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Neil Dahan

1087. Abigail Indig

Affiliation: Easy Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1088. Doni Brodie

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please consider the fact that private school student are self funded and they would add a large amount to the cost of the public school system. They should not be penalized.

1089. Mark Roizman

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As a parent of 5 non public school children, I hope that a better formula can be found to pay for the public school budget. The current system is outdated and is not fair to non public school families that bear the burden of funding a bloated budget. I hope you are successful because we are considering leaving this district to a more reasonable taxation state. Thanks for your consideration, Sincerely, Mark Roizman

1090. Lana Cirk

Affiliation: Ersd

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please appreciate parents who self fund their children's schools saving Millions of dollars for the government

1091. Samuel Westreich

Affiliation: East Ramap

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1092. Lisa Eisen

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

1093. Chumi Herzberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1094. Abraham Perl

Affiliation: Aguda

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school grandparent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my grandchildren attend nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Abraham Perl

1095. Joseph Salomon

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1096. Zev Kops

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Student; Education Advocate; Professor of Finance at NYU

1097. Yoel Perkowski

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1098. Rivka Shenker

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: This is not ok! I hope you guys realize how constitutionally wrong this is!! We Already pay such high taxes and do not get anything out of it

1099. Lindsay Jordan

Affiliation: Suffern central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please change the formula to give districts funds for schooling, buses, nurses, text books, and special ed services based on total student population (private and public school kids). We pay school taxes but our district is deprived because of a large majority of private school children. Treat all kids equally please.

1100. Sendy Kohl

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1101. Goldy Kolodny

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1102. Samuel Elhyani

Affiliation: Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: We vote against it

1103. Amrom Wieselthier

Affiliation: ERCSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please fix formula that doesn't account for district with large number non public students.

1104. Gila Einhorn

Affiliation: Agudath Israel

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1105. levy KESSLER

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1106. Gila Butrimovitz

Affiliation: Ccrr

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Day care provider and Executive board member at CCRR of Rockland

Comments: Pls account for all our children going to private schools so that the formula be fair.

1107. Rivka Elhyani

Affiliation: Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: We voted against this tax. It's absurd that it was put into place in spite of our vote. Additionally, it's unaffordable and doesn't meet the educational expenses of our community.

1108. yoel setton

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1109. Etan Berman

Affiliation: Rabbi in Pomona

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please do something about the inaccurate manner in which Ramapo is assessing the tax burden.

1110. Mordechai Austerlitz

Affiliation: Bnos Binah of Monsey

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: This is totaly unfair

1111. Tzvi Liberman

Affiliation: Yeshivas Vyelipol

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school administrator, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely,

1112. Kenneth Brezner

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa ordered a 5.4% tax increase against the express vote of the East Ramapo. This is TOTAL OUTRAGE!!! This country was founded on NO TAXES WITHOUT REPRESENTATION; REMEMBER THE STAMP TAX! How and why can this be legal???

1113. Mordechai Eckhaus

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Resident of East Ramapo

1114. Motty Rivkin

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1115. Avraham Lehr

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, We are writing to express our profound concern regarding the current Foundation Aid formula and its detrimental impact on our community in East Ramapo. As parents of six children who attend private Jewish schools in the district, we—my wife and I—are directly and significantly affected by the shortcomings of this outdated funding system. The existing Foundation Aid formula completely overlooks nonpublic school students—children who still rely on essential services provided by the district. In East Ramapo, where the majority of students attend nonpublic schools, this omission has led to severe financial deficits. The district is mandated to provide certain services to all students but receives no corresponding funding for those in nonpublic schools. This creates an unsustainable situation, forcing public and nonpublic school families into competition over inadequate resources and fostering unnecessary division within our community. For families like ours, the strain is particularly acute. We make substantial personal sacrifices to self-fund our children's education, collectively saving the state millions of dollars annually. Yet, we face increasing local taxes to compensate for the district's shortfall caused by a broken funding formula that fails to acknowledge our children. This double burden is both unjust and untenable. Moreover, the formula's reliance on outdated Census data from the year 2000 fails to capture the significant demographic changes our district has experienced over the past two decades. East Ramapo has seen considerable growth in both public and nonpublic school populations, including a rise in English Language Learners in public schools who require additional support. The failure to account for these changes exacerbates the district's financial challenges and leaves all students underserved. As devoted parents and active members of this community, my wife and I implore you to address these systemic flaws. Every child, whether attending public or nonpublic school, deserves access to quality education and the necessary resources to succeed. Updating the Foundation Aid formula to include nonpublic school students and current demographic data is a critical step toward equity and harmony in our community. We appreciate your attention to this urgent matter and are hopeful that your review will lead to meaningful reforms that benefit all families in East Ramapo. Sincerely, Avraham & Deena Lehr

1116. Shmuel Silverberg

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Alumnus

1117. Debra Cytryn

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1118. Aaron Krakowski

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To whom it may concern, I write to you as a tax-paying homeowner in the East Ramapo Central School District. Because the public schools in my area are not able to meet the needs of my four school-age children, I am forced to pay tuition for them at a local private school. At the same time, I also pay school taxes to fund the programs of a public school system that dos not accommodate my children. I do this even as I struggle to make ends meet financially. Yet, for some reason, struggling taxpayers like me are being vilified in the media and are having our democratic rights trampled by entitled bureaucrats who refuse to even hear our voices. Much of this injustice appears to have its roots in the archaic and unnuanced Foundation Aid formula currently in use. The Foundation Aid formula entirely ignores nonpublic school students, even in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school. This oversight has serious repercussions in a district that is legally required to provide certain services to nonpublic school children, yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie and destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit. Its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community, particularly in the current geopolitical climate. There are other serious issues with the Foundation Aid formula, which relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. '

1119. Yaakov Ebstein

Affiliation: Yeshiva Meon Hatorah

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: WE NEED MORE FUNDING, POPULATION GREW

1120. Rochelle Schlesinger

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1121. David Leiser

Affiliation: Mirror Yeshivah Central Institute

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1122. Walter Shub

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: It is an absolute outrage that you have defied the will of the voters in a shameful power grab, America was founded on no taxation without representation, shame on you

1123. Sholom Rivkin

Affiliation: East Ramapo school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Agudath Israel of America Logo ACTION NEEDED BY THIS FRIDAY: Tell New York State to fix the broken school funding formula Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. Agudath Israel of America expressed outrage and concern with the ramifications of the order and is working with others on pathways to respond to these actions. For the next few days there is something that every New Yorker, and especially East Ramapo residents, can do about it. The Rockefeller Institute has been tasked by the state to conduct a study to assess the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula and discuss potential modifications to how the formula works. As the form letter describes, the major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data. Please write your own comment letter or personalize the form letter below to make your voice heard. Comments to the Rockefeller Institute can be submitted by clicking here and are due this Friday, September 6th. Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum Director, Rockland Regional Office Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Director of New York Government Relations Agudath Israel of America Mr. Avrohom Weinstock Director of KnowUs Agudath Israel of America CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A LETTER Sample Letter: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely,

1124. Pin korn

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: fix the broken unfair school funding formula

1125. esther kalikstein

Affiliation: ercsd

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: please change formula. its not right for private schools. especially in Rockland county

1126. chaim hoffman

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1127. esther karmel

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1128. Jonathan Lewis

Affiliation: Former Trustee, Scarsdale Board of Education

Relationship to Education: School Board Member; Other Elected Official; Education Advocate; I served on the Scarsdale Board of Education 2011-2014; as a Trustee of the Village of Scarsdale 2019-2023, where I also served as Police Commissioner

Comments: The foundation aid formula is in great need of revision and I applaud the efforts of the state and the Rockefeller Institute to conduct research and public hearings to guide this process. Foundation aid is designed to help support the ability of all school districts, regardless of wealth levels and fiscal strength, to provide a sound education for school children. But, what about a safe education? When foundation aid was originally envisioned, the costs of providing a safe school environment were much lower. Now, as a consequence of mass casualty events, and the surge in school shootings, it is far more expensive to keep children safe. Foundation aid should now include two components: financial support for a sound education and financial support for a safe education. Without a school safety component to foundation aid, how will less affluent schools districts possibly pay for the joint safety drills, the technology, and security personnel, to keep children safe? All children deserve to learn in a safe environment, free from fear and free from harm.

1129. MAYER LIPSCHITZ

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Sample Letter: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Mayer

1130. Adina Stern

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: 98 percent of students in the easy Ramapo district only use bussing. We all send to private schools. The increase makes no sense. Shut some of the schools that are mostly empty to save money.

1131. Motty Rivkin

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1132. Benjamin Schneck

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1133. Joel Rothman

Affiliation: Central Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent of non public school

Comments: Agudath Israel of America Logo ACTION NEEDED BY THIS FRIDAY: Tell New York State to fix the broken school funding formula Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. Agudath Israel of America expressed outrage and concern with the ramifications of the order and is working with others on pathways to respond to these actions. For the next few days there is something that every New Yorker, and especially East Ramapo residents, can do about it. The Rockefeller Institute has been tasked by the state to conduct a study to assess the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula and discuss potential modifications to how the formula works. As the form letter describes, the major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data. Please write your own comment letter or personalize the form letter below to make your voice heard. Comments to the Rockefeller Institute can be submitted by clicking here and are due this Friday, September 6th. Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum Director, Rockland Regional Office Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Director of New York Government Relations Agudath Israel of America Mr. Avrohom Weinstock Director of KnowUs Agudath Israel of America CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A LETTER Sample Letter: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Joel Rothman

1134. Michael Ackerman

Affiliation: Far Rockaway #27

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1135. Moshe Kupferstein

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Non public school parent

Comments: Hi, I'm a non-public school parent in the school district of East Ramapo New York, I'm writing in regards to the formula being used to allocate funding to public schools, as per my understanding, my taxes were just increased for my property I own because the way the funding is allocated is based on the amount of wealth in the district divided by the amount of students in the public schools, while the amount of wealth is being added up as a sum total of all the residents in the district the amount of students accounts only for public school students, which in our district of East Ramapo is only a small fraction of the students, this leads to unfair fund distribution and therefore the district has a deficit that it needs to cover by raising the taxes on homeowners that don't even use the public school system, and are paying top dollar for our private institutions, there needs to be a better way... I'm sure you can figure this out... Thanks!

1136. Lazar Khaimov

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Letter from the Agudah: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Lazar Khaimov

1137. Malka Degani

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1138. Susan Gunsburg

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1139. Barry Sorscher

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Resident

Comments: School aid to East Ramapo must be a fair formula

1140. Adina Stern

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1141. Esther Schiff

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: East Ramapo resident

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as an East Ramapo resident that formally attended private school, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish resident, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. I firmly believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Esther Schiff

1142. Ben Ettlinger

Affiliation: Touro University

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Graduate School Professor, High School Instructor, Grandparent of East Ramapo Students

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school grandparent, and graduate school professor, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish grandparent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my grandchildren attend nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. That is a very basic given that we apply at the Touro Graduate School of Technology. An institution that considers all students of all nationalities and religions faily and equally. I would expect that your venerable institution will do the same. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Professor Ben Ettlinger Touro Graduate School of Technology Talmud Instructor, Yeshiva Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch H.S.

1143. David Jungreis

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments:

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1144. Bryna Kranczer

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1145. Haya Vaynberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1146. Aidel Kranz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1147. Barry Ferziger

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1148. Charnee Lieber

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1149. Rebecca BBlach

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments: To whom this may concern. Rockland county is from the highest taxes counties in the country. To higher the school tax by such a large percentage is unprecedented and very concerning. Please be aware that the majority of residents do not even benefit from public education services. Additionally the average family is paying thousands of dollars in private school tuition. This additional tax is a huge burden on our residents. Please do more research about the Rockland County demographics and find out what percentage of tax payers are benefiting from public education. (And what percentage of those benefiting from public education are taxpayersâ€¦) Perhaps as a proposal, tuition funds paid to private schools should be able to be deducted from the school tax. Please understand that at a time where inflation is at a record high and the average damily expenses are up by at least 30% this tax increase proposes additional difficulty to the already choked taxpayer.

1150. shaindy Hershkowitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Resident

Comments: Please do not raise our taxes. Rockland county already is one the highest paying property taxes in the country. With the food cost almost doubled we don't have any extra money for new higher taxes. More importantly, this is a democratic country with election rights. The residence voted down these property tax increase how can a single person act so undemocratic and ignore our election results. Are we in Russia? The issue has been identified as the New York State is not fairly counting the students attending private school as part of the student roll body. The demographics of Rockland county has a very high rate of private school students. We are saving the county/state an enormous amount by paying our tuition. How dare you increase our taxes.

1151. Yael Genack

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1152. david hershkowitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1153. Julius Cox

Affiliation: PCSD / PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1154. Holli Lasky

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Former non public school parent

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a resident of East Ramapo and former nonpublic school parent. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Holli Lasky

1155. Yehuda Levitan

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please do not allow New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa to follow-through with her draconian order. She has significantly and unilaterally raised the taxes upon us residents of the district of East Ramapo, New York. She attempted to justify her harmful tax increases by placing the blame on many people. Truthfully, she deliberately ignored the true culprit, and that is the faulty state funding formula. This is not the type of actions that our founding fathers had envisioned when they risked their lives for democracy. Thank you for your consideration of this crucial matter.

1156. jacob weintraub

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: i am astonished and appalled and the lack of decency being conducted in this apparent lack of consideration of the non public school parents who have been giving up their hard earned money to send their children for a wonderful and well thought out education which stresses decency and moral conscience. yet instead of being applauded for and thanked for saving the govt money we get penalized and fiscally and verbally attcked.

1157. Chaya Goldin

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1158. Malky Weber

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As a parent and grandparent living in one of the most expensive counties in NY tax wise, I am truly dismayed by what is going on. It seems that as a Jewish person, we are being persecuted again, but in a totally different way. our high taxes are ridiculous and are going towards spending solely on the public school system, while getting nothing in return. The state keeps on sending undocumented people to our county, which inundates the schools with undocumented students requiring ESL tutoring and consequently, more funding aka higher taxes for us. Meanwhile, since the public school system is contrary to most of our beliefs and customs, we have to send our kids to Private religious institutions, which costs a lot. Something has got to give! Are our children any less worth than any other student in the state , much less a student that is not here legally? Please rectify the aid formula to include private school children and stop putting this crazy untenable burden on already bent backs that can take no more. Thank you

1159. Shloime Brisk

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am writing as a nonpublic school parent to highlight a serious issue with the current Foundation Aid formula. This formula completely excludes nonpublic school students, which has devastating effects in districts like East Ramapo, where the majority of students attend nonpublic schools. Despite this, the district is still required to provide services to these students, without receiving any Foundation Aid to cover the costs. This oversight creates a financial shortfall, leading to tension between public and nonpublic school parents, and worsening divisions within the community. It has also fueled antisemitism, as this situation has persisted for decades. Moreover, the formula is based on outdated U.S. Census data from 2000, which fails to reflect the significant population changes in districts like East Ramapo. The district has grown and now includes many English language learners who need additional support, further straining limited resources. I urge you to update the Foundation Aid formula to ensure it reflects the current realities and needs of all students—both public and nonpublic. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

1160. Yisroel Zagelbaum

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1161. Ita Zagelbaum

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1162. Menucha Baruch

Affiliation: Rockland County

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1163. Allison Leaf

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Hello, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Allison L.

1164. Yael Perlman

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1165. howard ettlinger

Affiliation: agudah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

1166. Solomon Babani

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1167. brocha ettlinger

Affiliation: torah umesorah

Relationship to Education: Student

1168. Yoel Kivelevitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo SD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please reevaluate the foundation aid formula

1169. Baila ettlinger

Affiliation: agudah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1170. Rachayl Gottlieb

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

1171. Yoel Kivelevitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo SD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1172. Yitzchok Kolodny

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Hi, The current State formula for school districts only takes public school students into consideration. For most districts this can work. However, in my district where an overwhelming majority of students are in private schools. The formula just doesn't add up. There needs to be an adjustment for special circumstances as this one. Thank you,

1173. David Shapiro

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1174. joseph warman

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: i am a resident of rockland county and i sent my daughter for 4 years of high school and paid over 45000 in the duration of her being a student,in addition to those payments i have been paying for public school taxes to the amout of 7800 annualy.please realize our tremendous contribution to the schooling in our district and do not levy any more burden,we have already done our share

1175. Mordy Eisenberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Agudath Israel of America Logo ACTION NEEDED BY THIS FRIDAY: Tell New York State to fix the broken school funding formula Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. Agudath Israel of America expressed outrage and concern with the ramifications of the order and is working with others on pathways to respond to these actions. For the next few days there is something that every New Yorker, and especially East Ramapo residents, can do about it. The Rockefeller Institute has been tasked by the state to conduct a study to assess the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula and discuss potential modifications to how the formula works. As the form letter describes, the major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data. Please write your own comment letter or personalize the form letter below to make your voice heard. Comments to the Rockefeller Institute can be submitted by clicking here and are due this Friday, September 6th. Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum Director, Rockland Regional Office Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Director of New York Government Relations Agudath Israel of America Mr. Avrohom Weinstock Director of KnowUs Agudath Israel of America CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A LETTER Sample Letter: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely,

1176. Yitzchok Tusk

Affiliation: YMRCB

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please Be concerned for real issues!

1177. Samuel Cahn

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments:

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1178. Ariel Felman

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1179. Talia Felman

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1180. Esty Alter

Affiliation: BYCC of Pomona

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; School or District Administrator

Comments: I am writing this letter as a parent of 12 children residing in the East Ramapo District, and as an assistant principal of a girls school in East Ramapo. I see first hand as a school administrator exactly how much funding and services the schools receive. I also see as a parent the amount of taxes that I pay and the tiny amount of services my children get in return. We were actually told today that our students will NOT be receiving any School Physcologist, we have not had a school nurse since covid, and our educational services to students with IEP's will be much more limited (or maybe none at all!). Please help us fix this crisis! Why are we paying lots of money and not receive a fair share of services. The couple of Equitable Services employees are overworked and therefore many of our needs and requests are not taken care of in a timely manner. I comment the ERCSD workers very much and they do more than their best, but why don't they hire the same amount of employees that they would hire for the public schools?! If we all enrolled in Public School - which we might do- then let's see how they handle providing our kids with Teachers, Therapists and all other personel. We make ERCSD's job much easier by educating the many children in Yeshivos. Please have Albany make the much needed changes to our funding formula so that we can have happy, well-educated children and relaxed parents at the same time.

1181. Mimi Seif

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate; Physical Therapisr

Comments: Please review the foundation aid formula. As a private school parent that does not utilize the public school district services, the unilateral tax hike is grossly misguided and lacks insight and demonstrates negligence on the part of our legislators for attempting to properly and adequately resolve a very outdated, flawed, system that doesn't represent the districts needs.

1182. Lisa Eisen

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

Comments: Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Lisa Eisen Agudath Israel of America | US Unsubscribe | Constant Contact Data Notice

1183. Chaim Lunger

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1184. Chavie Elewitz

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

1185. Goldy Lunger

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1186. Lisa Eisen

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

Comments: Your using outdated census data from 2020. In the last 25 years many things have changed. Please review and adjust accordingly This tax raise is not justified Lisa Eisen

1187. Sholom Sandberg

Affiliation: Agudath Israel

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1188. Aliza Ptalis

Affiliation: East Ramapo Cental School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1189. Rivka Sandberg

Affiliation: Agudath Israel

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1190. Joseph Brief

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, the Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students and in my school district the East Ramapo school district this has a major impact because the school district has to provide some services to the nonpublic students and they don't get the funding for it and this brings a very negative feeling between the public school parents towards our community as they feel that we are taking from their small share that's not enough for them. Thank you for researching this that will help all children of our school district those who attend the public school and the non public alike. Sincerely Joseph Brief

1191. Fraidy Schapiro

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1192. Lillian Aharoni

Affiliation: 21

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1193. Simcha Silverstein

Affiliation: nan

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1194. Robert Weinberger

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: We spend loads on taxes already. There has to be a way that our many thousands that we are paying until now is enough!!

1195. Pincus Gelbman

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Student; Researcher; Education Advocate; Resident in the district

Comments: It's outrageous that the formula doesn't consider private school students aka non-public school students

1196. Abraham Posner

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1197. Moshe Orlian

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. However, I am writing about this issue because I pay nearly $15,000 in school taxes each year, with significant increases every year, because of a flawed Foundation Aid formula. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide those services. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. This above the negative and unfair financial burden, as mentioned above. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Moshe Orlian

1198. Isaac Weiss

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As a democratic country all children deserve to have the tools and funding that should be allocated to them. Excluding private schools children and not using the most up to date date of children in the district, under cuts democracy and the future of the children. I therefore ask that all children regardless if they go to public school or private schooling should get the equal funding needed to have there proper education. Thanks

1199. Peter Juricek

Affiliation: Yeshiva Shaarei Arazim

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; School or District Administrator

Comments: I believe that is we enroll all our children into the public school system, we will bring it down instantly. Do we need to do that to be heard?

1200. Jeffrey Moskovits

Affiliation: East Rapaport Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1201. Susan Weiss

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: As a parent and teacher of students in the East Ramapo School District, I see first hand the pain and underservice that the students get due to the under funding for East Ramapo. As a democratic country all children deserve to have the tools and funding that should be allocated to them. Excluding private schools children and not using the most up to date date of children in the district, under cuts democracy and the future of the children. I therefore ask that all children regardless if they go to public school or private schooling should get the equal funding needed to have there proper education. Thanks

1202. Blimi Weiss

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Student

Comments: As a student of the East Ramapo School District, I feel the pain and underservice that I get due to the under funding for East Ramapo. As a democratic country all children deserve to have the tools and funding that should be allocated to them. Excluding private schools children and not using the most up to date date of children in the district, under cuts democracy and the future of the children. I therefore ask that all children regardless if they go to public school or private schooling should get the equal funding needed to have there proper education. Thanks

1203. susan subar

Affiliation: YSV

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; School or District Administrator

1204. Chanina Sussholz

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: We need to redo the formula

1205. Rivka Jacobowitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I'm paying high taxes and send my children to private school it's unacceptable, the state should pay their fair share based on the children living in the district, the are saving millions of dollars with over 30k children going to private school if I all children going to private schools would enroll in the East Ramapo Central School District nys would go bankrupt

1206. CHAIM STEIN

Affiliation: East ramapo school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I'm paying so much taxes for the district But the way the money goes to the schools Doesn't make sense Because I'm sending my kids to private schools for religious reasons Even I'm eligible to send them to public school So you need to change the way of spending the tax payers money To make sure all residents are being given a fair amount Thank you

1207. rivka stein

Affiliation: East ramapo school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: The way the tax is being raised Doesn't make sense Please make it a better way It's should serve most of the people of the community living in this area Thanks

1208. Yael Etziony

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: As an East Ramapo resident, I'm concerned at the seeming unwillingness of our elected officials to solve a funding problem, instead imposing a bandaid solution that goes against one of America's core values: taxation without representation. Especially as the state funding formula is up for review, would it not be prudent to engage one of the districts most affected by that formula in constructive conversation with the goal of serving our students - all of them, both public and private? If our goal is, as stated, to provide educational services as mandated, slapping a significant tax increase , that was not approved by district voters, on families already squeezed by inflation doesn't seem like a democratic solution.

1209. Sarah Just

Affiliation: Suffern Central

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I think it's important that the state funding formula reflect the current reality accurately. Much has changed in the last few years, it's important to update the facts because so much depends on them to accurately present the demographics of each district.

1210. BARRY SOLOMON

Affiliation: AM YISRAEL

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: THE FOUNDATION AID FORMULA IS DISCRIMINATORY, DESTRUCTIVE, INAPPLICABLE TO MANY TAXPAYERS AND IS BEING APPLIED IGNORANTLY.

1211. Martin Wesel

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: How does a school district where 75% of the students don't avail themselves of public school education(infrastructure expenses of building, staff payroll, supplies, materials, maintenance) still short on its budget? Imagine all the yeshiva students attended public school ! They wouldn't have enough money to run the basic school! Where is the money going, this doesn't add up!

1212. Manny Adler

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1213. Yida Tauber

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please change the formula to get for the tax payers a fair share in the school education

1214. Yechiel Segal

Affiliation: 20

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1215. Malka Segal

Affiliation: 20

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1216. Baruch M Rabinowitz

Affiliation: Rabbi

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate; Grandparent to 20

Comments: I write to you as a nonpublic school pteacher and granparent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Baruch Rabinowitz

1217. Dora Green

Affiliation: East Ramapo school district

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Imagine what would happen if all the non public school children in this district decided to register for public school â€¦ tomorrow. Where would the state have the funds to provide for triple the amount of students suddenly showing up at the East Ramapo public schools! Parents here pay public school taxes and then have to pay again when their parochial school needs/wants to use the large auditorium that the public schools are privileged to have â€¦at tax payers expense! It is true that the local budget doesn't provide for a lot of upgrades or major maintenance projects for the local public schools. But remember, all these classrooms were built to accommodate the baby boomers! Statistically baby boomers did not replace themselvesâ€¦ nor have their children! So we have public schools with an average of 12 children per classroom and parochial schools with an average of 30 or more students per classroom! These parents pay taxes, tuition and any extras that are needed, and the majority of our classrooms are not state of the art, they could seriously use renovation and repair which just doesn't fit within the budget. Somewhere the formula is off . One solution might be to consolidate some of the public schools and sell off the resulting empty buildings, thereby providing funds needed for current maintenance and repair. The expenses of the public school would drop dramatically. The schools sold could be sold â€˜as is' to young schools in search of a building, there are too many of these young schools that are using spaces that are not appropriate for schools- they don't have adequate parking, plumbing or sewage. School buses have became another flashpoint for conflict, so many schools bought their own school busesâ€¦ it's good and very bad for local traffic. Raising our taxes, by force of â€˜edict', by an unelected official feels like a violation of my rightsâ€¦ ie â€˜no taxation without representation'- I would appreciate any assistance you can offer on repealing what amounts to a prejudicial tax

1218. Elliot Mayer

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments:

File uploads:

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1219. ANITA MAYER

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments:

File uploads:

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1220. Katie Soto

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1221. Ciril Cohen

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Education should be available to all state residents and citizens. The fact that families choose private schools should not deprive them of basic educational needs allocable by legal student population.

1222. Ciril Cohen

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1223. Nechama Nisenbaum

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1224. Isaac Koenig

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1225. Jennifer Gerstenblit

Affiliation: East Ranapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; TAX PAYER

1226. Shifra Silber

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school grandparent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Shifra Silber

1227. Gila Samber

Affiliation: Queens, NY

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1228. Aaron Samber

Affiliation: Queens, NY

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1229. Avigayil Orlian

Affiliation: East ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1230. Jonah Levant

Affiliation: New York city

Relationship to Education: Concerned New Yorker

1231. Rivka Kohn

Affiliation: Suffern

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1232. Andrew Mayer

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1233. Rebecca Fine

Affiliation: EAST RAMAPO CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Rebeca Fine

1234. Yehudi Meshchaninov

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1235. Raizy Rabin

Affiliation: EaEast Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Agudath Israel of America Logo ACTION NEEDED BY THIS FRIDAY: Tell New York State to fix the broken school funding formula Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. Agudath Israel of America expressed outrage and concern with the ramifications of the order and is working with others on pathways to respond to these actions. For the next few days there is something that every New Yorker, and especially East Ramapo residents, can do about it. The Rockefeller Institute has been tasked by the state to conduct a study to assess the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula and discuss potential modifications to how the formula works. As the form letter describes, the major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data. Please write your own comment letter or personalize the form letter below to make your voice heard. Comments to the Rockefeller Institute can be submitted by clicking here and are due this Friday, September 6th. Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum Director, Rockland Regional Office Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Director of New York Government Relations Agudath Israel of America Mr. Avrohom Weinstock Director of KnowUs Agudath Israel of America CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A LETTER Sample Letter: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Raizy Rabin

1236. Sholom Rabin

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, As a nonpublic school parent, I may not be the typical voice you'd expect to weigh in on Foundation Aid, which is primarily meant to fund public schools. However, it's precisely because of this omission that I feel compelled to write. The Foundation Aid formula completely neglects nonpublic school students. While this may be a minor issue in many areas, it has severe consequences in districts like East Ramapo, where the majority of students—three-quarters—attend nonpublic schools. Despite this, the district is required to provide essential services to these students without receiving any Foundation Aid to support those services. This funding gap creates a fiscal imbalance, setting public school and nonpublic school parents in opposition, as they compete for limited resources. As a Jewish parent, I've personally witnessed the tensions this has caused over the years, tensions that have fueled antisemitism within our community. Another critical issue is the reliance on outdated U.S. Census data from the year 2000. This distorts the funding landscape, especially in districts like East Ramapo, which has seen significant demographic and population changes over the past two decades. The district now serves a much larger number of English language learners, requiring additional services that strain an already underfunded system, all while operating under a formula designed for a very different era. Thank you for addressing this issue and for considering changes that would ensure districts like East Ramapo receive the funding they truly need. Although my child attends a nonpublic school, I believe that every child—whether in public or nonpublic schools—deserves the necessary resources to thrive. I urge you to update the Foundation Aid formula to reflect this reality. Sincerely, Sholom Rabin

1237. Lisa Schild

Affiliation: East Ramapo Resident

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Agudath Israel of America Logo ACTION NEEDED BY THIS FRIDAY: Tell New York State to fix the broken school funding formula Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. Agudath Israel of America expressed outrage and concern with the ramifications of the order and is working with others on pathways to respond to these actions. For the next few days there is something that every New Yorker, and especially East Ramapo residents, can do about it. The Rockefeller Institute has been tasked by the state to conduct a study to assess the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula and discuss potential modifications to how the formula works. As the form letter describes, the major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data. Please write your own comment letter or personalize the form letter below to make your voice heard. Comments to the Rockefeller Institute can be submitted by clicking here and are due this Friday, September 6th. Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum Director, Rockland Regional Office Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Director of New York Government Relations Agudath Israel of America Mr. Avrohom Weinstock Director of KnowUs Agudath Israel of America CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A LETTER Sample Letter: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Lisa Schild

1238. Malky Haimoff

Affiliation: Private citizen

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1239. Henry Heinemann

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Good morning, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Henry Heinemann

1240. Richard Zamler

Affiliation: East Ramapo Resident

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Researcher; East Ramapo Resident

1241. Ann Zamler

Affiliation: Resident of east Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Parent of east ramapo

Comments: Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Ann Zamler

1242. Yochanan Dasheff

Affiliation: kolell zichron meshulem

Relationship to Education: student in a local college

Comments: Hi and a good morning The most basic point that hasn't been taken into account is the tremendous amount parents are paying in private schooling and thereby saving the local goverment those dollars in school expenses. To add ontop of that higher taxes would be adding insult to injury. We cant have the same parents that don't benefit from public school paying a higher bill in taxes the money saved should be rerouted to the schools. have a great day

1243. Simon Schwab

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1244. Bayla Perlstein

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Rabbis wife

1245. Benjamin Gelman

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1246. Anne Bornstein

Affiliation: 27

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1247. Judah Herbst

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate; Chaplian

1248. Katie Liberti

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor CSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1249. Robert Jacobs

Affiliation: Queens

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Concerned citizen

1250. Alan Schoor

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The school aid formula is grossly outdated and does not reflect the reality of student characteristics in current districts. Students going to private school deserve equal treatment with public school students.

1251. Menachem Weiss

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am reaching out as a nonpublic school parent, a perspective often overlooked in discussions about Foundation Aid, which focuses on funding public schools. However, this exclusion is exactly the concern I wish to raise. The Foundation Aid formula fails to consider nonpublic school students altogether. While this might have minimal impact in some districts, it poses serious challenges in places like East Ramapo Central School District, where 75% of the students attend nonpublic schools. Despite the district's obligation to provide services to these students, it receives no Foundation Aid to support those efforts. This creates an inevitable budget deficit, sparking friction between public and nonpublic school parents as they compete over a limited pool of resources. This struggle weakens the fabric of communities. As a Jewish parent, I have witnessed the hostility that arises from these financial pressures, fueling decades of tension and deepening antisemitism against our community. The Foundation Aid formula is also flawed because it relies on outdated U.S. Census data from 2000. This reliance distorts funding across the state, but it is especially problematic for districts like East Ramapo, which has experienced rapid growth and significant demographic shifts over the past 25 years. The district now serves a large number of English language learners in public schools, who need additional resources, further stretching an already financially strained district operating under an outdated formula that doesn't reflect current realities. I appreciate your efforts to address this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not left behind. Although my child attends a nonpublic school, I believe every child, in both public and nonpublic schools, should have the resources they need to succeed. I strongly encourage updating the Foundation Aid formula to ensure this happens. Thank you for your time, Menachem Weiss

1252. rachel farkas

Affiliation: district 27

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1253. Abraham Goldwasser

Affiliation: Agudas Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Grandparent of students, and a taxpayer

Comments: Paying too much school taxes. Demographically the towns and villages are becoming populated by families using private schools, theoretically the public school population should be shrinking. Why are getting ever increasing tax levies?

1254. Ephraim Weiss

Affiliation: Adolph Schreiber Hebrew Academy of Rockland

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

1255. Aliza Kuznicki

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As parents who favor a strong Jewish education and support regents education for children, please help us keep private schools affordable

1256. Mendy Feinzeig

Affiliation: I am involved as a parent

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Thanks and Sincerely Mendy Feinzeig

1257. Janice Weinman

Affiliation: Education Through Music

Relationship to Education: CEO of music education non-profit

Comments: My name is Dr. Janice Weinman and I'm the CEO of Education Through Music (ETM), a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing music education to underserved students in under-resourced schools in New York City. ETM partners with schools to support 20,000 students each year in all five boroughs and in almost every community in the city. We provide a trained music teacher, instruments, a comprehensive music curriculum and one hundred hours of teacher professional development to ensure a successful music program at all of our partner schools. ETM strongly believes that music education should be a core academic program for all children, no matter their background, no matter their zip code, and no matter the school they attend. Recent research conducted by Metis on music instruction has shown that students' academic abilities, attendance rates and social and emotional learning are greatly improved by exposure to music education, even more so than other forms of intervention. But despite the widely recognized benefits of music, tens of thousands of New York City public school students don't receive consistent in-school music classes. According to the most recent NYC Department of Education (DOE) Annual Arts in Schools report, over 700 NYC public schools still do not have a music teacher. And, sadly, the children at these schools are overwhelmingly low-income and children of color. In addition, according to the report, spending on arts and cultural organizations has dropped significantly, reflecting a broader trend of reduced investment in arts education —driven by federal and state priorities—that does not fully recognize the importance of comprehensive arts education. Although schools have had access to 'supplemental arts funding' meant for arts education, many have redirected these funds to non-arts-related areas. Consequently, many public schools in the city are failing to meet New York State Law's minimal arts instruction requirements, leading to significant disparities across schools at all grade levels. A new Foundation Aid formula provides an opportunity for our state to fix this issue. By allocating a small amount of per student music funding into the Foundation Aid formula, all students in the state can receive music instruction. If we really want to improve academic performance, increase attendance rates and develop students social and emotional skills, there is no better way to do so than to include music education in the new Foundation Aid formula. Thank you.

1258. Mrs. Laskin

Affiliation: Rockland County

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1259. Rivkie Ives

Affiliation: Monsey Beis Chaya Mushka

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; School or District Administrator; Education Advocate

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, High School teacher and principal in ERSCD perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Mrs. Rivkie Ives, MEd-SEND

1260. Jennifer Pyle

Affiliation: Conference of Big 5 School Districts

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments:

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1261. Anita Adler

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1262. Leon Moskowitz

Affiliation: Spring valley

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please send funging to private schools as well

1263. Malka Neumann

Affiliation: Agudath Yisroel

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1264. david wiener

Affiliation: NONE

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The formula is meant to equitably share the cost of education among the citizens of the various districts of the state. The goal of our education system is to mold our children into useful, productive and lawful citizens for the future generation. There is one district (East Ramapo) that currently (2024) has a very large number of future citizens who for various individual reasons, are being sent to non-public schools, notwithstanding that they develop in their non-public schools into real productive and honest future citizens. I've met many of them and am mighty impressed. The current formula is outdated in that (1) it ignores those students, and also (2) it is based on the census (2000) of the prior generation. We ourselves (meaning you and me and our children) are products of that generation, and we should be smart enough to recognize that now in 2024 the formula needs correction on both these fronts. Just as our NYS school system would not tolerate teaching math using outdated techniques of the prior generation, similarly, there is no reason that the population of East Ramapo should have to pay more than those of other districts just because of some mathematical formula that uses outdated math.

1265. Anthony Davis

Affiliation: Superintendent of the Syracuse City School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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1266. yosef herskovtiz

Affiliation: Suffern Central

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I pay more than $20k a year for two of my children to attend a local school. I pay another ~$13k a year to the beautiful local public school via property tax. I am a young father with an average income and we are under immense financial strain. I have another two children who are not yet old enough for school. I am quickly being radicalized on this issue. The obvious solution is to implement school vouchers in counties where a large percentage of the population does not partake in the public school system for religious reasons. Under the current system, parents whose children are not in public school are being strongly incentivized to try and reduce funding of the public schools to help reduce their financial strain. The current way of financing the public school system via property taxes was never designed for a situation where the majority of families don't utilize the system because of religious reasons and not because we have the financial ability to choose to spend the money for expensive private schools. We are actively being incentivized to choose which system we want to support, the public schools or our children's schools as we can't go on supporting both. Switching to a voucher based system will allow all parents from all schools to be similarly aligned to just choose what is best for our kids without having to take funding away from others.

1267. Ariel Halpert

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I find it outrageous that the will of the voters of ERCSD has been completely negated and an obscene 5.4% tax increase has been unilaterally thrust upon the taxpayers of this district. I consider this to be no better than theft. What is the point of a vote if results unfavorable to some can be ignored. This sets a very dangerous precedent in our democratic principles. School taxes in this district are already among the highest in the nation and on top of that most taxpayers send their own children to private yeshivas thus sparing the public school system the additional financial burden of educating their children. Now I understand that the due to archaic school funding formulae employed by NY State, ERCSD does not receive its fair share of state aid. This must be changed and made fair! The taxpayers of ERCSD are at a boiling point and I wouldn't be surprised if a tax revolt is organized if the system does not change. Thanks you Ari Halpert

1268. Aaron Buch

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I'm sending to a private school and they are really in the need for more funding.

1269. Sara Feigenbaum

Affiliation: 31

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1270. Elizabeth Rotterman

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1271. Rivka Sender

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate; concerned member of the community

1272. David Levy

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1273. Elisheva Weiss

Affiliation: Degel hatorah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: This is insane formula. My district is being shattered. We pay a bomb of tution and taxes and the district busing and special ed services are horrible. Pleas fix this our district has mostly private school children

1274. Esther Martin

Affiliation: East ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The formulas for funding in East ramapo desperately need adjusting. My son has not been able to find a suitable school in the district partially due to this. And the entire district loses out in various ways and all would benefit from adjusting these issues. Thank you for your consideration.

1275. Leon Sigal

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Resident of East Ramapo Central School District

1276. Marielys Divanne

Affiliation: Educators for Excellence-New York

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments:

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1277. Rochel Lefkowitz

Affiliation: Bais Yakov

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1278. Chaya Zeilingold

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1279. Andrea Ortiz

Affiliation: Dignity in Schools Campaign - NY

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments:

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1280. Robert Fireworker

Affiliation: Regency Group

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Researcher; Education Advocate

1281. Golda Cohen

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1282. Zvi Kozicki

Affiliation: Agudath Israel

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: We are taxed for something we don't use and have the burden of financing the tuition of our children with minimum help from the State. Adding to this our democratic system was compromised by an unelected official. This country was founded on the slogan "No taxation without representation". Please do what is right to rectify this injustice. Thank you.

1283. Alan Bloom

Affiliation: East Ramapo School district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1284. Daniel Sachs

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1285. David Steinberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1286. MOSHE GOLDBERG

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent living in the East Ramapo Central School District, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like my school district, the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students (including 3 of my own children) attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent and as a property taxpayer whose bill was unjustly hiked at the whim of an unelected school bureaucrat, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like my very own, East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Moshe Goldberg

1287. shlomo nadler

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: it is unfair that all the property taxes I pay goes to hundreds of illegal immigrants that dont pay for anything and now they even have the audacity to try to stop paying for our childrens bussing

1288. Devorah L. Flinkenstein

Affiliation: East Ramapo (Pomona. NY)

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1289. Mayer Katz

Affiliation: Brighton Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1290. Aliza Kuznicki

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As parents who favor a strong Jewish education and support regents education for children, please help us keep private schools affordable

1291. Shimon Lowinger

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government: I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Shimon Lowinger

1292. Peretz Wolowik

Affiliation: ERCSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1293. Joel Einhorn

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1294. Esther Fogel

Affiliation: Agudah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: So anti semetic

1295. Goldie Slater

Affiliation: Yeshiva of greater monsey

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1296. Kayla Stimmel

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: As both a staff member and parent, I cannot understand how the state is allowing our district to flounder. The state formula is skewed and does not account for our unique needs as a district. Our district monetary deficits impact our community and creates tremendous discord. The lack of peace between different factions in our community is directly related to lack of funds. I spend much of my year writing IEPs to support each child's unique learning needs. There is no such thing as one size fits all in special education law. So why is there a one size fits all formula for state funding to educate our children?

1297. Yecheskel Nussbaum

Affiliation: Yeshiva of Spring Valley

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

1298. Jennifer Iacopelli

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor Central School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1299. Raizy Nussbaum

Affiliation: Yeshiva Of Spring Valley

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1300. Rena Cohen

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: This is ridiculous. We pay for private schooling and do not use the districts schools. The extra tax is a burden on our already high tuitions.

1301. SAMUEL STERN

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments:

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1302. Sara Leshkowitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As a parent in the East Ramapo School district for the past 11 years, I am so grateful to the Rockefeller Foundation for taking a deep dive into the NYS Foundation Aid formula. This formula is broken. As a homeowner, I just paid my School Tax bill of more than $8500. I pay this every year, despite the fact that my children do not attend public school in the district. All they need - and deserve - is transportation to their private school. But despite the fact that I'm paying my share of taxes, my children are not counted in the flawed Foundation Aid formula. Only public school students count. Of course, in a district with such a high percentage of private school students, the formula urgently needs to be updated to account for EVERY STUDENT in the district - whether they attend public or private school. As taxpayers who give our hard-earned money to the federal, state and local governments - but take almost zero education services in exchange - the very least we should get is transportation, as mandated by NYS law. Even a casual observer can see that private school students greatly outnumber public school students in the East Ramapo district. And something must be done to update the formula so that every student gets what they are entitled to by the state. Thank you for taking the time to review this comment and to examine the changes necessary to give educational funding to every student in our district. One more point that cannot be left out - Dr. Betty Rosa lacks the legal authority to unilaterally raise taxes without a democratic process. This is a travesty. The votes of thousands of East Ramapo residents attest to the fact that we have not authorized a tax increase, simply because we all know that the system is broken. With corrections to the Foundation Aid formula, we are confident that equitable education can be offered to every student in our district.

1303. Isaac Neiman

Affiliation: east Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1304. JOELLE RODIN

Affiliation: Yeshiva Spring valley

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1305. Phillip Kordula

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1306. Pessy Deutsch

Affiliation: aguda

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Hi we as jewish parents are paying cash for our childrens education saving the government millions. it is completely not right that we also need to fund the public school with exorbiant taxes.

1307. Hadassah Glatt

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1308. Jennifer Whitney

Affiliation: Keene Central

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments: Please reconsider your formual for Keene Central School

1309. Yechiel Steinmetz

Affiliation: no

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Why did my school tax go up without a vote? Aru a dictator?

1310. Issac Goldstein

Affiliation: East Ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Student; children, attends

Comments: pls fix the broken school funding formula tnx

1311. alan citron

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The current funding formula does not take into account private school children in calculating how much funding each district receives. This is unfair to districts where a large percentage of the children go to private schools.

1312. Shlomo Krasner

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie, NY

Relationship to Education: Concerned Citizen

Comments: I am amazed how those who pay private tuition should be responsible at all for the public school system. Student vouchers should be allocated, but at a minimum their taxes should be lowered and not raised.

1313. Mordy Goldman

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The formula just makes no sense because it fails to factor in the 3:1 private to public school student mix and for some reason a significant number of students in nearby districts are being sent to our district as "homeless". Then they raised my taxes completely unconstitutionally. Please fix this issue properly in the allocation formula, its been an issue for 20 years now.

1314. Yitzchok Fromovitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: o the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a non-public school grandparent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when commenting regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for non-public school students at all. While this may have a negligible impact in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where most of the students attend non-public schools, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to non-public school children, yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against non-public school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish grandparent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my grandchildren attend non-public schools, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or non-public schools, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Yitzchok Fromovitz

1315. Zvi Nulman

Affiliation: Suffern

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I am a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly.

1316. Shea Gold

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1317. Shloma Soloman

Affiliation: Solomons Mentoring Services

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments: I'm outraged at this unvoted tax levy that is being put on myself and my community. Besides the fact that goes against democracy; against the vote and will of our community, it also does nothing to help the local public school kids who are short funded by a formula that does not take our district in account. We are already among the paying highest taxpayer community in the nation, and now this is going to make us even worse. I pay thousands of dollars for my kids tuition yearly, why shouldn't the state give their part for the public students in our district? Please I urge you to either change the formula or do something to solve the root of the problem rather than taxing us even more! Thank You

1318. Chaya Weinreb

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1319. Helen Steinfeld

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I have lived in East Ramapo for 40 years. Our school taxes are very high even though over 50% of the children in the district attend private schools. The funding formula is not fair to these private school parents. We are paying a fortune and barely even getting bussing and some special ed services. Now the district wants to raise our taxes even though the majority voted against it. We are paying for the education of many illegal immigrants.

1320. Eliezer Weiss

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, As a parent of a nonpublic school student, I'm writing about the Foundation Aid formula, which currently excludes nonpublic school students. This oversight significantly affects districts like East Ramapo Central, where 75% of students are in nonpublic schools. The district must provide services to these students without receiving corresponding Foundation Aid, leading to budget deficits and strife between public and nonpublic school families. Additionally, the formula uses outdated Census data from 2000, which doesn't reflect the current demographic and educational needs of districts like East Ramapo, which has grown and changed substantially since then. I urge you to review and update the Foundation Aid formula to address these issues, ensuring all children, regardless of school type, have the resources they need. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

1321. Miriam Nachfolger

Affiliation: Yeshiva spring valley

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: We pay thousands of dollars in property taxes we need funding for our children

1322. Daisy Dalfin

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1323. Basya Schwab

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Hi. I have 5 children in East Ramapo School District who attend private schools. Having been a resident for 21 years in Rockland, paying school taxes as they increase every year while only benefitting from bussing and textbooks for my children. Private school students make up the majority of the students in our district. The formula for funding based on public school students does not work for our district. This must be addressed at the state level through additional funding. Increasing taxes on the private school parents is not the answer.

1324. Meiri Brachfeld

Affiliation: East Ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To who it may concern, I implore you to please change the formula for funding school districts. The current formula does not adequately serve writer private or public school students. Change the formula to make it more equitable so that ALL students can be served properly. Thank you for taking the time and for doing what's right for today children. Meiri Brachfeld Resident Wesley hills , ny

1325. Rachel Rosner

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1326. Beena Soiefer

Affiliation: East Ramapo resident

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1327. Joseph ADLER

Affiliation: Hewlett Woodmere

Relationship to Education: retired public and private school teacher

Comments: formula needs to account for non public students in the district District 14 HW has many non public school student These students get services from the school district

1328. Chana Flohr

Affiliation: NY District 27

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Dear Rockefeller Institute of Government, I am writing to you as a parent of non-public school children and as a concerned citizen. I have recently learned that NYS Commissioner of Education Betty Rosa has unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Orthodox Jewish community of East Ramapo. This is outrageous and unfair, as most Orthodox Jews electively spend their own hard earned money to send their children to private religious institutions for their schooling, saving the state nearly half a billion dollars. Instead of the government giving back to this community for their hard work to send their children to school on their own dime, they are being punished. I feel that this is a form of taxation without representation and should not be tolerated. Non-public school families MUST be accounted for in the tax formulas so that the non-public school families are not unfairly burdened by significantly raised taxes. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Chana Flohr

1329. Samuel Herman

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, As a nonpublic school parent, I'd like to bring to your attention the unintended negative consequences the foundation aid formula has brought to the East Ramapo Central School district communities. While the district is required to provide certain services to nonpublic school children who are 3/4 of students in the district - it receives no Foundation Aid to provide them, because the Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. This guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Samuel Herman

1330. Moses Shuwaks

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1331. Miriam Levsky

Affiliation: New York City

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Student

1332. Jacob Schwartz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: please correct the situation here.

1333. Ira Wurem

Affiliation: District 28

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Student

Comments: Please reconsider the formula you are planning on using. Thank you

1334. Jacob Lebovics

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1335. Israel Baum

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1336. Elie Krohn

Affiliation: Brooklyn

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent from Brooklyn. While the issues at stake to not effect me directly, since i do not leave in the East Ramapo vicinity, I feel compelled to write. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Elie Krohn

1337. Cindy Mytelka

Affiliation: Resident

Relationship to Education: Grandmother

Comments: I have 15 grandchildren who live in the East Ramapo central school district . They all attend private school and pay tuition for their schools. It is an outrage that as tax paying property owners, we are also paying for so many children of non- taxpaying and often illegal immigrant parents. While having the sooo few benefits of our school tax be cut on a regular basis.

1338. Rochelle Schlachter

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1339. Eli Weinstock

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: It seems that the formula is unfair in that it uses outdated metrics over 20 years old and uses regional cost factors based on 2006 data. It doesn't provide equitable access to services such as special needs, and the hold harmless provision which prevents districs from losing funding despite enrollement drops needs to be reconsidered. We would appreciate consideration of vouchers whereby parents could effectively choose the mode of education appropriate for their children, whether by public or private school. This would also motivate public schools to improve or be left in the dust to close, as parents would choose better options.

1340. Nicole Gabrielsen

Affiliation: Keene Central School

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Save Harmless should not be discontinued.

1341. Gella Asovski

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District. Beth Rochel school

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As a parent and grandparent of children attending private school, I believe that each child is entitled to a private education. Unfortunately, in addition to paying the high cost of private education, parents in my private school community in the East Ramapo School District in Rockland County, NY, have recently been taxed with a 5% increase to fund services for a public school system that is not being used by the orthodox/Hasidic Jewish community. The burden of funding this small public school system, where a unique formula is needed, should not be on parents who are already paying for private schooling. The state MUST create formulas to fund public school systems in our unique mostly private school district to alleviate the burden on the people. As a parent, grandparent and child therapist, I believe that ALL children have a right to a proper education and that this is the responsibility of the state to address so parents who choose a private school education don't suffocate under the additional burden.

1342. Karen Belanger

Affiliation: Lower Hudson Education Coalition

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator; School Board Member; Education Advocate

Comments:

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1343. Robert Zak

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments:

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1344. Moshe Fogel

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1345. Jenny Isaacson

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: This is completely unfair and taxing to parents that are already paying high tuitions. They are unfairly taking services away from private schools while taxing more

1346. Lauren Gelbtuch

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1347. Avrohom Schwab

Affiliation: East ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: State aid formula must change. It is also very wrong to disregard voters choice to vote against a budget and unilaterally impose a tax. Completely unamerican! SAD!

1348. naomi hirschfeld

Affiliation: East rampo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly.

1349. Holli Lasky

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Former non public school parent

1350. Shani Shulman

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: The State needs to correct the Foundation Aid formula. It is completely ridiculous that it has not been corrected already. It is creating unnecessary hatred and animosity in this district. We need to increase feelings of love unity in our district.

1351. Sharon Teiler

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I feel the system and formula needs to be revised specifically here in ERCSD where I educated my children and where I work. I feel more attention needs to be focused on the fact that private school parents pay full taxes AND pay private tuition at great personal expense and are unfairly looked at as if they are undeserving or taking entitlement they don't deserve. I care about education for every child and I believe my work ethic and world view represents this

1352. Mimi Horowitz

Affiliation: Yeshiva Darchei Torah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: If all private school students entered public schools it would bankrupt the system. It is in your best interest to make sure that does not happen. All we ask for is our fair share of the billions of dollars that we contribute.

1353. Kristin Scharf

Affiliation: Eastport-South Manor CSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; PTO Board member

1354. Yosef Goldman

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1355. Susie Ximenez

Affiliation: Adelante Student Voices, Hyde Park Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

Comments: The current Foundation Aid Formula, based on data from the 2000 census, is woefully outdated and no longer meets the needs of our rapidly growing populations in the Hudson Valley and Upstate NY. The state must urgently overhaul this formula to accurately reflect contemporary community demographics. More critically, we need a new formula that not only addresses these changes but also reinforces our commitment to equitable and fair education across New York State.

1356. Neil Fogel

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The system is broken! The taxpayers are being charged (illegally in my opinion by a "judge, jury & executioner") for something we voted against. Please get the school aid system fixed as soon as possible. It's a disgrace!

1357. Mira and Peter Juricek

Affiliation: MSA, YSV, ERCSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1358. Malka Zelman

Affiliation: Self

Relationship to Education: Resident of east Ramapo with grandchildren in private school

Comments: A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. I write to you as a nonpublic school parent and grandparent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely

1359. Ursula Lehmann

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1360. lauren wieder

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: concerned tax payer

1361. stuart wieder

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: concerned tax payer

1362. Cheryl Simon

Affiliation: Agudah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school Alumnai, CPA, practicing in Spring Valley to be precise, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my family attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Cheryl Simon

1363. Leora Herskovich

Affiliation: ERSCD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1364. Yaniv Razak

Affiliation: East Ramapo CSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1365. Zvi Finkel

Affiliation: yeshiva ketana of long island

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1366. esther hirschfeld

Affiliation: ERCSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1367. Miriam schwartz

Affiliation: Parent 11204, 11230,

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments:

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1368. Toby Meisels

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; special educator

Comments: The formula is faulty. This is district is an anomaly being that there are far more private school students than public school students, however the state should take into account all students and correct the formula. Thank you in advance.

1369. Dina K

Affiliation: Ithaca, Tompkins County, NY

Relationship to Education: Researcher; Resident of an unusual school district

Comments: I've heard that the FAF takes into account the value of district property but does not account for untaxable land owned by exempt entities. In Ithaca, NY, where I live, 59% of property (by value) is exempt from property taxes due to Cornell University's disproportionately large presence. Our property taxes are 3.435% of value per year, with school taxes making up 48% of that. Ithaca is becoming increasingly uninhabitable due to the tax burden, and many homeowners are being pushed out of their homes by high taxes, while the highest-value property holder remains tax-exempt. New York should either A) fund our school district more to compensate for Cornell's exempt status or B) remove the tax-exempt status of universities.

1370. Harry Rosenberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am writing to you as a nonpublic school parent. Currently, the Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. This may have negligible impacts in some areas, but in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where a majority of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has created serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children, yet it receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. It is no surprise that this state of affairs constantly results in a fiscal deficit. The even sadder outcome of these deficits is that communities are destroyed, with public school parents in constant conflict with nonpublic school parents, as all are vying for a share of an impossibly small pie. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. Although my children attend nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Harry Rosenberg

1371. Asher Oberlander

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: We appreciate if the government will do what's right and get the formula issue researched and fixed, this will help bring ease and unity between all parties involved.

1372. Ruven Porges

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; home owner

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I am writing to you as a taxpayer, as a parent of students in private schools, and as a concerned citizen of the United States. I have spent an untold amount of hard-earned money educating my children in private schools, thus, saving the State approximately 1.5 million dollars over the years. Additionally, I have paid over sixty thousand dollars, thus far, in school taxes while receiving almost nothing in return for my children. I had to relocate to a different due to the unbearable financial situation. I rented out my house so I'm still paying the exorbitant amount of school taxes. I know that you were only tasked to review the formula of the state funding, yet I cannot remain silent while the State Education Department is on a mission to vilify and discriminate against Orthodox Jews. I strongly speculate that the formula was not changed thus far, because the only ones benefiting are the Orthodox Jews. The facts of the financial difficulties facing the East Ramapo School District demonstrates that the funding formula is broken. It is based on faulty facts and data. Additionally, it is the liberal policies of New York State that are creating a huge influx of non-US citizens attending the Public Schools in our district. While I strongly agree that everyone should receive a high-quality education, I do not have to pay for it. Please do everything within your power to address this concern and rectify this unjust behavior of New York State. Sincerely, Ruven Porges

1373. Harold & Annico Mechlovics

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: I pay East Ramapo School Taxes

Comments: I pay East Ramapo taxes and do not receive the benefits as a resident since my children attended non public Schools. Our payments benefit other children in the public school systems but not ours that attend Non-Public Schools.

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1374. Hillary Boucher

Affiliation: Ithaca City School

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Our community is heavily burdened by taxes and yet our schools are not receiving the funding we need. I believe it may have to do with the fact that Cornell is our county's largest landowner and is tax exempt. Your model may need to be adjusted to account for scenarios like this. Thank you.

1375. Helene Horowitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Taxpayer living in East Ramapo

Comments: I am a senior citizen (widow) who is still working. I am not eligible for the senior discount due to my working status. At this point I am on the verge of not being able to live in my house due to these rising taxes. Basically the public schools are being supported by all the people who have or had their children in non-public schools. It is grossly unfair that we should be taxed out of our homes that we have been living in for so many year. This entire formula needs to be reevaluated immediately

1376. Victoria Bogart

Affiliation: Hancock Central School

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Board Member

Comments: Thank you for the opportunity to address you regarding the foundation aid formula. I watched the Laurens testimony as well as some of the others and much of what I wanted to say has been addressed. However, I want to speak for the students, teachers, staff and community of Hancock. I am a parent, taxpayer and Board of Education member of Hancock Central School in Delaware County. I have two children that attend Hancock Central Elementary School and one who graduated in 2022. Last school year Hancock was set to lose over $1.2 million with the loss of save harmless that the governor had proposed. This loss of funding would be devastating to our students, staff and community. This led us to petition our legislators and hold a rally. The theme of our rally was 'we are enough.' We felt the need to have this rally and speak to anyone who would listen because this cut would have led to drastic cuts in our programs which would have been catastrophic for our community. Even with the restoration of save harmless, we were forced to make cuts due to increased costs and no increase in funding. Summer school was impacted as well as reducing sports positions, sharing many positions with Deposit Central School as well as reduced funding in many areas including music and supplies. Hancock has already looked for ways to decrease costs and continues to partner with Boces and local school districts for opportunities to do so. We have a combined sports program with Deposit Central School, which has been successful. In the 24 to 25 school year, we will share more staff and classes between the schools and will continue to look at opportunities to share. This is the reality of what small schools need to do to offer opportunities to our students. We will bus students 20 minutes to Deposit that are taking chemistry and physics for half of the school day, so that they have a certified teacher. While they are there, they will also take gym and other classes depending on their schedule. We are actively looking for other ways to share with our neighboring schools and BOCES so that our students have the opportunities that they deserve, and we reduce costs where we can. We need equity for students including kids in rural areas like Hancock. They should have the same opportunity as those in large districts. However, there is a limit to what we can cut. It doesn't matter that we have less students, at this point we have one teacher per grade in elementary school and we have the same building costs no matter how many kids are in it. NYS must have a funding formula that is transparent, reliable and predictable. It needs to meet regional needs and should reflect the reality of the community. In Hancock we have high property value, which makes our district look wealthy. That is very far from reality in one of the poorest counties in New York State. I heard the Board Member from a neighboring district Roxbury explain this very well at the Laurens hearing. We receive free lunch, yet our property value makes us look wealthy. We have people with second homes or property in Hancock. We also need to consider removing Free and reduced lunch from the formula. Districts such as Hancock that receives free lunch, struggle to get parents to fill out the forms. Whatever the changes may be, we need to ensure that they are made over time, and not leave a school with a drastic cut that will devastate our school. There is not much left to take away from our students in rural schools. Thank you for your consideration.

1377. Simcha Levi

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1378. Dena Levi

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1379. Tamar Norowitz

Affiliation: Yeshiva Torah Temimah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1380. Avraham Adler

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent and grandparent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent and grandparent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Avraham Adler, FCAS, CSPA, CERA, MAAA

1381. Moshe Kaufman

Affiliation: Agudah

Relationship to Education: I live in the district

Comments: We are already paying high enough taxes. I put 6 kids through school 1-12 grade and college. I paid thousands in taxes and paid all my tuitions in private school costing the county NOTHING. I don't want a tax increase!

1382. Gitty Steinmetz

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As a parent living here I constantly hear about the struggles of parents in the East Ramapo School District East Ramapo. It's not okay that the public schools and their students have so many less services than surrounding school districts. It's not okay that struggling students in yeshivas almost never get approved for necessary special Ed services and can only access them if they have health insurance that can cover some of it. Placing additional tax levy is like putting decorations on an injury. It's not addressing the issue at all just making it look pretty so some people feel better. Rockland county is the county with the second highest property taxes in the United States. Majority parents here are going to Yeshivas not because they can afford it but because of their values and morals held for centuries which unfortunately are often the antithesis of what is held by some in the public school system so they feel they have no choice but to open their own schools. The formula that is used by the state doesn't work for this district and that needs to be fixed. The rhetoric of politicians how providing transportation to Yeshivas is the issue here needs to stop and the the real issue needs to be addressed. We have some very smart people working in Albany. I am sure there is a way to address this by making the formula work for our school district too. Thank You

1383. Mordechai Senderowitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1384. Zehava Golding

Affiliation: East Ramapo CSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: As a parent and therapist who moved from NYC school district to East Ramapo school district I see first hand the severity of the funding problem here and the lack of funds available to children of all backgrounds who needs therapies here in East Ramapo. A reevaluation of funding is desperately needed. Thank you.

1385. Scott Dippel

Affiliation: Eastport/South Manor CSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1386. Yechezkel Moscovitz

Affiliation: North Rockland

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1387. nechoma kendall

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1388. mordechai ilovitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Agudath Israel of America Logo ACTION NEEDED BY THIS FRIDAY: Tell New York State to fix the broken school funding formula Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. Agudath Israel of America expressed outrage and concern with the ramifications of the order and is working with others on pathways to respond to these actions. For the next few days there is something that every New Yorker, and especially East Ramapo residents, can do about it. The Rockefeller Institute has been tasked by the state to conduct a study to assess the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula and discuss potential modifications to how the formula works. As the form letter describes, the major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data. Please write your own comment letter or personalize the form letter below to make your voice heard. Comments to the Rockefeller Institute can be submitted by clicking here and are due this Friday, September 6th. Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum Director, Rockland Regional Office Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Director of New York Government Relations Agudath Israel of America Mr. Avrohom Weinstock Director of KnowUs Agudath Israel of America CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A LETTER Sample Letter: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Mordechai Ilovitz

1389. Shayn Green

Affiliation: Agudah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Why do you keep punishing those who want private education for our kids? As long as they get a good education which our kids do get. Enough with forcing us to pay for public education which we are not using at all.

1390. Thomas Burkhardt

Affiliation: Chenango Forks CSD - Binghamton, NY

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; School or District Administrator

Comments:

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1391. Timothy Weber

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The formula must take tax-exempt property into account. In Ithaca, 100% of property taxes are paid by 40% of the landowners. It's unsustainable, it's actively driving people out of the district, and Cornell has no incentive to contribute fairly.

1392. Riki Erps

Affiliation: 456

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1393. ELI MENDLOWITZ

Affiliation: E Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: NYS ahs never given consideration to the large population of my school district that don't use the public school system. As parents of children using the private schools I am paying tuition for my children plus tax money for other children. I would further suggest that the state not assess us personally for the many undocumented immigrants that are now entering our public schools. I believe if these were removed from the school system there would be no shortfall.

1394. Ephrat Dvir

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1395. Morris Isaacson

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

1396. Jacob Nojovits

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Dear Members of the Rockefeller Institute of Government, As a nonpublic school parent, I may not be the expected stakeholder to request feedback on Foundation Aid, but this omission is precisely the issue I'm addressing. The current formula neglects nonpublic school students, which has significant repercussions in districts like East Ramapo, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic schools. Despite providing mandatory services to these students, the district receives no Foundation Aid, guaranteeing a fiscal deficit and fueling tensions between public and nonpublic school communities. As a Jewish parent, I've witnessed the resulting hostility and antisemitism firsthand, which has persisted for decades. Furthermore, the formula relies on outdated 2000 U.S. Census data, distorting the funding picture statewide. East Ramapo, in particular, has undergone significant growth and demographic changes since then, including a surge in English language learners requiring additional services. I urge you to research and update the Foundation Aid formula to address these issues, ensuring all children, regardless of their school choice, receive the necessary resources to succeed. Sincerely, Jacob Nojovits

1397. Zissy Fiddle

Affiliation: Haverstraw-Stony Point CSD (North Rockland)

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a family member of a nonpublic school student. Perhaps not the participant one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish family member of a nonpublic school, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my family member attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Zissy Fiddle

1398. Sholom Parnes

Affiliation: Mirrer Yeshiva

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1399. Corey Callahan

Affiliation: NYC Charter School Center

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: Please see attached pdf file.

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1400. jackie spadaro

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: stakeholder

1401. Brachah Wolfson

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1402. Lindsey Tice

Affiliation: Elmira City School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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1403. marilyn eisenman

Affiliation: queens

Relationship to Education: Citizen interested in education for all persons

Comments: Problems must be solved by identifying and correcting the underlying difficulty - not levying more taxes.

1404. Courtney Monaghan

Affiliation: Eastport-South Manor School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1405. Tonia Thompson

Affiliation: Binghamton City School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

File uploads:

1406. BARUCH POLIATZKY

Affiliation: Suffern

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1407. ASHIRA POLIATZKY

Affiliation: Suffern

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1408. Brocha Chaitovsky

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments:

File uploads:

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1409. Mordechai Aminov

Affiliation: new york

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1410. Bill Weber

Affiliation: Senator, 38th District, NYS Senate

Relationship to Education: Other Elected Official

Comments:

File uploads:

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1411. Carrie Schonfeld

Affiliation: East Ramapo School DIstrict

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The state of NY has shown its discriminatory colors by forcing parents who already pay for private schooling (saving YOU tons of money yearly) to pay ridiculously higher taxes. Dr Betty Rosa: we are calling you out.

1412. Isaac Sperka

Affiliation: YSV

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Board Member

1413. JUDITH SVARC

Affiliation: EAST RAMAPO DISTRICT

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; GRANDPARENT

Comments: I am the grandparent of 20 grandchildren residing in the Chestnut Ridge area, which is in the East Ramapo School District. All of these children are educated in private religious institutions because religious education is extremely important to our Jewish community. Our institutions also educate the children, very comprehensively and successfully in secular studies. These families are upright, tax paying citizens who need services from the Department of Education. However, since you are doing this study, you must have realized that although there are thousands of children in the district, most of them do not go to public schools. The ratio of funds distribution is therefore skewed incorrectly, short changing both the public school children and the private school children. Dr. Rosa's comments and her actions are wrong and biased. She should know better than to raise taxes on residents who already pay onerous property taxes. NYS needs to redo apportioning the funds to this district in a manner that is fair and equitable to ALL residents. Yes, the public schools need more funds, true, but NYS has to look into the population of this district and redo the apportioning of the education funds. Thank you for your study. I'm sure you will share in Agudath Israel's concerns.

1414. Kate Hoffman

Affiliation: Genesee Valley Chief School Officers' Association

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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1415. sheila Brecher

Affiliation: Rockaway

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Very important

1416. Avi Alter

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1417. Max Schlesinger

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: we are paying so much for our kids schools already why do we get an extra tax for public school systems, fix it on your own!

1418. BORUCH GLATZER

Affiliation: SCHOOL DISTRICT 20

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF ROCKEFELLER INSTITUTE THE GRAVE INJUSTICE OF THE FORMULA USED FOR SCHOOL BOARDS. THE FORMULA HAS BEEN OUTDATED SINCE I WAS A KID AND MUST BE RECTIFIED BY A NON BIASED COMMISSION . IF THAT WILL HAPPEN DEPENDS ON A NON BIASED ADMINISTRATION. THANK YOU MR. B. GLATZER

1419. Sara Wizel

Affiliation: East Ramapo School district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1420. Joshua Friedmann

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent in Monsey, NY, perhaps not the person one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. I pay $10,000 a year in just school taxes, yet my 3 children attend private school(which costs me almost $25,000 a year)so I actually am paying another $25k towards education which WOULD HAVE been paid by the district had I decided to send my children to public school(thus raising taxes even higher for us), albeit we make so little income we are on welfare!. So this must be fixed. Sincerely, Joshua Friedmann

1421. Yaron Malik

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1422. Devorah Grun

Affiliation: ERCSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1423. Elliot appel

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please please reverse this, we pay one of the highest tax rates already. This is unconstitutional and very unjust. Fix the formula and we wont have this issue, tis that simple.

1424. Jacob Zahler

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

1425. Yaakov Prupas

Affiliation: ohr reuven

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: The current formula is hurting tens of thousands of students and their family in our area. It completely ignores the needs of the 75% of students who are private schooled for religious reasons, not because their parents are wealthy. We have the some of the highest school taxes in the whole country in Rockland County yet are being forced once again to raise them because we aren't being given enough aid from the Foundation because our true needs as a community and our true numbers are being ignored. We are suffering and feel willfully ignored. Please address the real concerns of our communities. Not only are we paying huge taxes to support public schools we get no benefit from at all, but every sign of frustration by us to these incredibly high taxes and their regular hikes are met with waves and waves of intense anti semitism, as our voices are ignored. This broken system needs to be addressed. Please help...

1426. JOEL EIZIKOVITS

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The current foundation aid formula discriminates against our school district, I live in a poor district, however, based on the current formula our school district gets treated as if we were a rich district as a result we get less aid and get taxed higher

1427. YITZCHOK GLATZER

Affiliation: DISTRICT 13

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Its outrageous what is going on here. The public school system education IS FAR INFERIOR to the overall private school system and they want to reform ours. We save the public school system billions. We are entitled to a fairer reimbursement formula!!

1428. Eli Helfgott

Affiliation: ERCSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To Whom It May Concern; Please note that our taxes are the second highest in the ENTIRE NATION. A formula fix is the only fair and equitable solution here. thank you.

1429. Moshe Beer

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

1430. robert klein

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: please see my uploaded letter - thank you

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1431. Michelle Ehrenpreis

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The formula needs to be revisited and take into account that private students significantly outnumber public school students. Private school parents need reliable bussing from the district.

1432. Michael Schmerling

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

Comments: o the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I am writing to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly.

1433. Steve Hoffman

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1434. Jill Tripp

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

Comments: Please consider the plight of homeowners in small cities with large tax exempt institutions. We have heard from many who are being priced out of the town they love by high taxes. This year in Ithaca this resulted in many reluctant negative votes on the school budget. Thank you.

1435. Bentzion Katz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1436. Gail Scheinberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1437. Malka Block alk

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1438. Jill Tripp

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

1439. Jacob Felder

Affiliation: North Rockland District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As a tax paying citizen, I understand the need for funding public schools. However, as a parent of 3 children in private schools, I would like that to be taken into account when it comes to subsidies and costs. Thank you

1440. chaim bamberger

Affiliation: The Skill Building Center

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a trustee of a nonpublic school in for specialized education, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a trustee of a nonpublic school for children with learning disabilities the funding of our Institution is critical for the community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While I work with a nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Chaim Bamberger The Skill Building Center Yeshiva Eitz Chaim/ Bnos Bracha Monsey NY

1441. Mordche Rosenblum

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1442. Shloime Rosenblum

Affiliation: Resident, Parent and Tax payer

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1443. Samuel Lewitan

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please fix the aid formula so schools can get the aid they need to educate their students

1444. Ken Grossman

Affiliation: Aguda

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I find it a travesty that democracy spoke when voting down the tax increase and yet the school board unilaterally decides to over rule the will of the people.

1445. Barry Gross

Affiliation: Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I send my 5 children to Private school at great financial sacrifice, but I'm still paying a lot in taxes for the public school students. A vast majority here in Rockland County don't use the Public School system and to raise taxes on us to fix this broken formula just isn't fair. We need a better formula to assure the funds are being alloted fairly and correclty instead of raising taxes on those already financially shot.

1446. Sara Tendler

Affiliation: Manhattan High School for Girls

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. I am also a teacher in the non-public school sector, and get none of those benefits of pension and the like. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Sara Tendler

1447. Audrey Seleski

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: We live in a democracy!!!!

1448. Dr. Steven A Renzoni

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1449. DAVID KLEIN

Affiliation: Yeshiva Darchei Torah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Board Member

1450. Rochel Rosenberg

Affiliation: east ramapo school district

Relationship to Education: resident of district

1451. Abraham Rosenberg

Affiliation: east ramapo school district

Relationship to Education: parent of child

1452. David Frenkel

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1453. Esther Robinson

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1454. Megan Wellford

Affiliation: Keene Central School

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Revoking the Save Harmless legislation would be devastating to our small rural district. We have a high rate of land wealth in the Adirondack Park, which is not able to be developed and thus won't be ever be a revenue source for our district.

1455. Antonina Leonard

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments:

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1456. Devorah Feiner

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1457. Velvel Dickstein

Affiliation: Velvel Dickstein

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

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1458. yoel jacobs

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: all agree this is unfair and the time has come to spend the time to correct it.

1459. Shlomo Kushner

Affiliation: East Ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1460. Willem Vanessendelft

Affiliation: Franklin Central School

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Franklin, along with many other upstate New York communities, is in the situation where secondary homes and part time homeowners create a property tax assessment that is not in line with actual wealth or income for families with children in the local school. Calculating aid based on real property value is not an effective way to distribute aid in upstate New York small, rural communities. Foundation aid should be calculated on actual income of primary residents for the census tracts encapsulated by a school district. Local schools are the heart of upstate communities. We need more local schools, not less or these small towns will die out.

1461. Rachel Gross

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: An tax increase should NOT be against the will of the people in the district. Rather a review of the needs of the district should be properly conducted. It is unfair for families that are struggling to make ends meet to be taxed additional money that may not even be necessary.

1462. Ben Thalheim

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The state's formula to fund districts and public schools (Foundation Aid) is fundamentally flawed and at fault here. It does not account at all for nonpublic school students, even though the district is required to supply certain services to all children. Given the unique demographics of East Ramapo, where most children attend yeshiva, the district has, naturally, experienced budgetary shortfalls.

1463. Sol Rosenberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo NY

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The tax levy — the highest increase in memory — raises East Ramapo's already high property taxes by a whopping 5.38% !!! Instead of 1%, the increase democratically decided by the voters of East Ramapo and its elected school board, the state Commissioner interceded and illegally raised the amount to levels we cannot sustain!! A particularly dangerous aspect of the Commissioner's order is its framing of the events as neglectful or malicious actions taken by a white (Jewish), private school (yeshiva) attending majority against a Black and Hispanic, underprivileged, public-school attending minority. While assuredly not the intent, this rhetoric only inflames already dangerous racial tensions and antisemitism and does nothing to solve the issue.

1464. Kathleen Morse

Affiliation: Keene Central School

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1465. steven edelstein

Affiliation: monsey

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1466. Jenn Jicha

Affiliation: Keene Central School

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1467. Yaakov Ani

Affiliation: NYC

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1468. Hadas Ani

Affiliation: NYC

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1469. Wendy Lecker

Affiliation: Education Law Center

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments:

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1470. Brent Suddaby

Affiliation: Candor Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator; Education Advocate

Comments:

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1471. Jonathan Weiss

Affiliation: I live in the East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To: Rockefeller Institute of Government Re: New York State's school funding formula To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I am writing to you as a non-public school parent in the East Ramapo Central School District. We have four children in private elementary schools in the district. We were terribly appalled and disturbed when we heard that Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa acted unilaterally against the democratic process to assess a 5.38% tax levy on the district. Residents of this district voted against proposed budgets numerous times, and then finally voted in favor of one with a small 1% tax increase. Dr. Rosa then went against every person that voted that day and essentially showed them all by her actions that she does not have to abide by their wishes and that she is above the democratic process. The root cause of this issue is that the State's funding formula for school districts does not work for our particular district, in which 75% of students attend private schools. This district will therefore always have a budget deficit as the state must provide certain benefits to non-public-school parents while not receiving Foundation Aid for these students. Additionally, the formula uses outdated information from old census data. This community has changed over the past 20 years and has experienced explosive growth â€“ I think I recall hearing that it is one of the fastest in the state. Furthermore, the migrant crisis has caused an influx of new public-school students who need English instruction. This creates more pressure on the already cash-strapped district as the formula was instituted at a different time (prior to the crisis). The changes in quantity and quality of the district has rendered the funding formula inadequate and not able to address the needs of the district. The above issues are causing strife in the district and pitting public-school parents against non-public-school parents. One needs to look no further than any school board meeting over the last few years to see how the funding formula has turned people against each other. As a Jewish parent, I fear that this will only fuel the flames of antisemitism that is already at an alarmingly high level. It is evident from these issues that the funding formula needs to be updated and Dr. Rosa must rescind her arbitrary and undemocratic tax levy. All the students of this district â€“ whether public or private - deserve to succeed and this can only happen with a revamping of the formula. Thank you for researching this issue so that my children and all students of this district and state can succeed. Sincerely, Jonathan and Hendy Weiss

1472. Meir Scheinfeld

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1473. Meir Straus

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Student

Comments: It is extremely disturbing that the non public school children are not included in in the formula for state aid. Why are our children being SHORT CHANGED? At the barest minimum we should get the district reimbursed for expenses like transportation!

1474. Becki Edmundson

Affiliation: Comsewogue School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

1475. Esther Rosenfeld

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1476. Joshua Levine

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1477. Eric Bell

Affiliation: CVES BOCES

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator; Researcher; Education Advocate

Comments: Please see the attached letter.

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1478. Zachary Rothken

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1479. Donna Sawyer

Affiliation: Keene Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1480. Aryeh Pomerantz

Affiliation: Suffern Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I am a parent of numerous students in private schools Rockland County. I pay approximately $30,000 a year in property taxes, the majority of which is for the school tax. For this, I receive almost no services. Even with regard to those services which are mandated by law even for students of private schools, we are treated like second class citizens and have had this attitude conveyed to us by school district officials. This, despite the fact that with regard to these services, the law gives NO PRIORITY to public schools and their students. As an example, we are entitled to transportation for our children in private schools. Nevertheless, the school district made a rule that there is only a single pick up and drop off per school per day. This despite the fact that our child's school ran from pre-school through and including high school. Clearly, dismissal times for a first grader are not the same as for a high school senior. Public schools have the luxury of separate schools for grade school , middle school , and high school, and perhaps even for junior high school. Thus, this unreasonable rule does not affect them. As mentioned, our school was a single school , albeit in different buildings on the same campus, yet we ended up paying for private transportation due to this unreasonable rule designed to affect only private school students. So, even though we are paying enormous taxes and are entitled to transportation, they managed to cheat us out of even one of the few services that do get. The prevailing attitude is that somehow private school families are somehow cheating the public schools out of their funding and services. Nothing can be further from the truth. We actually pay the bulk of the taxes but get almost none of the services. Any lack of funding that the public schools are experiencing is a result of a ridiculous funding formula that simply ignores the existence of private school students, a group that in Rockland County far outnumbered public school students. Yet, demogogues are trying to portray it as if private school families are fleecing the public schools. ALL WHILE WE ARE PAYING THE GREATEST AMOUNTS AND GETTING ALMOST NOTHING FIR IT!!! I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Aryeh Pomerantz

1481. Leon Moskowitz

Affiliation: Spring valley

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please send funging to private schools as well

1482. Alan Mendlowitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1483. Yosef Pruzansky

Affiliation: East Ramapo School district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1484. Pnina Pruzansky

Affiliation: East Ramapo School district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1485. Billy Jones

Affiliation: NYS Assembly

Relationship to Education: Other Elected Official

Comments:

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1486. Bayla Brenner

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1487. Suzie Gutierrez

Affiliation: Rochester City

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Spouse of a teacher

Comments: This study of the formula seems really important, since as stated in the FAQ's, data being used for districts is from 2000 and 2007. I would also certainly hope that inflation and economic squeezes of the middle class are taken into account. Also, if schools or districts are providing additional community services like dentists, barber services, etc, in the school, are they allocated more funding? Thank you for the good work you are doing to study and potentially evolve this formula for the current era.

1488. Noga Rudowsky

Affiliation: Agudath Israel

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: As a parent of a young adult with Down Syndrome and as a high school math educator and adjunct math college professor for over 45 years I am puzzled and outraged by the ineptitude shown by those who created the foundation aid formula and hope that you modify it .

1489. Miriam Goldman

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1490. Joseph Zehnwirth

Affiliation: Agudah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Student; Resident of NYC

Comments: Why would we work with outdated statistics? Why shouldn't taxpayers decide where their tax monies collected on behalf of their childs school go? shouldn't the money go towards the school they are sending their child towards? why should a family who doesn't want to enroll their child in a public school be fined and not get the benifit's of their tax dollars? shouldn't it obviously follow statistically, the percentage of student's enrolled in the public school in a specific district, is the percentage of the "school funding pie" that they get tax money from. if a public school is less popular, it has smaller enrollment, it should by definition need less resources. The private schools that do teach the remaining children of the school district, should get the remaining funding. although school districts as they are are a pretty flawed metric to follow, as many religious private schools serve a greater radius of students, as the parents choose to send their child to a particular school of their religous affiliation. But that type of Metric figuring is why folks get paid the big bucks to think long and hard about this. Thanks for reading!

1491. Aviva Sofer

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1492. Bayla Czertok

Affiliation: ErCSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1493. Shlomie Rottenberg

Affiliation: Suffern school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1494. Asher Anisfeld

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

1495. zelda Advocat

Affiliation: Rockland county

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1496. Ilana Blass

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1497. Avigail Karash

Affiliation: East Ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1498. Shanelle Ko

Affiliation: Franklin Central School

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The foundation aid formula does not accurately measure the wealth of the communities to which it is applied. Yoko Ono, fashion designer Gary Graham, high-end interior designers and remote technology workers live in the Historic Village of Franklin. Second-home buyers came from the city during covid. They do not have kids in the local school and their salaries are disproportionate to those common in the area. The Town of Franklin is larger and more varied in property value and annual income. Outside of the historic district, Franklin is like other struggling upstate communities. The school is central to feeding children in need and providing employment. Please use Franklin Central School District as an example of how property value inaccurately describes the wealth of an area. I hope the Foundation Aid Formula is re-worked to allow for communities that have a wide range of property values and annual income. We need to be able to re-vitalize areas without harming the established communities. The school is the heart of our beautiful community. I would like to help further if I can. Shana,

1499. Sarahana Shrestha

Affiliation: Assembly District 103

Relationship to Education: Other Elected Official

Comments: See attached letter

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1500. Kathy Guttman

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To Whom this May Concern, The tax Levy is already very High in East Ramapo School District. If the Money will be given to proper causes for not just Public School but for the Private sector which is a big Majority of Rockland. We as people have to take everything in consideration and Do the Greater Good. Inflation is as is High and Pay doesn't get raised how can you have these expectationsâ€¦. For everyone to provide when you just Don't really provide for the private sector Transportation and Maybe some other services at a minimalâ€¦. Lots of Parents are paying private Tuition and Higher Taxes and The schools can't cover there expensesâ€¦.. How are we able to help everyone else when you don't care about the private sectorâ€¦. Please be considerate for all not just the Public.

1501. Yaakov Rosenberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1502. Mindy Gotesman

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1503. Cheryl Bucholz

Affiliation: Kings County

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am the mother of 10 children, most of whom are currently students at various schooling levels. My husband and I together work a combined 4 jobs to provide for our family. As a parent of a large family and taxpayer in the state of NY, I can only imagine the financial hardship that my already struggling family would go through were a tax levy be imposed that unfairly targeted my population/neighborhood over a service that does not even take my family or our educational needs into account. Please try to make adjustments to ensure that all families can benefit equally, or at the very least, that no group should be unfairly penalized.

1504. adam singer

Affiliation: Law Office of Adam G Singer, PLLC

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. I'm a parent of six children including five children currently in private school in East Ramapo. Let's to state the obvious. This formula is not designed for a school district like ours and it is substantially prejudicing our children and putting undue financial burden upon us. Let's not prolong this obvious problem. Need a different formula. We are not being treated fairly. You have nullified our votes. It is simply un-American unfair and unacceptable. Please make this work. Very truly yours Adam G Singer attorney at law.

1505. Pedram Mashieh

Affiliation: Bnot Yaakov

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1506. Doniel Kramer

Affiliation: Chaplain, VA Healthcare System

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: Hello. I am a concerned citizen who wants to see ALL children benefit from an excellent education—be they in public or nonpublic schools. I therefore am writing to you about The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish military veteran, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. Thank you for researching this inequity and correcting this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. All children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Sincerely yours, Doniel Z. Kramer

1507. Steven Saphirstein

Affiliation: AGUDATH ISRAEL OF KEW GARDENS HILLS

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

1508. Tova Nussbaum

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1509. Gregory Faulkner

Affiliation: New York City Public Schools (NYCPS)

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

Comments:

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1510. Jonathan Krohn

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

1511. jacob merlin

Affiliation: other

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1512. Esther Reizes

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1513. Linda Fusco

Affiliation: Hague School Advisory Committee

Relationship to Education: Researcher; Education Advocate; Retired NYS Educator and Consultant

Comments: My name is Linda Kasal Fusco. I reside at 19 Smoke Ridge Road Queensbury, NY and I own property in Hague, NY. I have been an active NYS public school educator for 55 years as a teacher, administrator, and consultant for city, suburban, and rural schools. I currently serve on the Hague School Advisory Committee as representative for the Rural Schools Association of NYS; I am president of the Property Owners of Silver Bay and Recording Secretary for the American Association of University Women, Adirondack Branch. I have reviewed the August 14, Guilderland High School NY Foundation Aid hearing (https://www.youtube.com/live/UlNXK6YEXvY) and would like to suggest the following to the Rockefeller Institute: (1) There is a need for separate Foundation Formulas for Rural, Suburban, and City school districts and/or creating more regions in the Regional Cost Index. My suggestion is based on Bob Lowry's August 14, 2024, testimony at Guilderland High School and the testimony text on the www. NYSCOSS.org site. Dr. Lowry states: 'State aid formulas should treat similar districts similarly, so that inconsequential differences in characteristics do not result in steep variances in fundingâ€¦ One way this could be addressed would be creating more regions in the Regional Cost Index, so that neighboring districts assigned to different regions do not have implausibly different RCI factors. We note that upstate (north of Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam Counties), over 40% of districts cross county lines.' For example, Ticonderoga Central School District crosses Warren and Essex counties. In 2023 Hague property owners paid 56% of the school tax for 5% of the students. However, this issue also is quality of education â€“ the school state scores are on or below NYS state averaged scores. Currently NYC drives roughly 40% of the state averages â€“ affecting the aid for all districts. Dr. Lowry states: 'As an example, district wealth for state aid purposes is calculated in comparison to state averages; what happens in New York City drives roughly 40% of state averages, thereby affecting aid for all districts.' (2) There is a need to update the Regional Cost Index. My suggestion is based on Bob Lowry's August 14, 2024, testimony at Guilderland High School and the testimony text on the www. NYSCOSS.org site. Dr. Lowry states: Dr. Lowry States: 'The values used in the Regional Cost Index (RCI) have never been updated. This can be done now, but research should also be pursued to reconfigure the regions themselves. The current use of only nine regions contributes to steep differences in index values between neighboring districts, some of which straddle regional boundaries. This violates the principle of treating similar districts similarly. Using more regions, perhaps county indices, should result in fewer steep differences in index values among nearby districts. Again, using a three-year rolling average to calculate the RCI would support predictability in aid and should lessen the impulse to lock-in a single year's figures for extended periods. Regional Cost Index: As an example, the Margaretville Central School District straddles the boundary between the Hudson Valley and Southern Tier regions but is assigned to the latter. If placed instead in the Lower Hudson Valley region, its Regional Cost Index would be 1.314 rather than 1.045—all else held constant, its Foundation Aid per pupil would be over 25% greater.' Ticonderoga Central School district straddles Hague in Warren County (Capitol Region) and Essex (North Country). (3) Remove Special Education (SPED) form the Foundation Formula and stick with NYS mandated general ed requirements. My suggestion is based on Bob Lowry's August 14, 2024, testimony at Guilderland High School and the testimony text on the www. NYSCOSS.org site. Dr. Lowry states: 'One area where the principle that Foundation Aid need not be relied upon to solve every problem should be considered is in revising funding for special education. The 2007 Foundation Aid formula diverged from a consensus among stakeholders reflected in Regents' proposals in one way—by consolidating into Foundation Aid what had been the largest special education aid stream, Public Excess Cost Aid. Doing so also departed from the intended focus for Foundation Aid—to support adequate general education. In our most recent annual surveys, rising special education costs were the most widely cited concern among superintendents in contemplating financial prospects for their schools. We do not have a specific recommendation at this time but will develop options to share Action is needed on behalf of students attending districts which have experienced steep enrollment declines—to ensure they have access to all the opportunities they deserve. But abrupt, drastic cuts in aid for their schools can only diminish their prospects. We commend the State Education Department's plans to promote regional discussions aimed at building upon the sharing already done by school districts, with a focus on improving access to learning opportunities for all students. (4) Increase % of reserves a school district can retain (recommend we move to 6%) My suggestion is based on Bob Lowry's August 14, 2024, testimony at Guilderland High School and the testimony text on the www. NYSCOSS.org site. Dr. Lowry states: 'School districts build reserves for the same reasons Governor Hochul has sought to do so for the state—to be able to manage uncertainties over revenues and costs, including, in our case, unforeseeable changes in state aid. For over one-third of school districts, a 1% increase in their local tax levy would raise less than $100,000—not enough to fund services for one additional child with severe special education needs, or to preserve more than a single teaching position. All districts have been preparing for one certain revenue loss, hoping to sustain program improvements funded with expiring federal assistance.' Respectfully submitted Linda Kasal Fusco, Ph.D. LKF Consulting Services, LLC. Author: Navigating MathLand: How Parents Can Help Their Kids Through the Maze'

1514. Timothy Terranova

Affiliation: Victor Central School District- Superintendent

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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1515. Ben Kohanim

Affiliation: Great neck

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1516. Annette Blumenthal

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Interested citizen

Comments: Please revise the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula. The major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data. Thank you.

1517. Michael Szpilzinger

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1518. Dena Szpilzinger

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1519. esther silberberberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: east ramapo resident for over 25 years

1520. Shiea Grunwald

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a private school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is specifically the concern I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in locations like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Shiea Grunwald

1521. Samuel Horowitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: We are already paying WAY more than our fair share of the school tax and WE DON'T RECEIVE ANY BENEFITS for it. Yes, I'm aware that that's our religious choice, but last I checked, your not supposed to be unfairly penalizing people for practicing their religion and wanting a much better education than the public school system provides (not to mention development of character, civility, duty, etc that the public system is SO shortly lacking in. This increase amounts to another theft from Jews, and others who wish for private education. Enough is enough with the grand larceny!

1522. Cecille Strohli

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am a parent of children in both public and private schools in East ramapo. It is heartbreaking to see budget increases that do not make their way to servicing the children in this district in both public and private schools. Please investigate the foundation aid formula since all of our school children are not being given the resources they have been promised, and ones they need to succeed.

1523. Gitel B Kitay

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The Foundation Aid Formula needs to represent the demographics of the current residents of East Ramapo. All students, wether they attend public or private school and weather English is their first or second language deserve an education.

1524. A R

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I am writing as a parent of a nonpublic school student, a perspective that might not be the first you consider for feedback on Foundation Aid funding for public schools. However, it is precisely this exclusion that I wish to address. The current Foundation Aid formula completely overlooks nonpublic school students. While this may not have significant impacts in some areas, in districts like East Ramapo Central, where 75% of students attend nonpublic schools, the consequences are dire. The district is required to provide services to nonpublic school children but receives no Foundation Aid to support these services. This situation almost ensures a fiscal deficit, creating competition and conflict between public school and nonpublic school parents, all scrambling for an inadequately small share of resources, which ultimately harms the community. As a Jewish parent, I have personally experienced the hostility stemming from this financial strain; it has been a source of enduring conflict and has intensified acts of antisemitism against our community. Using property ownership as an indicator of wealth can be misleading, particularly in areas like East Ramapo. Here, a significant number of property owners do not utilize public schools, which skews the perception of the district's affluence. Despite appearances, the latest census data reveal that East Ramapo is actually one of the poorest districts. For more accurate assessments of community wealth, it would be more effective to rely on U.S. Census data, which provides comprehensive insights into economic conditions across various parameters. Additional issues with the Foundation Aid formula include its reliance on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. This outdated information likely skews the funding landscape statewide, and for districts like East Ramapo, which have undergone significant changes over the past 25 years, it is particularly problematic. The district has seen substantial growth, especially among English language learners in public schools, who require and deserve additional services. This further exacerbates the strain on an already financially challenged district, operating under an outdated Foundation Aid formula. Thank you for exploring this issue to ensure that districts like East Ramapo are adequately funded. Although my children attend a nonpublic school, I firmly believe that all children deserve the resources they need to succeed, whether they attend public or nonpublic schools. Please consider revising the Foundation Aid formula to reflect this. Sincerely, A. R.

1525. Kaile Tsapis

Affiliation: ICSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: This formula does not reflect the economic reality in Ithaca accurately. As a result, the annual school taxes shifts an imbalanced and unfair burden on the single family home owners.

1526. Steve Rauker

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District

Relationship to Education: Retiree in a school district with enorous area highly valuable, tax exempt property.

Comments: Due the outsized tax exempt presence of Cornell University, there is undue tax pressure on ordinary residents of the city. The university's financial support to the city and the school district pales in comparison to what it might justifiably and reasonably be. Tax payers of other communities governed by the formula are not similarly penalized. Some adjustment to the formula must be found to consider such circumstances.

1527. Rose Williams

Affiliation: Rose Williams

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Student; Education Advocate; Presidential Candidate 2024

Comments: Funds should be used for safety of students first. Safe, clean, updated eco-friendly buildings. New security guard program. All school staff needs mandated reporter training and public health safety training. All schools need a therapist and social worker. All public schools should have at home school options with access to same Privileges as on site school. For ex; Materials, food, grades test, certificate. All schools should have a sustainability department with a school garden. Teach global goals.

1528. Akiva Weiner

Affiliation: Former private School student in East Ramapo school district

Relationship to Education: Former Student, future parent of students.

Comments: The foundation aid formula harms schools districts and private school parents by allocating funds based on the number of public school students in a district, without taking into account the number of private school students. It also falsely categorizes districts with a small number of public school students as a wealthy district that deserves less funding, when in many cases the small number of public students reflects a large religious population that sends to religious schools without necessarily being a wealthy. As a result of this broken formula- East Ramapo school district has among the highest property taxes in the nation and still finds itself in major financial trouble. changing this broken formula will result in adequate funding for the school district and lower property taxes for parents who already carry a heavy burden of private tuition.

1529. Earl Smith

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Former parent

Comments: Outdated data and incorrect formula

1530. Chevy Felberbaum

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: It does not account for non-public school students, which affects us unfairly.

1531. Neil Strauss

Affiliation: Concerned Citizen

Relationship to Education: Advocate of Educational Opportunities for All Students

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a former public school student and former nonpublic school parent, regarding feedback regarding Foundation Aid formula. It is a fact that non public schools are part of the educational landscape. They receive much less per capita funding overall vs. public schools. And that's fine, parents are choosing which school (system) to educate their child. But there is the need to provide non public school parents and children funding for certain items and needs even if there are cases for which for certain communities certain programs or districts receive proportionally more than it seems they should. Because overall they are still receiving much much less when you compare the state funding of public and non public schools. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my children attended nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Thanks. Sincerely, Neil Strauss

1532. Miriam Nussbaum

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments: Unfair way of establishing this formula. The private school students outnumber the public school population 3-1, yet the non public school/private school students are not considered in the formula. Their parents are paying the Rockland County high taxes too!

1533. Sarah Neugroschl

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent of former students

Comments: I hereby add my endorsement of all previous submissions explaining the mistaken formulation of Foundation Aid especially with regards to the special population of East Ramapo.

1534. Alexander Haber

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent who is new to the area. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, A Haber

1535. Shimon Deutsch

Affiliation: East ramapo school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Dear Rockefeller Institute,I am writing as a Rockland County resident, a parent of two private school children, and a member of the East Ramapo School District community to express my deep concern about the current Foundation Aid formula. This outdated formula overlooks the needs of private school students, placing an undue burden on our districts.In Rockland County, especially in East Ramapo and Suffern Central, a significant number of students attend private schools, yet the formula fails to account for this reality. As a result, our districts remain underfunded and struggle to provide essential services, creating unnecessary tension between public and private school families.Furthermore, the continued reliance on 2000 U.S. Census data no longer reflects our current demographics. The population in Rockland County has grown significantly, with an increasing number of English language learners and other demographic changes that need to be addressed.I urge you to update the Foundation Aid formula to:1. Include private school students in the calculations.2. Reflect the current demographics and growth patterns in communities like Suffern Central School District.These updates are essential to ensure that all children, regardless of their educational path, have equal access to resources and opportunities. I hope you will take action to create a more equitable and fair system for our community.Sincerely, Shimon Deutsch

1536. Robin Brickman

Affiliation: Queens: NYC

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1537. Faigel Evans

Affiliation: Yeshiva of Spring Valley

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I join with the Agudath Israel of America to strongly request an update to the Foundation Aid Formula. I am the parent of 4 children in East Ramapo (Rockland) and the current outdated formula is not acceptable any longer. I urge you to make changes so that all children receive their fair share. Thank you, Faigel Evans

1538. Robert DeStefano

Affiliation: Comsewogue UFSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Board Member

Comments: On behalf of my family, and the families residing in our school district, I am obligated to provide input, and am thankful for the research being conducted regarding the education funding formula. It is imperative that any alterations to the New York State Foundation Aid formulas for our public schools consider the following factors among others used to determine how aid is distributed: - Community wealth ratios at a regional (not statewide) level. Not all of Long Island is wealthy, just as not all of upstate is impoverished. - Directionality of populations that are retired/senior citizens or otherwise on fixed incomes. - Income tax implications caused by the denial of SALT deductions on residential households. Long Island incurs a significant penalty here compared to other parts of the state and country. Any yet, our schools are among the best. Some support is appreciated. - Comparative ratios of residents receiving property tax reductions due to Veteran status or participation in other local volunteer services such as firefighters, EMTs, etc. - Directionality and acceleration/deceleration of special needs students. We educate ALL students in our communities, and need additional funding where English Language Learners and other Special Education populations are growing. - District-by-district incurred costs caused by state mandates, particularly those that are unfunded or underfunded. - Ratios of commercial to residential properties, as well as residential dwellings paying property taxes versus those covered by PILOTs. We need to educate children matriculating now, even if landlords are receiving tax breaks for years out that were negotiated at higher levels of government (excluding school district representation). - Consideration for how public school employee costs â€“ health insurance, retirement accounts, etc. are forecast to change, as well as the operational costs schools incur for transportation and other essentials. I ask for these considerations while continuing to carry the bitterness of the 'borrowed' Gap Elimination Act (GEA) funds that New York withheld from our public schools beginning over a decade and a half ago. For Comsewogue School District, this debt of $20.3 million remains outstanding, and the children and taxpayers of every single public school in the state deserve to receive the reimbursement of the GEA funds withheld from their communities. Frankly, they deserve reimbursement with interest. Imagine how our students could thrive! While it is easy to make requests, it is essential to offer help. As a parent of two matriculating students, an alumnus of the Comsewogue School District, and a volunteer Board of Education Trustee of the same, if I may be of service toward a successful recalibration of Foundation Aid that helps all our students reach new levels of achievement, I stand ready to serve. My contact information is below. Robert K. DeStefano Email: Mobile:

1539. Zev Fuchs

Affiliation: Yeshiva Bais Mikroh

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; School or District Administrator; Rabbi

1540. Nathan Liebowitz

Affiliation: YOGM

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1541. Steven Trenk

Affiliation: East ramapo school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I am semi-retired. My position as assistant teacher pays about $30,000. My wife's office manager job pays about $35,000. We have other income, including my social security, of about $40,000. Is that enough to live in Rockland County?? We pay around $18,000 a year in school taxes and the county tax. Then ,since I make "so much", I owe federal and nys income tax. Of course that's besides sales tax on almost everything. How dare someone WHO WE DID NOT ELECT impose on our elected school board another $350!! THIS IS TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION! This started the Revolutionary War. As is the book, Animal Farm, our allies, the pigs, look the same as our enemy, the human.

1542. Alan Larkin

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1543. Elana Kosowsky

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1544. Sandy Larkin

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1545. Dasi Shapiro

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1546. Bracha Wiesenfeld

Affiliation: Rockland County

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1547. Yankele Friedman

Affiliation: Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Resident

Comments: I think a reform is needed.

1548. Alan Liani

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1549. Hallie Iannoli

Affiliation: NYC DOE District 13, NYC DOE District 30

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: To whom it may concern, I am a parent of a student in District 30 in NYC and a teacher in District 13 in NYC. As both a parent and an educator, school funding is vital to our democracy. Public education is the cornerstone of our democracy, and remains our best path to advancing equal opportunity at a time of deepening inequality. Public schools serve children of all abilities and identities, and turn away no one. Adequately and equitably funding our public schools to meet the diverse needs of students is not just important, it is essential to ensuring their success and our shared prosperity. Prioritizing public education means investing in a just and prosperous future for all New Yorkers. My school is underserved. We are located in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn and more than 30% of our students currently live in the public housing in the surrounding areas. Our students need additional services like Social Workers, Attendance Teachers and Restorative Practices that support student's social emotional well being so that they can better manage and regulate their emotions. Middle school students are regularly in disagreements and while disagreements are health and necessary, if the disagreements are not resolved, they often escalate into verbal and physical fights. The Foundation formula should be updated to reflect the real cost of educating students today, so that every public school has the resources it needs to support all students. Any modifications to the formula must be made on the basis of how much it costs to ensure public schools are getting the resources to meet their students' needs. Underfunding public education is not 'sustainable,' and not an option. The state's fiscal circumstances should not form the basis for calculating the true cost of educating a child. We cannot afford to deprive our kids of the resources and opportunities they need to succeed, and we cannot neglect to prepare them for life. Our children's future, and the future of our state, depends on it. Signed, Hallie Iannoli NYC DOE parent in district 30 NYC DOE educator in district 13

1550. Walter Levi

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Former parent and resident

Comments:

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1551. Jessica Phillips-Fein

Affiliation: New York City Public Schools

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Greetings, I am a parent of an elementary school-aged student attending a public school in Brooklyn, NY, and I am a Middle School educator working in Manhattan. Public education reflects what we as a society most deeply believe and value. When schools are underfunded, it reflects our lack of care for young people and their futures. It is critical to advancing equal opportunity at a time of deepening and vast inequality. Public schools serve children of all abilities and identities, and turn away no one. Adequately and equitably funding our public schools to meet the diverse needs of students is not just important; it is essential to ensuring their success and our shared prosperity. Prioritizing public education means investing in a just and prosperous future for all New Yorkers I teach at a Title 1 Middle School on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Despite being in the most segregated school system in the country, we are a remarkably diverse school in every aspect of diversity - race & ethnicity, socio-economic status, learning disability, religion, and sexual orientation. This great diversity is our strength and reflects the great promise of public education to be a common resource for ALL. Our students face a myriad of challenges including living in poverty, learning English as an additional language, trauma that was heightened during the Covid-19 pandemic, and living in temporary housing. These complex and over overlapping challenges require a host of services, programs and skills on the part of educators. Our school has a wealth of experienced teachers and educational aides, offers a comprehensive arts program for all students with dance, music, theater and visual arts; 75% of our classes are Integrated Co-Teaching classes, we have targeted intervention for reading, math and for English Language Learners. We partner with Community Based Organizations to provide additional counseling services. I believe it is as a result of the ways in which these services demonstrate a meaningful level of care to our students, that we have the best attendance in the district. And only a public school could provide this wide array of services to meet so many different student needs. That said, we remain understaffed. Our current administration consists of the Principal, Assistant Principal, and a Dean. They cannot effectively manage the level of disciplinary support our students have, or adequately address the resulting stress of staff. We do not have a Restorative Justice program, despite our desire to engage in Restorative Justice work. This has impacted our capacity to re-build a connected community after the crisis of Covid-19, address conflicts effectively, and keep our students safe. In addition to the high need for social-emotional support, our students academic needs are greater than ever. Ideally, all classes would Integrated Co-Teaching classes, so that were fewer students with IEPs in each class, and more capacity to meet their needs. Classes that have IEP students but are not ICT (like Physical Education and the arts), could have Educational Aides to support students in these unique classrooms. Every child in New York has a constitutional right to a sound, basic education, and it is our government's responsibility to fund it, from Buffalo to Long Island, from the North Country to Southern Tier. The current Foundation Aid formula was created in 2007 to ensure that NYS was meeting this obligation, though it took until 2023 to bring schools to full funding levels. Over the past 17 years, the needs of students have evolved and grown tremendously, especially over the past 4 years since the pandemic began. The Foundation formula should be updated to reflect the real cost of educating students today, so that every public school has the resources it needs to support all students. Any modifications to the formula must be made on the basis of how much it costs to ensure public schools are getting the resources to meet their students' needs. Underfunding public education is not 'sustainable,' and not an option. The state's fiscal circumstances should not form the basis for calculating the true cost of educating a child. We cannot afford to deprive our kids of the resources and opportunities they need to succeed, and we cannot neglect to prepare them for life. Our children's future, and the future of our state, depends on it. Sincerely, J. Phillips-Fein New York City Public Schools

1552. Anna Steffens

Affiliation: New York City Public Schools

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: see comment attached

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1553. Dina Weiner

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

1554. Menachem Weiner

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1555. Etti Fagin

Affiliation: 15

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1556. Yehoshua Statfeld

Affiliation: AGUDATH ISRAEL O F AMERICA

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1557. Brocha Respler

Affiliation: East Ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1558. Jason Respler

Affiliation: East Ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1559. Chaya Minkowitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo Districe

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Hi my name is Chaya Minkowitz. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I was informed that the NY state commissioner of education, Dr. Betty Rosa raised the tax levy on east ramapo district. I want the very best education for my children and with my religious beliefs as an Orthodox Jew I choose to send my kids to private school. My husband and I work hard and pay high taxes- a part of those taxes that goes to fund public schools. We pay the tax but we also pay top dollar for our own kids education- About 15,000$ a kid. We don't get any vouchers or any help to help pay for our kids tuition. Being the fact that there are a lot of Orthodox Jews in East Ramapo district who send their kids to private school and not public school. This saves the government and district a lot of money. Our schools give high morals, our kids aren't doing drugs or alcohol. We don't have crime in our schools. The foundation aid is designed to aid public schools but private schools don't get anything. We are asking that this tax levy does not affect our district, we already pay so much tax and don't get any benefits for our kids schooling. The least we can ask is that the tax levy not get raised. Thank you so much for your time and reading this!

1560. Debora Kupfer

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent of 5 children, and 10 grandchildren-perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my children and grandchildren attend or have attended nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Debora Kupfer

1561. Levi Kaplan

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1562. Alisa Stern

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The formula does not account for non public school students, and it relies on obsolete data

1563. Michael Erlbaum

Affiliation: DRS Yeshiva High School

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1564. Joseph Sherman

Affiliation: Bronx High Schools Taft H.S., Morris H.S. H.S.for Violin&Dance

Relationship to Education: retired high school principal and music teacher

Comments: Funding going to public schools from NYC's tax revenue is not enough. Additional funding from foundations and from some corporations makes a critical difference, especially in the area of arts education. Many students over the years have told me that their school arts activities, in music, or visual arts, or dance, or drama, were the only reason that they came to school.

1565. Meir Binder

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Hi, please allow private school children to benefit as well from financial aid. Ty

1566. Lisa Kahn

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; retired teacher from South Orangetown Central School District

1567. Aryeh Liberman

Affiliation: Agudath Israel

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1568. Menachem Weisz

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Voter,Tax Payer

Comments: Dear Sir/Madame, Please understand that as parents who have no choice but to send our children to a institution of learning and instruction that doesn't destroy their spiritual wellbeing and innocence, we are being asked and penalized to pay twice for our children's education. Additionally, currently in our district in accordance with the state law and department of education our vote has been nullified. Indeed, we have been disenfranchised by the State's actions over the last few years. As opposed to what many would like to believe our district is comprised of people who struggle to provide for their families and aren't by any means able to absorb such high costs of the district budget. Therefore, there has to be a serious evaluation of how fund unique districts. This action will at forth a path for good education for all students and harmonious relationships between people. Sincerely, Menachem Weisz

1569. Leon Retter

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1570. sheindy stefansky

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1571. Devorah Scheinfeld

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Student

Comments: The formula does not account for non-public school students and it relies on obsolete data.

1572. cassidy retter

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1573. yitzy stefansky

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1574. Rachel Davidson

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1575. sheldon brief

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As a parent of three children currently enrolled in private school in East Rample School District and as a parent who is paying the highest rate of taxes in New York State most of the funding goes to public school children. My children who are in private school do not receive enough funding for education and special services. My taxes are going up based on the recent tax raise that was pushed by the state monitor without even beginning to understand the demographic and the needs of the private school community in East Ramapo. I would love for a formula that takes into account the amount of private school children in East Ramapo as well as the average salaries.

1576. Shaya zidele

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1577. Shoshana Altman

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1578. ELAINE EPSTEIN

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

1579. Robert Herzka

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1580. Devorah Reiss

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Agudath Israel of America Logo ACTION NEEDED BY THIS FRIDAY: Tell New York State to fix the broken school funding formula Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. Agudath Israel of America expressed outrage and concern with the ramifications of the order and is working with others on pathways to respond to these actions. For the next few days there is something that every New Yorker, and especially East Ramapo residents, can do about it. The Rockefeller Institute has been tasked by the state to conduct a study to assess the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula and discuss potential modifications to how the formula works. As the form letter describes, the major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data. Please write your own comment letter or personalize the form letter below to make your voice heard. Comments to the Rockefeller Institute can be submitted by clicking here and are due this Friday, September 6th. Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum Director, Rockland Regional Office Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Director of New York Government Relations Agudath Israel of America Mr. Avrohom Weinstock Director of KnowUs Agudath Israel of America CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A LETTER Sample Letter: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Devorah Reiss

1581. Avrum Reiss

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Agudath Israel of America Logo ACTION NEEDED BY THIS FRIDAY: Tell New York State to fix the broken school funding formula Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. Agudath Israel of America expressed outrage and concern with the ramifications of the order and is working with others on pathways to respond to these actions. For the next few days there is something that every New Yorker, and especially East Ramapo residents, can do about it. The Rockefeller Institute has been tasked by the state to conduct a study to assess the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula and discuss potential modifications to how the formula works. As the form letter describes, the major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data. Please write your own comment letter or personalize the form letter below to make your voice heard. Comments to the Rockefeller Institute can be submitted by clicking here and are due this Friday, September 6th. Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum Director, Rockland Regional Office Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Director of New York Government Relations Agudath Israel of America Mr. Avrohom Weinstock Director of KnowUs Agudath Israel of America CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A LETTER Sample Letter: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Rabbi Avrum Y. Reiss

1582. Martina Meijer

Affiliation: NYCDOE

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments:

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1583. Sara Jungreis

Affiliation: East Ramapo school district resident, Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. This formula though also funds the services and therapies that many children desperately need in public and private schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly and investigate how the budget is managed and distributed equitably. Thank you Sincerely, Sara Jungreis

1584. Mendy Reiss

Affiliation: Yeshiva Karlin Stolin

Relationship to Education: Student

Comments: Agudath Israel of America Logo ACTION NEEDED BY THIS FRIDAY: Tell New York State to fix the broken school funding formula Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. Agudath Israel of America expressed outrage and concern with the ramifications of the order and is working with others on pathways to respond to these actions. For the next few days there is something that every New Yorker, and especially East Ramapo residents, can do about it. The Rockefeller Institute has been tasked by the state to conduct a study to assess the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula and discuss potential modifications to how the formula works. As the form letter describes, the major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data. Please write your own comment letter or personalize the form letter below to make your voice heard. Comments to the Rockefeller Institute can be submitted by clicking here and are due this Friday, September 6th. Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum Director, Rockland Regional Office Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Director of New York Government Relations Agudath Israel of America Mr. Avrohom Weinstock Director of KnowUs Agudath Israel of America CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A LETTER Sample Letter: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Mendy Reiss

1585. Meir Reiss

Affiliation: Yeshiva Karlin Stolin

Relationship to Education: Student

Comments: Agudath Israel of America Logo ACTION NEEDED BY THIS FRIDAY: Tell New York State to fix the broken school funding formula Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children's education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesn't account for these nonpublic school students. Agudath Israel of America expressed outrage and concern with the ramifications of the order and is working with others on pathways to respond to these actions. For the next few days there is something that every New Yorker, and especially East Ramapo residents, can do about it. The Rockefeller Institute has been tasked by the state to conduct a study to assess the State's Foundation Aid education funding formula and discuss potential modifications to how the formula works. As the form letter describes, the major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data. Please write your own comment letter or personalize the form letter below to make your voice heard. Comments to the Rockefeller Institute can be submitted by clicking here and are due this Friday, September 6th. Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum Director, Rockland Regional Office Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Director of New York Government Relations Agudath Israel of America Mr. Avrohom Weinstock Director of KnowUs Agudath Israel of America CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A LETTER Sample Letter: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Meir Reiss

1586. Levi Tiechtel

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1587. Eliana Rosenfeld

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1588. Ahuva Gottdiener

Affiliation: Non public school parent

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, the parent of a 17 year old learning disabled student, regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This is a very serious problem with the state funding to the east Ramapo school district. My 17 year old learning disabled son is going to share his experience which has been that he was not able to get the help he needed in high school because there was no money to pay for the needed resource room teacher beyond 6 months total of his high school years. Sincerely, Ahuva Gottdiener Hi my name is Eliyahu Gottdiener. I live in the East Ramapo school district. I'm a kid who is extremely learning disabled. My entire life until I was about 14, I couldn't read or write at all because there was not enough funding for special education. I was only given a couple hours a week of resource room when I was in elementary school. When I entered high school, I was only given half a year (a couple of hours a week) for all my high school years of resource room. The majority of the kids in my district do not go to public school and instead they go to a religious private school. The way the funding is calculated it doesn't count us as kids that need help from the district, even though it's mandated by law that the district must give us help. Many of my peers did not get diplomas because they did not get the help they needed. Because of the lack of funding for special education in non-public schools, in my special Ed school last year, only one kid got a regents diploma.

1589. Fagey Steinberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the one you would expect to write to you about feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this is precisely the issue I write to you about. The current Foundation Aid formula does not take into nonpublic school students . To rephrase that, there is zero accountability in the current Foundation Aid formula towards nonpublic school students, whose parents are law abiding citizens, who pay taxes and whose children are entitled, under law, to an free education. These same parents instead pay high tuitions in private schools in order have their children learn their culture, religion and moral values. While this may have a negligible impact in some areas, where private school attendance is low, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic schools, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you in advance for thoroughly and fairly researching this issue and understanding that significant changes have to be made to the Foundation formula so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my grandchildren attend nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. This can only be done when the needs of ALL children are addressed, by updating the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Sincerely, Mrs. F. Steinberg

1590. max levinson

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1591. Batsheva Bravmann

Affiliation: East ramapo schools

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1592. Chaya Goldman

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1593. Bernard Barner

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; School or District Administrator; Education Advocate

1594. Becca Barnet

Affiliation: Rockland County

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

1595. Leslie Ackerman

Affiliation: East Ramapo, Rockland County NY

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; a one time teacher and a citizen who believes in the power of education to build future positive and creative citizens

Comments: Our children need the many resources provided by the State for their education. As long as Ramapo is underfunded due to calculations based upon old data, it will continue to ignore the huge increase in school age children and under fund our educational system. These children do not attend public school, they attend fully licensed and accredited religious schools and are entitled to support services. Underfunding in Ramapo denies all of our children services essential to their educational and emotional health. Not only are children unable to benefit from essential services, it sadly but predictably encourages hostility and animosity between ethnic and religious groups desperate to educate their children. Please reassess the current system in light of this new information on the exponential growth in Ramapo.

1596. Hadasah Epstein

Affiliation: ERCSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Past parent of students

Comments: My children all attended non-public schools in Rockland County at tremendous cost and sacrifice to my husband and I. And we were privileged and proud to make that choice and are thrilled with the results. We also proudly paid our school taxes for the benefit of the community and society at large. Now I am a Mathematics teacher and teacher coach in the district and I hope there can be a better way of dealing with this difficult and sometimes painful situation. As adults, we are responsible for providing all of the children of our generation with their needs- physical, emotional, and educational- in a way that works for our society's members. Please, lets not fail the precious ones in our care.

1597. Devora Chamani

Affiliation: Nassau County

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1598. Shraga Gobioff

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Parent Advisory Board

1599. Sara Wagner

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1600. Leah Sobel

Affiliation: Clarkstown

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1601. dina N Neuberger

Affiliation: Dina

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: This is not a comment just a question humbly requesting an answer. If I am asked to donate pizza for my childs previous basketball team and I buy and pay for the pie why cant i get a slice of the pie if i am hungry too? You may say bc i already left the team for a different team ....i get it..but i still want the piece that is owed to me. Why is it that one group pays for a service and the other group benefits while the sponsors dont even get what is owed to them ..yes they waived fape but IDEA is still owed to them..why is that being taken away. And to pour salt on the wounds the sponsors of the event then blaim you for not having enough pizza because you ate your slice.

1602. Saul Moore

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I write to you as a nonpublic school parent. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Saul Moore

1603. Yisroel Steinhaus

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1604. ruth Steinhaus

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1605. Jacob Grun

Affiliation: Rockland County

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1606. David Grossman

Affiliation: Yagdil Torah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1607. Avigail Jacobson

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: o whom it may concern, I attended religious private schools in the East Ramapo Central school district for the entirety of my schooling career, and I have family members who are currently attending. In this school district the overwhelming majority of students attend private school and receive far fewer benefits than public school students do. Parents pay both taxes to the school district and private school tuition. The great disparity between public school enrollment and total student numbers, and the failure to properly provide for that, places a great burden on the district and community. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged.

1608. Duvid Rochlitz

Affiliation: Ercsd

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Why shouldn't private schools be equal to the public school in funding the parents that send their deserve to have the same level of education for their kids

1609. Devorah Frimerman

Affiliation: Non public school children in my family

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; School Board Member; Education Advocate

1610. Sherry Horowitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District Rockland County

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1611. Alietta Bellamy

Affiliation: Ossining Union Free School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As a parent in the Ossining school district I urge you to consider several factors in the Foundation Aid calculation to best support the students of our district. CEP data should be prioritized over FRPL data in the foundation aid formula because FRPL applications are being made redundant by CEP. The number of CEP students should be multiplied by a factor instead of utilizing a 3-year rolling average of declining FRPL applications. There is also a large ELL population in Ossining that needs more support. ELLS should be weighted more heavily in the formula. In addition, using census data does not accurately reflect our current demographics, including the socioeconomic status of many of our families. Using the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) Program to measure poverty gives a more accurate representation of Ossining. The CPI should also not be reduced or at minimum a CPI increase should be established to help school districts have more predictability in budgeting. Lastly, Ossining is inappropriately excluded from the same RCI as NYC and Long Island despite our labor costs being substantially similar. This could be rectified to accurately represent Ossining's costs. I hope these points are taken into consideration to give the students of Ossining the support they need and deserve. Thank you.

1612. Leah Karr

Affiliation: NYC District 27

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1613. Yankele Friedman

Affiliation: Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Resident

Comments: I think a reform is needed.

1614. Mordechai Kopciel

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. East Ramapo school taxes are already very high , and puts hardships on its constituents

1615. Dov Chaskelson

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1616. Jacob Riggins

Affiliation: Keene Central School

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School or District Administrator

Comments: I believe Save Harmless should NOT be removed from the foundation aid formula

1617. Faigy Goldenberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am a parent of several school aged children attending private schools in the East Ramapo district. As is, I haven't been able to pay the tuition for the past year, as I simply cannot afford to. My day to day living expenses are simply too high, and one of these expenses is my current high school tax which is a great struggle for me to pay every month. I will not be able to pay another extra dollar for school tax, or any other expense for that matter, and placing more taxes on a financially struggling family like mine is just unfair and shouldn't be allowed to pass.

1618. Lior Kleinman

Affiliation: nan

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as an education advocate, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Lior Kleinman

1619. AVIVA Friedman

Affiliation: ERCSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1620. Aurora Rojer

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: The last Ithaca City School District budget vote was full of residents worried about their tax bill. Residents shared concerns that they, or those they love, would soon be priced out of the community that they call home. As a taxpayer myself, I felt that pain and fear. But as a teacher, I knew that passing the budget was crucial. Running high-quality schools isn't cheap. We were already experiencing a crisis in teacher morale, leading to high turnover and understaffing. We had a massive shortage of substitutes, causing daily scrambles just to cover absent staff. And our students, still recovering from the pandemic, needed more support academically and emotionally in order to thrive. Our first budget failed, and we had to re-vote on a smaller budget that led to devastating cuts across the district. All of our problems were exacerbated. Funding our schools primarily through local property taxes is systematically unfair. We in the Ithaca Teachers Association are so glad that the state is revisiting the Foundation Aid Formula. Under the current formula, we are considered a wealthy community and receive much less aid than our surrounding districts. But so much of Ithaca's "wealth" is hoarded on the hill by Cornell University. over 40% of the property in our district is owned by Cornell and is not taxable. We have a ten-billion-dollar-endowed-institution camping out tax-free. Cornell's wealth is preventing us from getting the aid we deserve. We should not be penalized at the state level for Cornell and the other tax-exempt properties that don't pay their fair share. Thank you for your consideration.

1621. Raquel Sananes

Affiliation: Brooklyn - Agudah

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1622. Judah Zelik

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1623. Melinda Person

Affiliation: New York State United Teachers

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate; Teachers Union President

Comments: See attached document.

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1624. Chana Binder

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1625. Leible Melamed

Affiliation: BaisYaakov Chofetz Chaim

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Outraged!

1626. Sarah Starbird

Affiliation: Pulaski Academy & Central School

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Dear Sirs: The school districts of Oswego County, NY appreciate the opportunity to provide input on the revision of the Foundation Aid formula. Given the critical role this formula plays in the equitable distribution of educational funding, it is essential to ensure that poor, rural schools with fluctuating enrollment receive adequate consideration. The comments that follow represent a combined statement from the nine school districts of Oswego County offering insights on significant factors impacting our schools. We implore the Rockefeller Institute to give serious consideration to these factors in their decision-making for improvement of the formula. OSWEGO COUNTY PROFILE: To begin, below are some illustrative statistical points about our county. Out of 62 counties that make up New York State, Oswego County ranks: â€¢ 2nd highest for child poverty (28.6%) â€¢ 54th for having the poorest health factors and access to services Comparing averages in New York State (NYS) and Oswego County (OC): â€¢ Families with Income at the Poverty Level: NYS 14.3%; OC 18.6% â€¢ Children Suffering from Food Insecurity: NYS 18.8%; OC 20.0% â€¢ Eligibility for Federal Nutrition Programs: NYS 77.0%; OC 87.0% â€¢ Four Year Graduation Rates among Economically Disadvantaged: NYS 82%; OC 74% â€¢ Child Abuse & Maltreatment ages 0-17: NYS 12.4/1000; OC 44.8/1000 â€¢ Ratios for Access to Services of: o Physicians: NYS 1240:1; OC 2500:1 o Mental Health Providers: NYS 280:1; OC 560:1 o Dentists: NYS 1200:1; OC 2150:1 Oswego County has experienced a student enrollment decline of 31% over the last 23 years, as compared to a total population decline of only 3.5%. Although the number of school aged children has declined over that time, the needs of those who remain have increased significantly. Some factors that help illustrate this include: â€¢ Economically disadvantaged children in Oswego County increased from 37.2% to 58.9%. â€¢ Of all students in Oswego County who qualify for Federal Nutrition Programs, 90% of them have annual family incomes in households of 4 people at or below $39,000. OSWEGO COUNTY LACK OF SUPPORTING SERVICES: As previously illustrated, the ratio of providers for basic medical and mental health services in Oswego County is double the state average. The lack of services such as these means in many cases that basic needs of students are not met, which impacts their readiness to learn. This together with higher child poverty, food insecurity and abuse factors result in more needy student populations requiring greater use of school resources. OSWEGO COUNTY INCREASED STUDENT NEED: In addition to the needs indicated above, student populations such as foster placements, homeless youth, and McKinney Vento are examples of needy populations requiring additional resources. In Oswego County, profiles of students like these are more prevalent, which illustrates how enrollment decreases alone do not translate into reduced costs for districts. On the contrary, costs for serving these needier segments of student populations outweigh any savings that may result from enrollment fluctuations. The rate of child poverty and the growth in counts of economically disadvantaged children in Oswego County render fiscal burdens which aren't matched by many other districts. Oswego County's current average 'Pupil Need Index' factor is 1.65, which indicates significantly greater need than the average district in NYS. As such, the revised formula must account for factors reflecting these greater student needs. BASE ALLOCATION PER STUDENT PLUS ADJUSTMENTS: It would be fair to establish a base 'per student' figure, but also adjust those allocations for other local and regional factors relative to wealth and ability to pay. Examples impacting Oswego County are given below, and in the items that follow: a. Income & Property Wealth: Oswego County's average Adjusted Gross Income is only 45.8% of the state average and Assessed Value per Foundation Pupil Units are 41.7% of the state average. b. Business and Industry Tax Base: Oswego County is lighter on business and industry than other regions, resulting in most of the tax burden falling on the backs of private taxpayers. FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH COUNTS ARE NOT REFLECTIVE OF NEED: It is important to realize that these counts are no longer a reliable measure of poverty for Oswego County (and also likely for many rural counties). The expansion of the Community Eligibility Program (CEP) has resulted in many families no longer completing the application/income verification forms due to the blanket eligibility offered by CEP. In Oswego County, all school districts have all school buildings 100% eligible and participating in CEP. For all districts, the FRLP counts generated by the required application forms have reduced, rendering these counts misaligned from true need. This fact must be recognized and reflected in the revised formula. AGED DATA DOES NOT REFLECT CURRENT NEED: As illustrated by the opening statistics, data that is 10, 15, or 20+ years old is obsolete when it comes to accurately representing today's needs. The revised formula must not 'freeze' data by naming specific years for data used. Language must reference current data. Tying formulas to the most current multi-year average (i.e.: the most current prior 3-year average) would allow them to be self-updating. LOWER THE MINIMUM INCOME WEALTH INDEX: The current minimum threshold in the formula for the Income Wealth Index is .65. In Oswego County, the average Combined Wealth Ratio is .48, which means the current formula appears to be artificially inflating the wealth factors of Oswego County making it appear less needy. The new formula must accurately reflect Oswego County at its rightfully lower wealth factors to ensure equitable levels of funding. ALLOW FOR COSTS THAT OUTPACE INFLATION: All costs are not created equal and do not progress within the bounds of pre-set inflationary limits. Likewise, some cost increases are beyond the ability of districts to control. Employee benefits (i.e.: health insurance) and other costs that outpace inflation erode district abilities to maintain other activities, even when the cost of those don't increase at the same pace, are flat, or reducing. Given that Oswego County income levels are more firmly rooted in poverty than other areas of the state, costs that outpace inflation have a more pronounced impact on local taxpayers. The new formula should allow consideration for costs that outpace inflation. PROVIDE FOR EQUITY IN EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS: Given the rural and impoverished profile of Oswego County, it isn't possible in many cases for districts to offer student programming that is equitable to what their peers get in other areas of NYS. Oswego County districts lack resources to provide levels of electives and opportunities that are available in other counties. The new formula must consider the diverse needs of students being served (i.e.: poverty level, mental health needs, etc.), the economic diversity of districts serving those students, and endeavor to provide equitable opportunities for all students across NYS. An equitable slate of instructional programming (i.e.: enrichment, multiple foreign language options, access to higher level math and science, etc.) should be defined and funding assistance provided for every district to meet these standardized opportunity thresholds. ALLOW FOR EMERGENCIES AND SIGNFICANT UNFORESEENS: This is not a factor specific to Oswego County, but with increases in weather related disasters (i.e.: flooding), influxes of students (i.e.: integration of migrants or increased special education populations), consideration should be given in the formula to assist districts with such unforeseen cost factors. A current-year aid aspect to the formula would help districts who face significant events impacting the budget. Please consider two categories of Foundation Aid: Subsequent Year Foundation Aid (SYFA) and Current Year Foundation Aid (CYFA). Using a similar approach to BOCES Facilities Aid, CYFA would allow districts access to funding to help address unforeseen needs/emergencies in the current year. PHASE IN ANY DELETERIOUS IMPACTS: Since the existing formula included safe-harmless provisions, it didn't allocate aid to districts in need, while affording other districts higher allocations which have become part of their fiscal diet. In Oswego County, should save harmless be eliminated, four districts would be in peril of losing funding in a combined total of $6.6m. Three of these districts are among the smallest and most rural in our county. This represents a 17.0% increase to their combined tax levies or $6.6m of reduced programming across those districts. A funding reduction of this magnitude will be devastating for these districts, either by catapulting residents into greater poverty from the increased tax burden, or through destructive reductions to education. Should implementation of the new formula result in taking funds away from districts, a phase-in of reductions must occur no more rapidly than 5 years. OTHER CURRENT CHALLENGES OF NOTE: a. Recruitment & Retention of Staff â€“ Similarly to many across NYS, Oswego County districts face significant challenges in recruiting and retaining staff. Loss of funding would further exacerbate the disparity of our county being able to hire and maintain the staffing needed to provide educational opportunities equitable to what's offered elsewhere. b. Inflation â€“ Costs of goods and services are increasing, which means that funding needs to keep pace. District tax levies are in essence capped at 2% or CPI, whichever is less. The new formula must adequately address inflationary costs. c. EV Buses â€“ As districts are expected to meet these new mandates, already overtaxed communities will be required to fund bus purchases that cost 3 times the amount as diesel buses, not to mention the infrastructure changes to accommodate charging. This is an example of added costs not tied to student enrollment, funding for which will compete with budgets that already struggle to provide equitable student programming. In summary, here are the recommendations from the body of the document. The school districts of Oswego County contend that the new formula for Foundation Aid must: â€¢ Account for factors reflecting greater student needs. â€¢ Establish a base 'per student' figure, but also adjust those allocations for other local and regional factors relative to wealth and ability to pay. â€¢ Recognize and reflect the FRLP counts now misaligned from true need due to the Community Eligibility Program. â€¢ Not 'freeze' data by naming specific years for data used. Language must reference current data, tying formulas to a current multi-year average. â€¢ Accurately reflect Oswego County at its rightfully lower wealth factors to ensure equitable levels of funding. â€¢ Allow consideration for costs that outpace inflation. â€¢ Provide equitable opportunities for all students across NYS. An equitable slate of instructional programming should be defined, and funding assistance provided for every district to meet these opportunity thresholds. â€¢ Consider a current year segmentation of the formula that would allow districts access to funding if needed to address unforeseen needs/emergencies in the current year. â€¢ Phase-in any resulting aid reductions no more rapidly than 5 years. In closing, we would like to thank you for considering these recommendations. By implementing these or similar changes, we can ensure that the Foundation Aid formulas more equitably distribute resources and support the diverse needs of all school districts across New York State.

1627. Chris Martin

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Our district receives reduced funding because Cornell's wealth is factored into the calculations, but they have been very resistant to contribute, and as a result our district gets penalized financially. We need to factor actual contributions into our allotment calculation, rather than hypothetical.

1628. Avrohom Vegh

Affiliation: Queens

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1629. Clifford Kasson

Affiliation: Vestal Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Thank you for the opportunity to provide written testimony regarding the structure of the NYS Foundation Aid formula. My name is Clifford Kasson, Superintendent of Schools, Vestal Central School District, Vestal, NY. I have lived in the Vestal school community for 28 years. I began employment within the district in 2006 as a building administrator and have enjoyed working tirelessly on behalf of our students, faculty/staff, and wonderful school community. In addition to being employed at Vestal CSD, all three of my children attended Vestal CSD from kindergarten through grade 12. During their time at Vestal CSD, each of my three daughters were provided an environment in which to learn from teachers who had many opportunities for professional development provided by the district. Our inquiry-based K-8th grade education proved to be the springboard for success during their high school years. Our well-trained faculty challenged my children in rigorous Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, Project Lead the Way, Fast Forward, and other college prep programs that exceeded NYS standards. This educational approach to providing students with high rigor academic programs ensured that my daughters surpassed the requirements for college readiness. Each of my three children have stated their Vestal Central School District education provided them with foundational knowledge that translated into academic success with on-time graduation from three acclaimed higher educational institutions. The three colleges/universities are Penn State - Biomedical Engineering, Baruch College - Zicklin School of Business, and the Nazareth University - Nursing program. Vestal Central School District is not considered a district of need, as the population qualifying for poverty status is at approximately 25%. Thus, Vestal CSD's 3,400+ student population is not eligible for most grants or additional funding through Foundation Aid. On the contrary, there are school districts in our area that have annual budgets exceeding Vestal's budget by $12 million with only 100 more students enrolled. The perception is that high-achieving districts such as Vestal CSD (ranked # 1 in our region and #190 in NYS by the September 2024 US News and World Report Best High Schools) with lower poverty rates do not require additional funding to maintain and grow student opportunities that support social, emotional, and academic success beyond their high school years. The Vestal CSD community is very supportive of our school system. Over time, as student mental health and emotional needs increased, additional social workers, counselors, and support service positions increased, creating an additional expense for the district. This coupled with increased programming costs for students with disabilities, and an ever-increasing population of ESL students, our local taxpayer share is not able to provide funding to sustain these additional services. However, other districts with higher poverty needs benefit from qualifying for a large number of grants and additional funding to promote programs for students. During preparation for the last budget cycle (2024-25), we were forced to reduce staffing for elementary reading services and secondary teachers. These budget cuts were directly related to hold-harmless of Foundation Aid and increased labor costs due to the drastic increase in minimum wage. With the increase to minimum wage in NYS, Vestal CSD was forced to increase salaries of all non-instructional employees. With approximately 650 employees in our district, 50% are teachers/building administrators/related services, while the remaining workers are food service, maintenance/custodial, transportation, paraprofessionals, and clerical. When combined with the increased cost for professional services (such as HVAC, etc.) and materials/supplies/equipment, as well as a maximum allowable levy increase of 1.77% coupled with no increase in Foundation Aid, the District was forced to reduce programming at the middle and high school levels while laying off individuals. The fiscal forecast is even worse for the 2025-26 school year. This will require the District to continue trimming and eliminating high level programs at the high school that prepare students for college and university. This will be a very difficult time for our school and school community. Our school district, students, and overall school community are continuously penalized financially because we are not experiencing an increase of families meeting poverty requirements. This blatant practice of overfunding for school districts in poverty at the expense of other school districts is disproportionate. As mentioned above, a district two miles away with greater poverty needs than Vestal CSD qualifies for grant and special funding where Vestal CSD does not. Furthermore, that school district's overall budget is approximately $12,000,000 higher than Vestal's overall annual budget with approximately 100 more students enrolled K-12. Of their overall budget, this other district receives approximately $38,000,000 in Foundation Aid, while Vestal CSD receives approximately $20,000,000. This is a drastic difference that negatively impacts the Vestal CSD community and student learning. I am requesting that the Rockefeller Commission take a serious look at the current Foundation Aid formula and how it negatively impacts districts that work tirelessly to support ALL students. Our district has high graduation rates for ALL students, including our English as a Second Language students and Students with Disabilities (ESL and SWD). We dedicate our educational practice to whole learning for students, and all of our curricula meet and exceed NYS standards. This dedication and approach to academic rigor in a caring learning environment, while also focusing on social and emotional learning combined with high expectations for student success and achievement, is the cornerstone of our school district. Our school community is committed to this excellence in education as evidenced by our 3-8 NYS assessment scores, graduation rates, AP/IB assessment scores, college/university acceptance rates, and higher-level education completion rates. Our commitment to educating each and every student who enrolls in our district to the best of our ability is being eroded due to a lack of state funding. There are a few very important points that I feel could help make the Foundation Aid formula much clearer and more equitable in providing funding for all districts, not just districts that may have higher poverty. We all know that the poverty data is coming from the 2000 census, which is seriously outdated, and there are known issues with other poverty reporting types. I feel that this could be the first area that is looked at; by using a newer census and by giving Districts the tools to gather local information by allowing Free and Reduced-Price Lunch (FRPL) forms as a yearly requirement for our families. What is especially concerning is that the current poverty data is a mix of the census and FRPL counts. Is there a plan to address this now that most every school qualifies for free lunch and FRPL forms? Since Vestal CSD meets the requirements for FRPL, more of our families are refusing to complete the FRPL forms. Like many districts, Vestal CSD has seen an increase in English Language Learners. I am requesting ELL counts be treated similarly to the weighting system for Special Education student counts. This would support districts that have a large number of ELL students, as it is more in line with how much it actually costs to educate these unique learners. With the Regional Cost Index, the state is currently broken into 9 regions and, again, is a relatively older piece of the Foundation Aid puzzle dating back to 2006. Perhaps splitting into smaller regions or applying a cost index per county would be a more accurate representation of the needs in all corners of the state. Within the Foundation Aid formula, there are certain weights that allow for additional funding based on a variety of factors such as Special Education, poverty, etc. I propose that there should be an additional weight that gives further funding to high-achieving schools like Vestal so that we are better able to sustain these programs which have supported our students in preparing them for the world after K-12 public education. While I am aware of the financial constraints of a budget, I urge NYS to look at the entire picture. We cannot expect money to appear and solve all these problems. Part of why we are in this dire financial situation is because NYS is quickly becoming too expensive to live in and people are leaving the state. While we must all work within a budget, I believe that there should be further structured oversight into the use and funding of reserves. I do not believe that most districts are holding onto unnecessary funds, but we do know that there have been instances of districts funding beyond a reasonable amount in some reserves. This factors into Vestal CSD's budget because we follow the 4% rule for unassigned fund balance. Thus, Vestal has less funds to work with while educating students at a high level. Thank you for the opportunity to express our concerns with the current Foundation Aid formula and offer suggestions that would positively impact NYS schools, including schools similar to Vestal CSD.

1630. Jonathan Pilchick

Affiliation: Yeshiva Spring Valley

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1631. Chani Pilchick

Affiliation: Yeshiva Spring Valley

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1632. Adrian Karoly

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1633. bella meth

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I am a homeowner who pays taxes to East Ramapo and a parent of non-public school children who pays tuition privately including a special needs child. I pay double tuition, once to East Ramapo and the second time to my children's schools. I save the state thousands of dollars by not sending my children to public schools. But what happens to all that money that should be used to educate my children? It should be used to pay for the services they are entitled to. It should stay in the school district that I pay my taxes to. Please revise the formula for distributing school monies.

1634. jacob meth

Affiliation: ERCSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1635. Randi Levine

Affiliation: Advocates for Children of New York

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: Please see the attached file.

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1636. Sarah Rarick

Affiliation: Ithaca City School district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: My understanding is that FAF takes into account the value of the property in the district but does not account for non taxable land owned by exempt entities. In Ithaca, NY, where I live, I believe 59% of property (by value) is exempt from property taxes due to Cornell University's disproportionately large presence. The university continues to acquire and develop more land each year. Our property taxes are 3.435% of value per year, with school taxes making up 48% of that. The tax burden is incredibly high. An average Ithaca homeowner will pay over $1,000/month in taxes, an absurd tax burden that is unaffordable for many owners (and indirectly, renters). Ithaca is becoming increasingly uninhabitable due to this tax burden, and the school district is suffering as a direct result. This year, the school district was forced to implement major cuts after the initial budget was voted down in the spring. This will also continue to happen because property owners (and indirectly, renters) who shoulder the tax burden, and very much support funding education, simply cannot afford to pay more. If the current formula is not modified, this situation will only worsen. New York should modify the formula to either A) fund our school district more to compensate for Cornell's exempt status or B) remove or limit the tax-exempt status of universities.

1637. tobias tillemans

Affiliation: Ithaca city school District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: iCSD is penalized bc the formula does not take into account that 59% of the land value in the district is tax exempt. We need to modify the formula to either compensate for Cornell's tax exempt land holdings or remove/limit the tax exempt status of universities.

1638. Patricia McCormick

Affiliation: Keene Central School

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1639. Perele Birnhack

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments: We appreciate your help in ensuring that all children are serviced in the best possible way. Please keep in mind that 75 percent of the children going to school in East Ramapo are enrolled in private school. Please keep that in mind as you work out the solution to the myriad needs of the entire community. Just as every property owner is required to pay taxes, each child should equally have the right to needed services in order to succeed. Thank you once again for always thinking of the needs of every individual child.

1640. Tanya Wendt

Affiliation: District 28 in NYC (Queens)

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Board Member

Comments: The attached file is a resolution unanimously passed on 9/05/2024 by District 28's Community Education Council. Please consider the statements and resolutions therein. Thank you for your time.

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1641. Kate Lyons

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District, TST BOCES

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I've heard that the FAF takes into account the value of the property in the district but does not account for non taxable land owned by exempt entities. In Ithaca, NY, where I live, I believe 59% of property (by value) is exempt from property taxes due to Cornell University's disproportionately large presence. The university continues to acquire and develop more land each year. Our property taxes are 3.435% of value per year, with school taxes making up 48% of that. The tax burden is incredibly high. An average Ithaca homeowner will pay over $1,000/month in taxes, an absurd tax burden that is unaffordable for many owners (and indirectly, renters). Ithaca is becoming increasingly uninhabitable due to the tax burden, and the school district is suffering as a result. This year, the school district implemented major cuts after the budget was voted down in the spring. This will also continue to happen because property owners (and indirectly, renters) who shoulder the tax burden, and very much support funding education, simply cannot afford to pay more. Especially while Cornell University is tax-exempt and continues to purchase and develop land. New York should modify the formula to either A) fund our school district more to compensate for Cornell's exempt status or B) remove or limit the tax-exempt status of universities.

1642. MOSHE BAKER

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1643. Alan snyder

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1644. CHAYA KOHN

Affiliation: EAST RAMAPO

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a grandparent of children going to nonpublic schools, and a taxpayer in the East Ramapo School District. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my grandchildren attend nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Chaya Kohn

1645. Suri Zakutinsky

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1646. Malkie Baker

Affiliation: New York City

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

Comments: Very unfair that taxes are being increased specifically to cover a service that my family does not benefit from

1647. Aliza Kuznicki

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As parents who favor a strong Jewish education and support regents education for children, please help us keep private schools affordable

1648. Toby Bick

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1649. Naomi Brac

Affiliation: East Ramapo CSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Something is terribly wrong with the funding formula allocated to ERCSD. Why are residents being taxed higher than any other district and receiving far less in return? Please DO fix this matter without unilaterally burdening the residents with an unfair and highly inflated tax hike. The State of New York must closely examine the failure of this formula in the case of East Ramapo's funding, adhere to the residents' voting results and remedy the situation ASAP by allocating more funding for this floundering school district. Thank you!

1650. Joshua Fruchter

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1651. Binyomin Krybus

Affiliation: Rockefeller Institute of Government

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I am reaching out to you as a nonpublic school parent, which might not be the typical perspective when discussing Foundation Aid intended for public schools. However, it is exactly this omission that I want to address. The Foundation Aid formula currently does not take into account nonpublic school students at all. While this may not have major impacts in some areas, in districts like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious consequences. The district is obligated to provide certain services to nonpublic school children but does not receive any Foundation Aid to do so. This situation almost guarantees a financial deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, and creating tension within the community. As a Jewish parent, I have personally felt the hostility caused by this deficit, which has been ongoing for decades and has worsened antisemitism within our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula as well. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000, which is significantly outdated. While the use of such old information likely distorts the funding situation throughout the state, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have experienced significant changes in the last twenty-five years. The district has grown substantially and now includes a large number of English language learners in public schools. These students require additional services, which further strains the district's already limited financial resources due to the outdated Foundation Aid formula. I appreciate your attention to this matter so that districts like East Ramapo are not unfairly disadvantaged. Even though my child attends a nonpublic school, I strongly believe that all children, whether attending public or nonpublic schools, should have the necessary resources to succeed. I urge you to update the Foundation Aid formula to reflect this belief. Sincerely, [Your Name] Shorten it To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, As a nonpublic school parent, I am concerned about the Foundation Aid formula, which does not consider nonpublic school students. This oversight has significant consequences, particularly in districts like East Ramapo, where most students attend nonpublic schools. The outdated formula, based on 2000 U.S. Census data, fails to account for the district's substantial growth and the increasing number of English language learners in public schools. This leads to financial strain and tension within the community. As a Jewish parent, I have witnessed the impact of this deficit on our community. I urge you to address this issue to ensure that all children, regardless of the type of school they attend, have the resources they need to succeed. Sincerely, Binyomin Krybus

1652. Tova Wacholder

Affiliation: Yahalom, East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a professional who works with thousands of nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Tova Wacholder

1653. Megan Turnbull

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: 59% of Ithaca's land is tax exempt because of Cornell University's land holdings. Our school district is getting penalized because your formulary doesn't take this into account. We needs more funding from the gov't!

1654. Mikhail Rayvich

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1655. Caralyn Ross

Affiliation: Honeoye Falls-Lima Central School District

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

Comments: For the purposes of creating a district-appropriate, equitable, and sustainable foundation aid formula in New York State, the Honeoye Falls-Lima Board of Education has assembled a few items to consider. Here we share our real-life experiences and observations of New York State public education funding. Sound assumptions The actual cost of educating a student is important to consider. General education costs are different from region to region and certainly within each district. The actual cost of educating a student in the future must consider state requirements as well as a factor for growth. In our specific situation, HF-L's foundation aid is determined based on a variety of formulas. Currently, common sense and universal algorithms do not exist. Since we are constrained by the tax cap, our ability to raise funds locally is significantly limited. We cannot bridge the gap between a foundation aid shortfall and local funding without employing strategic reserves. When legislators assemble a new formula, it is imperative that they be provided with real numbers and current data. It is critical that they are operating using sound assumptions. It is also important that legislators consider the costs of the many NYSED (New York State Education Department) requirements imposed on districts. In short, they need to fund currently unfunded mandates. Equity Every effort should be made to produce a foundation aid formula that is equitable. Equitable does not mean uniform. An equitable formula will appear different for each district yet serve the students well based on their various needs. Items to consider in this conversation include; relative indicators of wealth of an area, economic growth, employment data, availability of higher education opportunities, family support systems, and student safety assessments. The expectation exists that the results of an applied equitable formula would produce different results within a region and even within counties among neighboring districts. Districts should be funded with parity based on their unique needs. Here at HF-L, our local needs have changed significantly over the last decade. While our enrollment has decreased by 14% over this period, our English Language Learners have increased by 244%, our economically disadvantaged population (measured by eligibility for free and reduced-price lunch) has increased by 30%, and our number of students with disabilities number has also increased. Thus, even adjusted for inflation, our declining enrollment has not led to a decline in per-pupil costs. Sustainability We feel that foundation aid funding should be sustainable and predictable. A formula based on data and an educational experience that is over 20 years old abandons the reality of changing times. The educational experience today includes cost for technology, SEL (Social Emotional Learning) support, and enhanced safety measures that were not part of the experience in the past. When factors such as inflation and wage compression are introduced, it makes the consideration even more complex. Finally, the nature of our ever-changing world must be considered. As we seek to protect our environment, a practical plan must be developed to allow NYS School districts to transition to zero emissions buses. Under our current funding model in New York, this transition simply cannot occur. Thank you for the opportunity to share our thoughts with you. If you have questions or wish to continue this conversation, please contact the Honeoye Falls-Lima Central School District. With sincere appreciation we remain, The Honeoye Falls-Lima Board of Education

1656. Eliyahu Sternberg

Affiliation: Queens

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1657. Clifford Kasson

Affiliation: Vestal Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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1658. Judith Dinowitz

Affiliation: Brooklyn, NY School District - Public and non-public schools

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Fellow New Yorker and parent

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a parent of children in both public and nonpublic schools. I am deeply concerned with the Foundation Aid formula and its impact on the school districts, both public and nonpublic, in East Ramapo. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Judith Dinowitz

1659. Barry Seff

Affiliation: White Plains City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. I also have a child with special needs in public school. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Barry Seff

1660. Malka Babani

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: We already shoulder a disproportionate amount of the tax burden in Ramapo, and levying a tax that was not approved is a communist dictatorship, not a democractic government. Not only does the unauthorized tax need to be reversed, but an individual that seizes power like this needs to be removed from Office as she is a threat to the constitution and our democracy.

1661. Xavier Knight

Affiliation: No

Relationship to Education: Student

Comments: Dear Policy holders, As a high school student myself who has been in both the public school system and the private school system, please take a look at your own public school system and change it, rather than ignoring it and taking your anger and incompetence out on the private school system. Thank you and good day, A Concerned Public School Citizen

1662. Rochel Spitz

Affiliation: Beth Rochel, Yeshiva Beth David

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1663. Samuel Spitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo central school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1664. Malka Moster

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please provide more funding to East Ramapo students. As a parent we are struggling to finance our childrens education. Please provide for their school district, so they can recieve the education they deserve.

1665. Yehuda Schuster

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1666. Yocheved Schuster

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1667. Naftuli Zaks

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1668. Rhoda Volvovitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: That state's formula for providing aid to school districts doesn't take into consideration the private school population. It should. More and more people are choosing charter schools and private schools and other alternative schooling options for their children. The state has to update the formula, not just for East Ramapo's sake, but for all districts.

1669. Rachelle Tropper

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Thank you Rockefeller Institute of Government for the opportunity to express myself, I would like to believe that there is still some level of honesty logic and truth in the hearts of decent Americans in 2024. Often I wonder what happened to belief in the value of decency & virtue -as at least in a public way -so much disconnect to those beautiful ways seem to be a relic of the past. I hope that you can all take an honest look at what is truly going on for East Ramapo nonpublic school parents. Obviously the public schools NEED to be taken care of appropriately. That was never a question. But the overwhelmingly non public school parents and Funders of such as tax payers have to be treated fairly as well under the law. As you well know, the Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely,

1670. Lynsay Ayer

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Researcher

Comments: The formula needs to take into account the major impact that tax exempt organizations have on our school budgets. In Ithaca, almost 60% of our land is tax exempt because it is owned by Cornell University. This leaves a huge tax burden on property owners, tenants etc. and limits our ability to make up the difference needed to sufficiently fund our schools.

1671. Tzivya Abikzer

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1672. Molly Senack

Affiliation: Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York (CIDNY)

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments:

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1673. Laura Kornblum

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Dear Sir: My name is Laura Kornblum. I live at . I currently have a 19 year old daughter who is on the Autism Spectrum and gets services through OPWDD. She has an IEP with the East Ramapo school district. She has been getting services with them for many years and therefore through the district I get busing for her to a special needs school and attendance in that school. In past years I also received busing for my other two children who are now grown, while they attended private school. So I am in both worlds - public school and private. I moved into my home in October of 2004, which means it's almost 20 years that I have been living in this district ( I actually grew up in Rockland County in the same school district and moved back up here 10 years after I had married and lived on the lower east side of manhattan) Since 2013 I am a divorced single mom of three who has been paying a mortgage on my own to stay in my home. It has always been challenging. However the past five years have been an even greater challenge since I wasn't able to work. My daughter had a lot of mental health challenges and needed my full attention. I have had to ask for help from community and family to supplement (at this point) a little part time salary. I am currently unemployed and hope to find something soon since over the summer I had to care for my elderly dad (who is 91 and lives in the same district). I registered to vote when I was 18 and have voted ever since. This year I recently went to vote twice about the school budget for East Ramapo and the budget had passed with a 1% increase. Well I was shocked to find out that along came a woman who single handedly wiped away a public vote and decided to increase my taxes by a little over 5%. HELP!!!!!!!! Wait a minute! How am I going to pay that increase? I am holding on by a thread! How is this fair or right? I am getting benefits for my daughter but now its like I am being punished. Something in New York State has to change. This formula needs to be looked at seriously and something has to change. At this point I think the majority of the children in public school in this district do not live in homes and don't pay taxes. I am on medicaid and my daughter is also on SSI and waiting to get on food stamps. She needs her school benefits but it seems like all the responsibility is falling on the same homeowners. And what about all these new migrants that were sent here from the Texas border? Where am I supposed to get the additional funds for my increased taxes, with no job? And wait a minute - what about my elderly parents who are 91 and almost 92? They are paying school taxes and have no kids in school. They are on a fixed income and now don't even have a car or the ability to drive. Yet their taxes are increasing. Where are they supposed to get their additonal funds? Their little social security payment? PLEASE PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO REVIEW THE FORMULA!!! Please review and come up with a better plan at this point to help East Ramapo school district provide to ALL students - both those that attend public and private schools - the services they need but helping the disctrict homeowners. The same people can't keep getting tax increases and being asked to keep covering everything when the state government can try to ammend how monies in the state are allocated to districts. We are in fact an interesting district and I see things getting eve n worse if the state doesn't change this formula. And how was it even constitutional for a single person to override a district of voters? I have thought about reaching out to one or two of the most famous lawyers to ask about how a state monitor could be given that power that seemed to me, to wipe away my legal right to vote and for that vote to count. Does the governor of NY state have such power like this to allow this to happen? Why does the governor think that every homeowner in this district is loaded with money? I am not a politician but I am a very concerned parent who is suffering all alone financially and I think its time for a full overhaul. Yes the kids in any public school deserve to have good services but most of them are not paying taxes and aren't feeling the hardship like those that are paying the taxes. I thank you so much for your time given to read my letter and I am praying very hard that your organization can help shed some light and bring about a change in the East Ramapo school district and the Aid formula to ease the burden on the taxpayers. Think of seniors who have fixed incomes, are homeowners and no longer have children in . schools. Think of single unemployed moms on medicaid, food stamps, heap and have special needs children. May the good Lord give you guidance to do the hard work and bring about change. Sincerely, Laura Kornblum

1674. Sarah Drubetskiy

Affiliation: East Ramapo School District, Rockland County, NY

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1675. Miriam Kahan

Affiliation: Care design

Relationship to Education: Care Manager

Comments: To whom It May Concern, I'm grateful for all you do for the residents fortunate to reside in Rockland County. However, living here comes with a steep price tag. Namely, taxes which have been skyrocketing and keep going up. I have been paying school taxes for more than thirty-four years and none of my children have benefited in this regard as they all went to private school where we paid full tuition all the years. Moreover, in my capacity as a care manager for families with children that have special needs, many of whom attend the public school system and others that attend private schools, many of the students are not getting the education they deserve, the therapies necessary to thrive, and bussing that works for the family. I'm on the frontlines and see how they are suffering, how they have to shell out thousands of dollars for their children who suffer countless disabilities. These families deserve compassion. These children need services. Hiking up the taxes once again only lines the pockets of the top echelons and leaves those paying out of pocket to chose between basics or nothing. Please understand our pain and take this into consideration. Thank you.

1676. Trudy Morgan Tetteh

Affiliation: New York State Network for Youth Success

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments:

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1677. Shavy Katz

Affiliation: Human Care Services

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate; work for an organization for children with special needs

Comments: Please bear in mind that these families have a huge burden when raising these children and need every bit of support possible! thank you

1678. Joseph Grodzinsky

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments:

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1679. Chaya Grodzinsky

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1680. Eric Hartz

Affiliation: Newfield CSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Please see the attached document.

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1681. Virna Hallak

Affiliation: 22

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1682. Mordechai Fasten

Affiliation: nyc doe

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1683. Tzvi Spitz

Affiliation: East Ramapo SD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1684. Phillip Borenstein

Affiliation: Kings county

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: The funding formula discriminate against private schooling parents even though our taxes pay for these services. This must change. Thanks for your understanding. PB

1685. ERIC RACE

Affiliation: Johnson City CSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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1686. Rachel Leiser

Affiliation: Yeshiva of Spring Valley, East Ramapo SD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1687. Laura Wilshire

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Our school district has been suffering with the lack of financial obligation Cornell University has towards school taxes. The University artificially inflates the mean income in this area, and does not contribute nearly enough, resulting in many families having to move out of the district due to being unable to afford the cost of living with the high taxes and little gained from such high taxes. This is creating an imbalance in the student population, and resulting in severe budget cuts due to the ideal budget being too high for what people can actually afford to pay for taxes. Cornell needs to be held accountable for contributing to the school system, or needs to be factored out when it comes to calculating the amount of aid from the state. We received less aid than we should due to Cornell's presence, but they are not contributing a fair share.

1688. Brian Hall

Affiliation: Bais Yaakov of Queens, Tiferes Moshe

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1689. irwin hollander

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school grandparent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish grandparent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. The easiest first step is to count all school-children in each district, not just public school students. This will have a minimal effect on most school districts but a major effect on East Ramapo. Sincerely, Irwin Hollander, Ph.D.

1690. David Katzenberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1691. Lara Evangelista

Affiliation: Internationals Network for Public Schools

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: Please see attached testimony.

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1692. gavriel fried

Affiliation: Chayei Olam Community Kollel

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: It is beyond belief that we parents of children who do not get the benefits of public education due to it's current incompatibility to our morals and beliefs should be burdened to shoulder even more of the exhorbitant out of control spending for a inferior education of other children while paying out of pocket for our own children's education!

1693. Thomas Franz

Affiliation: Eastport South Manor

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1694. Yakov Hain

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

Comments: Gentlemen: For the past 40 years I have dutifully paid School Taxes. None of my children have attended Public Schools and the only benefit they (and I) have received is mandated services. So my children's education costs East Ramapo a small amount. This is true for most residents of this area as we send our children to Yeshiva Schools. Yet, even with a small Public School student body, our taxes keep rising. Why ? Something needs to be done to rectify this situation. I am told that the State's reimbursement formula does not address this inequality. In addition, why is the cost to educate a Public School student so much more than that of a Yeshiva School whose school day is many hours longer? Bottom line: The burden on taxpayers is unfair. Let the State carry its fair share. ~ yaakov & dina hain

1695. Sarah Weinstock

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I'm a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Sarah

1696. Julie Locey

Affiliation: Vertus Charter School

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Same Students, Less Funding Rochester's 7,969 charter school students face significant challenges - 83% are economically disadvantaged, and 3% are experiencing homelessness. The majority of these students are from marginalized communities, with 64% identifying as Black and 22% as Hispanic or Latinx. These demographics closely mirror those of the Rochester City School District. However, these charter students receive only three-fifths of the state funding their district peers receive. As a school leader for Vertus High School, 95% of our students are Rochester City School District residents, and this is particularly impactful. Our school serves high school boys who have not been successful in a traditional school setting. 86% of our students live in poverty, 34% are students with disabilities, approximately 30% of them have met the definition to qualify as McKinney-Vento, and 27% have some involvement with the criminal justice system. We are working with those who need us the most, need more services than a traditional school provides, and yet do so with less funding. Our graduation rate of 79% in 2024 and 83% in 2023 surpasses that of the district (for males) by more than 20%. The Foundation Aid formula resulted in a decrease of $226.74 per student for per pupil tuition for the 24-25 school year, decreasing my overall budget by close to $100,000. (the only district in NYS where this occurred) Couple this with the lack of building aid and other put-aside funding that the district receives, which is not available to charter schools, and we are working with far less than the district. The disheartening fact is that the district, as evidenced by their academic outcomes, does not service the students well, and the formula does further damage when families choose a charter school for their child's education with far better academic outcomes, by creating funding gaps that tie the hands of charter school leaders. How New York State Can Ensure Fair Funding 1. Direct Additional Funds to High-Needs Students: The funding formula should allocate additional resources to low-income students, marginalized racial and ethnic groups, English Learners, and Students with Disabilities. 2. Ensure Adequate Funding for Essential Services: The funds must be sufficient to cover the full range of services students require. 3. Use Current Data: The funding formula should be based on up-to-date student demographic information, continually reflecting the most recent census data. 4. Implement Student-Centered Funding: All funding—including adjustments for inflation (CPI), regional costs, phased-in funding, extra support for students with disabilities, facilities funds, and any set-asides—should follow each student to the LEA and school they attend. These changes would ensure that the students with the greatest needs receive the necessary resources for a sound basic education.

1697. Mark Beller

Affiliation: Yeshiva spring valley

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Not acceptable. How dare you raise taxes when we as a community and district voted against it?

1698. Laura Harding

Affiliation: ERASE Racism

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: Testimony of Laura Harding, President of ERASE Racism, on Foundation Aid It was an honor to be an invited speaker at the Rockefeller Institute of Government's public hearing on Foundation Aid in Farmingdale on July 30, 2024. Because that verbal opportunity required compressing my testimony, I'm pleased to submit my full testimony in writing here today. I am Laura Harding, President of ERASE Racism, the regional civil rights organization based on Long Island that exposes and addresses the devastating impact of historical and ongoing structural racism, particularly in public school education and housing. We do so through research, policy advocacy, legal action, and educating and mobilizing the public, and we have been recognized locally and nationally for our cutting-edge work. Our most recent research reports on public school education include the following: â€¢ 'Empire State Inequity: A decade of school funding disparity and its effects' â€¢ 'Enough is Enough! 15 years of growing educational inequities on Long Island' and â€¢ 'Unequal Resources for Long Island Students Based on Race.' These reports are especially relevant to the topic of this public hearing. They reveal the inequity of the current Foundation Aid formula, especially as it applies to students in high-needs school districts on Long Island and statewide, which also happen to be our most intensely segregated schools with a predominantly Black and Brown population. The formula, as currently configured, fails to provide the educational services that students in high-needs districts need and deserve. It thereby fails to fund fully the quality public school education that the New York State Constitution guarantees. Too often, policymakers considering the Foundation Aid formula focus on sustainability, as if its purpose is primarily fiscal. Its purpose is rather to provide the educational services that students in high-needs districts require, and that should be our touchstone moving forward. Students from marginalized backgrounds â€“ such as students of color, immigrant and English Language Learner (ELL) students, and economically disadvantaged students â€“ will need more resources to succeed than those from more privileged backgrounds, as they face more structural barriers. ERASE Racism's 2022 report 'Unequal Resources for Long Island Students Based on Race' revealed a number of stunning inequities to the current formula. It identified the 11 school districts on Long Island that were intensely segregated: 90-100% students of color. It found, among other inequities, the following: â€¢ Intensely segregated districts have, on average, nearly $10,000 less in annual revenue per student than predominantly White districts. â€¢ Intensely segregated districts have a higher number of students for every guidance counselor and social worker than predominantly White districts. For instance, on average, there is one guidance counselor for about every 1,226 students in intensely segregated districts, compared to one for every 356 students in predominantly White districts. â€¢ Intensely segregated districts have more than twice the number of high school students per AP course as compared to all districts with at least one high school. How can that possibly be an equitable education? The recently enacted New York State Budget brought funding of Foundation Aid to its highest level ever: $24.9 billion. Yet a review by ERASE Racism reveals that the resulting increases in funding for Long Island's intensely segregated school districts of students of color are by no means dramatic â€“ ranging from 0% to 11.96%. In our 2023 research report 'Empire State Inequity,' ERASE Racism found that one out of every three students of color in New York attends a school district that is 90% or more students of color — what we call 'intensely segregated school districts of students of color.' That report identified 36 intensely segregated school districts of students of color in nine counties, including 15 school districts in New York City, 11 on Long Island, and five in Westchester. Those Long Island school districts are Amityville, Brentwood, Central Islip, Elmont, Freeport, Hempstead, Roosevelt, Uniondale, Valley Stream, Westbury, and Wyandanch. Since the report was issued in April 2023, and following the 2024 release of the New York State Budget, an analysis by ERASE Racism revealed an increase in the number of intensely segregated school districts of students of color on Long Island from 11 â€“ to a total of 14. The three additional Long Island school districts are Baldwin, Copiague, and Lawrence. ERASE Racism then examined the New York State Budget to see how the 14 school districts fared. Our findings are startling. First, Foundation Aid would not increase at all for one district (Lawrence: 0%) and would only grow marginally for three (Westbury: 0.13%; Copiague: 0.64%, and Amityville: 0.9%). Second, for another six districts, the increases in Foundation Aid funding are only slightly greater: Freeport (1.72%), Roosevelt (3.84%), Elmont (3.94%), Baldwin (5.36%), Brentwood (5.41%), and Central Islip (5.56%). Third, an increase in Foundation Aid funding of 7% or more only occurs in four districts: Uniondale (7.5%), Wyandanch (8.95%), Hempstead (11.25%), and Valley Stream (11.96%). Fourth, smaller and wealthier districts are receiving a higher percentage increase in Foundation Aid than intensely segregated districts with higher needs students. An example of this is the Brentwood school district, with a student population that is 36% English Language Learners. Its Foundation Aid grew by just 5.41%, compared to the smaller, wealthier, and whiter district of Bellmore, which will see its Foundation Aid grow by 17.32%. Bellmore is not a high-needs district and has a student population that is only 4% English Language Learners. To correct such inequities, ERASE Racism recommends that the State take the following actions: First, focus on the level of Foundation Aid funding that is needed to educate the students in each district and region, taking into account the number of high-needs students and the resources they need to successfully learn. According to The Education Trust, the current formula allocates 65% more money to students in poverty than to students not in poverty and up to 50% more for English Language Learners. Yet recent studies show that low-income students need 100% to 200% more funding and ELL students need 100% to 150% more funding to achieve academic success. The true cost of education in each district should be the priority, and the number of high-needs students has only increased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Equitable funding across school districts should be the goal. Second, with that in mind, ensure that the computation of the Foundation Aid formula is appropriate to its purpose. This latest New York State Budget changed a key component of the formula, that of using the Consumer Price Index (now at 3.8%) for determining formula increases, and replaced it with a 10-year rolling average (currently yielding 2.8%). That change reduces the funding of Foundation Aid and undermines the notion that Foundation Aid has been fully funded. It reflects the focus of policymakers on fiscal priorities rather than on the students who are being deprived of needed services. Third, eliminate the longstanding practice of 'holding harmless' all school districts, so that no district loses funding. That practice sustains past inequities and ignores the fact that some districts have declining enrollments. As a result, intensely segregated districts that have seen a growth in high-needs students do not have the funding they need, yet some smaller and wealthier districts with fewer high-needs students and declining enrollment continue to be well-funded. Instead, policymakers should be considering opportunities to consolidate school districts or share resources across districts. Long Island's two counties have 125 school districts, yet policymakers consistently ignore the obvious waste and inefficiency of that arrangement. If consolidation is too much to tackle, then why can't resources be shared across districts to equalize the services provided to students especially in this time of declining enrollment and shrinking fiscal resources? Fourth, in updating the formula, test out some comparisons like the one above between the school districts in Brentwood and Bellmore. If the comparisons yield results that cannot be justified, revise the updating further until those comparisons make sense. Fifth, keep in mind that the State has underfunded school districts of students of color for generations, denying those students the education that they are guaranteed by the State Constitution. The State has yet to pay the debt it owes to those former students, even as it continues to underfund current students. Sixth, appoint a standing commission to be in charge of regularly monitoring and updating the Foundation Aid formula. The current formula was created in 2007. Even if the formula is updated to 2024, it will quickly fall out of date again unless there is a vehicle to prevent that. Both the New York State Education Department and Columbia University's Center for Educational Equity have requested the creation of such a commission. All children in New York deserve a high-quality education with the requisite state funding to ensure this occurs. It is time we make a truly equitable change to achieve this important goal.

1699. Shoshana Jacobson

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1700. Shoshana Jacobson

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1701. Joshua Bacigalupi

Affiliation: Dryden Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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1702. Stephanie Volkland

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1703. Adina Perelson

Affiliation: East Ramapo, New York

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

1704. Dante Bravo

Affiliation: Children's Aid of New York City

Relationship to Education: Researcher; Education Advocate; Community-Based Non-profit

Comments:

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1705. jacob weber

Affiliation: east ramapo

Relationship to Education: tax payer for 32 yr.

Comments: if the tax payers voted down a budget with there damocratic power you have no right to override it. Its time to change the way albeny alocats money for this area

1706. Demario Strickland

Affiliation: Interim Superintendent, Rochester City School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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1707. Baruch Yablonsky

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1708. Yehuda Wieder

Affiliation: Bais Esther boys

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: As a parent of a son with learning disability's. When an agency was involoved my son's was shining do to oversight of the supervisors and educational consultants they provided. As parents of a family of 7 the headache of all the paper work needed we were guided through the agency's well trained staff on all documents needed and my son was doing well in class and at home. The current situation at the DOE has been a disaster I did not receive my P4 from tried contacting many people but no answer. Regarding my sons needs the provider was motivated and held accountable by her agency to prove my sons progress. Another struggle we are having is regarding his speech delays we had an amazing experience with his speech services being given in school unfortunately almost all SLP'S stopped going to schools due to the inability to receive enhanced rates this means we will need to take to private practice and pay out of pocket. Please!!! reconsider this decision as my sons principle shared the system this year is still very confusing for us and will take time. Please this is time I don't have every day my son is losing his chance to shine. Thank You

1709. David Hoffman

Affiliation: Monsey Mevaser

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate

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1710. Christian Brunelli

Affiliation: Wappingers Central School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments:

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1711. Miriam Neuhaus

Affiliation: North Rockland School District/Bais Yaakov Elementary of Rockland County

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Occupational Therapist

Comments: Thank you for reading my comment. I live in Rockland County. I am a parent of two students who attend a private school, one of whom has a learning disability. I am also an occupational therapist who provides services to many children in Rockland County, some in East Ramapo and some outside of East Ramapo. I have a unique perspective because I both provide services to students and also benefit from services provided to my own child. I have been following the educational scene with much interest and angst, as this whole discussion affects myself, my family, and so many other families I know. But I know that angst, desperation, frustration and all kinds of other experiences that we are going through are not likely to change anything. The bottom line is that there are not adequate funds to fund all the needs of all of the students in the district. As per my understanding, there is a problem with the state funding formula, which does not account for the large number of non-public school students in our district(s). Taxing parents who are already spending more than their fair share of their income on education is not the solution. The parents pay school taxes, and also private school tuition. They make this choice for the benefits that they perceive to gain from sending their children to private schools. The district saves a lot of money by not having to pay for the full education of such a large number of students (and only paying for bussing, textbooks and IEP services - at most). But the district is still running a deficit because they do not receive adequate state funding to cover these partial expenses for the private school students. The solution needs to come from the state, not from the limited pockets of the parents who are already stretched thin. Our children with disabilities, and even those without disabilities, are not less worthy of educational services than their public-school counterparts. Hoping for a brighter tomorrow, Miriam Neuhaus

1712. Lorraine Burrows

Affiliation: APW CSD

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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1713. Brian Cechnicki

Affiliation: ASBO New York

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments:

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1714. Yehoshua Belsky

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1715. Jeffery Friedman

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Grandparent of students. I was a student of East Ramapo

Comments: East Ramapo is a unique school district. The current foundation aid formula is not working. It is not fair to both public and non-public students. The formula now only creates animosity and helps no one. It is time to create a new formula that will be beneficial to all.

1716. Renee Kleiner

Affiliation: Cazenovia Central School (current teacher), Jamesville-DeWitt Central School (parent of graduated senior), Baldwinsville Central School (Former parent), Brasher Falls Central School (graduate)

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments: Please grant upstate districts, especially those that are in Central and Northern New York State MORE funding. Also, please simplify the formula so that everyone can understand how it works and its implications. Downstate districts in wealthier communities are able to offer many more educational programs and opportunities versus poorer communities further upstate. This is NOT equitable. For instance, most districts in Central New York do not start offering World Language until 7th or 8th grade, while many downstate districts start earlier, even in Kindergarten or pre-K. We know from ssfc.org that many upstate districts lost funding over the past 3 decades and this is not equitable. Thank you for your consideration and for providing ALL our students equal opportunity. Best regards, RenÃ©e Foisy Kleiner

1717. Heather Williams

Affiliation: Dryden CSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; School or District Administrator; School Board Member

Comments: Thank you for soliciting feedback. Current Foundation aid formula reflects gross inequity of thought and real-time impact. Please revisit in such a way as to meet the diverse needs of rural schools more completely.

1718. hilary smith

Affiliation: Onteora

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Researcher; Education Advocate; Tax paying property owner

Comments: In Districts that include multiple taxing jurisdictions, the assessed property values should be required to be re-valued if they reach a certain equalization rate percentage. Fairness in budgeting can not be assured when some towns have not completed a town-wide property revaluation for 50 years (i.e. Shandaken) and others are keeping theirs very close to 100%. NYS should impose revaluation requirements, not just provide incentives.

1719. Kathryn Cernera

Affiliation: Ithaca Teacher's Association

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Other Elected Official; Education Advocate; Teachers Union President

Comments: The Ithaca Teachers Association appreciates the opportunity to voice our strong support for refining the Foundation Aid Formula that currently defines how state funding is allocated to school districts. This initiative provides us with a great opportunity to fix systemic inequities in the funding of our schools that have created unnecessarily difficult and untenable conditions for our children and our communities. As you consider revisions to this formula and process, I would like to highlight a few issues with the current process and help you to understand how these issues have played out in the most recent budget year in Ithaca, NY. The first issue is that the timing of final aid runs and annual school board and budget elections forces school districts to propose budget votes that rely on inherently unreliable budget forecasts. In our small city school district, we vote annually on a school budget in early May, but our final state aid allocations are not confirmed until later June or early July. While we do get an estimated allocation in the early spring, this means that any budget planning voters rely on is built on shaky ground. This year in Ithaca, our first budget failed and forced a second vote on a budget that estimated a 6.3 million dollar deficit. While that already devastating budget did pass, the final state aid allocation we received this year actually brought our deficit to 7 million dollars, thus furthering the number of programs, opportunities, and staff we have had to reduce this year. Changing the timing of state aid commitments could go a long way in ensuring schools and voters can rely on proposed budgets to deliver for our students. The second issue in our Foundation Aid Formula is that it places an unsustainable burden on taxpayers to fund our schools. As a proud upstate New Yorker, it is impossible to not see how designing budget formulas based on the density and respective wealth of a community unfairly disadvantages poor, rural upstate communities while benefiting dense, wealthy downstate communities. All of our students across the state have a right to equal access to a supportive public education, but the current formulas rely on taxpayers to pay money that they simply do not have for this right. Additionally, even if these formulas were equitable, the infrequency with which they are updated makes it difficult to adjust to shifting community demographics. If the current model for the Foundation Aid Formula is not drastically changed, we urge you to commit to updating the formula every 5 years to better reflect population shifts. In Ithaca our PreK-12 students are the direct victims of damaging tax exemptions. Last year's Foundation Aid allocation supplied only about 30% of our overall revenue leaving the Ithaca community to make up the remaining 70%. By this formula, Ithaca is an exceedingly wealthy community. However, our community is home to two higher education institutions, both of which qualify for school tax exemptions. The Ithaca City School District sits in the shadow of Cornell University, which owns 40% of the taxable property in our community but pays no taxes. If Cornell were to be taxed at the rate of a single-family home, they would owe our schools over 46 million dollars a year, but currently they only contribute $650,000 annually in voluntary PILOT contributions. This means that 70% of our overall school budget needs to come from homeowners. Ithaca also houses a huge population of renters. The passing of the tax burden to homeowners and from landlords onto renters has caused housing prices in Ithaca to reach untenable levels. Ithaca has recently been named the second most expensive city in the state to live in after New York City. Working people are being priced out of Ithaca. Unless something is done to correct major tax exemptions, our schools will continue to struggle from these deficits. The fourth issue that the revision of Foundation Aid needs to address is the overall lack of consistency in voting that annual budget votes present. This budget season, it was impossible to ignore the fact that our school budget vote was seen as a referendum on all of the financial concerns in our community. Days after our school board approved our first proposed budget - a budget that overrode the tax cap simply to maintain programs and staff -our local home assessments came out. Homeowners across our community saw their assessment values skyrocket and 30%, 50%, and even 100% increases to assessment values were not unheard of. As homeowners received these assessments, they started crunching numbers and concluded that while their county taxes would rise, their city taxes would rise, their school taxes would rise, their wages wouldn't rise. The community panic over such extreme increases led many voters to declare that while they love our schools and support our staff, they simply can't afford the taxes, resulting in a successful 'vote no' campaign. We believe that our budget failed simply because school budgets are the only budgets that taxpayers have the opportunity to vote on, and they see school budgets as the only way to control their finances. As the committee undertakes the massive work of fixing Foundation Aid, we hope that the conversation also leads to reform in the way that tax caps are set, the supermajority vote requirement for these budgets, and the lack of voting on all of the other budgets that New York taxpayers fund. We thank you so much for your work to recognize that the current model of Foundation Aid Funding is not working for our students, our schools, and our communities. We look forward to engaging in the search for more equitable solutions, and hope to see reform that truly supports our schools.

1720. Yecheskel Reich

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I appreciate the states initiative to asses the true needs of each community and to allocate funds in accordance with that. As a father of six children in private schools at prohibitive costs I would like to request that you view the Jewish community in east Ramapo as partners with the state. They are shouldering a huge burden of tuition, funding education for their youth to a degree that I believe no other community can boast of. It behooves the state to applaud that and factor that into the states allocation of funds. Sincerely Yecheskel Reich

1721. Amanda Patenaude

Affiliation: Keene Central

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Please do not take away Save Harmless. I teach in a small public school that can easily see a few children move and have a large impact on our student population. We can appear to have our numbers change greatly both up and down from year to year. We already have only one teacher per grade level, so taking aid away from us could create issues as we try to find ways to cut costs. I think abolishing this policy would cause hardship for many if not most districts across the state just as we are trying to get back on track after Covid and are dealing with learning issues children experienced as a result of the pandemic.

1722. Sheila Gustafson

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Our city has a particular problem that I'm sure is not unique to us. We are lucky enough to have two colleges within the area of our district. While that is an advantage in many ways, it is not so with our school funding. The state counts the land value of the colleges as part of our tax base. However, they do not pay taxes. One of the two is a very wealthy institution (Cornell) and owns quite a lot of land. When that non-taxes land is counted in our income, the number is not reflective of what we can actually use. Due to this, our school taxes are quite high and, equally, out budget has to be closely contained. If the state only counted actually taxable land, we would have a more equitable place to live.

1723. matt tucci

Affiliation: Cazenovia Central Schools

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Funding for smaller districts is destroying program access for many children who would otherwise thrive. The manipulation of the formula for political gain has to stop.

1724. chaim chazan

Affiliation: East Ramapo, New York

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of a small pie, destroying communities. A There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly.

1725. Hon. Michaelle Solages

Affiliation: New York State Assembly, District 22

Relationship to Education: Other Elected Official

Comments: See attached comments.

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1726. Chana Zaks

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: To Whom this May Concern, Does your son get on the school bus at 6:25 AM? Does your daughter have a 1.5 hour bus ride home? Are your children's textbooks falling apart and if it has a cover, the student is considered lucky because after so many years of use, it's a miracle it still has a cover? Do you get glares when you walk into the neighborhood Target? As a resident of Rockland County within the lines of East Ramapo Central School District, I write to you out of extreme concern regarding the Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. The foundation aid does not account for the majority of students residing within East Ramapo Central School District. A full 75% of school age children in this district attend private schools. Therefore, this oversight has serious repercussions as the district is required to provide certain services to non public school children yet they receive no aid to provide them. Several issues arise from this: 1: This creates an impossible fiscal deficit. There is no way for East Ramapo to fund this, despite taxes being close to the highest in the nation without the wealth to back it. 2: This creates division within the community, creating a hostile environment in a world that is too hostile to begin with. The public school parents and non public school parents are all vying for the services they should receive. This further exacerbates the anti-semitic and hostile attitude of today. 3. The services that the district does provide leave much to write home about. To make up for the lack of funds, they squeeze as many children on the bus as possible. That means my 11-year-old gets on the bus at 6:25 AM for a 7:30 start time and rides around many miles instead of the district splitting the route into 2 mini-buses. That means my elementary age children have a 1.5 hour ride home each Friday. The transportation forms were handed in by the deadline of April 1st, yet they didn't have the time to work on Friday route numbers and times! The school books are years and years old. We don't ask for much from the district. We are asked to pay about $10,000 per child in tuition which covers school costs, building costs, teacher salaries, etc. We pay close to the same amount in school taxes each year. All we ask for are some books, and busing. And even those fall very short of expectations. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Chana

1727. Adina Stroock

Affiliation: BY5T, BBY, DARCHEI TORAH, TAG

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Researcher; Education Advocate

Comments: The time for targeted racism against the Jewish people in the United States has got to end. Due to the devotion and dedication of Orthodox Jewish parents to their religious beliefs, they sacrifice and struggle and work very hard to provide their children for with an education that supports and mirrors their values. The yeshiva and Bais yaakov, and Jewish day schools systems produce, by and large, responsible productive, contributing members of society. Furthermore by privately funding these schools, this faction of our community relieves tremendous amounts of budgetary pressure from the government cool funding budget. To raise the taxes in an area that is primarily Orthodox Jews Jewish families, sending their children to the private schools smacks of corruptness and racism. It is ugly, and unAmerican. Please reform and retract any such taxes.

1728. Sarah Part

Affiliation: More than 100 organizations have signed the attached comment. The organizations are all listed at the end of the document.

Relationship to Education: I am submitting this comment on behalf of more than 100 organizations representing parents, students, educators, providers, and advocates.

Comments: Please see the uploaded file. Thank you!

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1729. Jo-Ann Sexton

Affiliation: Whitney Point School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: To: The Rockefeller Institute of Government From: Jo-Ann Sexton, Superintendent of Schools, Whitney Point School District Date: August 29, 2024 RE: Foundation Aid Study As Superintendent of the Whitney Point School District, I appreciate the opportunity to share our perspective on the critical role that Foundation Aid plays in our district's ability to provide a high-quality education to all students. Foundation Aid has been the cornerstone of our efforts to ensure that every child, regardless of their background, has access to the resources and opportunities they need to succeed. Public school districts across New York State are tasked with providing an excellent education to all students, regardless of the wealth of the area they serve. Whitney Point is a rural, high-poverty district that works tirelessly to prepare our graduates with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary for their diverse post-secondary pursuits. To maximize the opportunities available to our students, we continually seek out additional resources through grants, partnerships with local agencies, and collaborations with area post-secondary institutions. However, the cost of running our school district continues to rise. The increase in the minimum wage, along with necessary adjustments to honor the experience of longer-serving employees, has significantly impacted our wage budget. Additionally, to attract and retain staff in our rural district, we must offer competitive salaries comparable to those in suburban and urban districts. Health care costs for our employees have also become a substantial financial burden. Our district generates only $86,399 with a 1% increase in the local tax levy—a modest amount that underscores our heavy reliance on Foundation Aid to provide the equitable education that our students deserve. In smaller districts like ours, even slight changes in student population can lead to significant reductions in aid if there is no hold-harmless protection in the formula. A small decrease in student numbers does not necessarily reduce the need for staff, yet funding can be dramatically cut, making it challenging to maintain essential services. It is crucial that school districts have a predictable and stable aid formula to responsibly plan budgets, ensure fiscal stability for our communities, and thoughtfully allocate resources for our students. Jo-Ann Sexton Shannon Koehler Zachary M. Woodard Superintendent of Schools Assistant Superintendent School Business Executive District Vision To be a community of excellence achieved through a commitment to high performance, morale and involvement. Our district is committed to meeting the needs of all learners, including our diverse population of high-need students with disabilities. The cost of supporting just one student with significant needs can exceed one hundred thousand dollars annually. Furthermore, student mental health challenges have become a growing barrier to attendance, academic performance, and overall well-being in our district. Any new aid formula must recognize the critical need for funding to support community school initiatives, mental health services, and academic recovery pathways within schools. These supports are vital for us to fulfill our educational mission in the current landscape. In 2023 Foundation Aid was fully funded and we believed that we would finally be able to have stability in resources so that we could responsibly conduct multiyear projections and planning. This year's walk back on the commitment to fully fund schools eliminated this ability. New York State Education Department and the Board of Regents outline a wonderful array of possible learning pathways for students. If smaller school districts are not adequately and predictably funded, students in our districts will not be able to benefit from these varied opportunities that larger, more wealthy school districts can afford for their students, compounding the cycle of inequity. Thank you for this opportunity to provide input.

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1730. Shaindy Lazarus

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school grandparent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Shaindy Lazarus

1731. Josh Lazarus

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school grandparent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Josh Lazarus

1732. Bracha Lazarus

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school teacher, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Bracha Lazarus

1733. Mel Hammelburger

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Grandparent of 10 Private school students

Comments: o the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school parent, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my grandchildren attend nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Mel Hammelburger

1734. Reuven Ferziger

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a nonpublic school student, perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my child attends nonpublic school, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Reuven Ferziger

1735. Ashley Bass

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1736. Malka Lazarus

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1737. Jenifer Maire

Affiliation: ESMTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1738. Elazar Grossman

Affiliation: Long Island Torah Network

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: As a nonpublic school parent, I am very concerned about the currently used Foundation Aid formula and the way it impacts our families and communities. As a member of the Jewish faith, I, like other members of my family and community, elect at personal expense to send our children to faith-based private schools. They pursue a rigorous dual curriculum that educates them religiously while simultaneously giving them the tools to become productive, contributing members of civil society. We pay for this education out of pocket, while also contributing to publicly-funded education through our taxes - and are therefore extremely concerned about the way government educational aid is funded and distributed; the fair and equitable allocation of resources is critical to the survival of our communities. The current Foundation Aid formula fails to take into account the large number of parents like us who opt for alternative schooling for children. In communities like East Ramapo, families like ours account for more than half of the local school population. In addition, the use of outdated Census data is guaranteed to provide an inaccurate picture of current demographics and, by extension, the actual needs of students in our communities. I am glad that a closer look is being given to this issue. I hope that, as a result of this process, you will be able to update the formula so that it provides a fairer, more equitable equation that will ultimately represent the best outcome for all children in our communities. Thank you in advance

1739. Courtney Bell

Affiliation: Perry Professional Educators Association

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: September 6, 2024 Rockefeller Institute of Government 411 State Street Albany, NY 12203 Esteemed Members of the Rockefeller Institute: As you are considering changes for the Foundation Aid Formula, we hope that you will consider that educators are finding themselves in a new position where we are not only teaching our students, but raising them as well. There are multiple facets to a student in today's world that are necessary. The worth of these parts of education cannot be calculated by a formula. Students struggle with anxiety and depression at significantly higher rates than before. The impact of social media and cell phones need to be considered everyday instruction in order to reach students. Attention spans are decreasing and 'multi-tasking' is increasing. We are tasked with teaching students emotional balance and incorporating restorative practices into our everyday instruction. While emotional needs are not a part of our state standards, students need to be emotionally balanced in order to be ready to learn. There is not just one person providing our students with emotional support, it is every single employee in the building. From the staff at the front desk, to the maintenance crew member who coaches baseball, to the superintendent of schools, everyone needs to be ready to support student needs in the time of a crisis. In our Genesee Valley BOCES region, classification rates in the Genesee Valley BOCES have increased by an average of 19% since the formula was created. The ENL population in the Genesee Valley BOCES region has increased by an average of 363% since 2007. While we are grateful for the free and reduced lunch programs our students can utilize, 43.9% of our students come from economically disadvantaged families. Our school superintendent represents our Genesee Valley Chief School Officers Association. He said it best when thinking about the needs of rural schools. 'Regional cost indices have not been updated since the formula was enacted. Rural districts spend more to gain access to services for students given they are not readily available in their districts, counties, or regions. One of the districts in our region is currently sending a student to a residential program in Massachusetts because it is the most appropriate placement. Scarcity consumes additional resources making it more difficult to attract and retain highly-qualified talent. The impacts of aid stagnation are magnified in our communities. There must be recognition the property tax cap did not exist at the formula's inception when evaluating expected local contributions. Arbitrary floors in calculations provide inaccurate information on communities' abilities to generate local revenue. Computations using the Combined Wealth Ratio must be replaced with the lesser of the Pupil Wealth Ratio or Alternate Pupil Wealth Ratio to accurately reflect fiscal capacities.' In closing, when the Foundation Aid Formula is recalculated, please consider every population in the state. There are 24,000 students in the Genesee Valley BOCES whose needs should be met and deserve a quality education. The only way to make that happen is for a fair Foundation Aid formula that takes every aspect of raising our students into account. Courtney Bell, on behalf of the Perry Profession Educators Association Perry Central School

1740. Frayde Raiken

Affiliation: East ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Please reconcider the tax bill. We are paying heavy taxes already together with tuition for private schools. We do not benefit from the public school system although we are paying for it. Please adjust the way you assess taxes so it will be fair to all residents of New York state

1741. Pearl Grossman

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Friday, Sept. 6, â€˜24 Att: Rockefeller Institute of Government To Whom It May Concern , I am writing to you today out of my sense of alarm regarding the huge tax hike that Dr. Betty Rosa, unilaterally and outrageously, is levying in my area. I and many of my friends and neighbors are alarmed, appalled and shocked at this move. We have uncomplainingly, for many years, paid exhorbitant taxes in our area to help fund public school education, which I believe is an important cause. However, I, as well as many of my friends and acquaintances, send or sent our children and grandchildren to private schools, funding their education largely on our own, and at significant personal sacrifice. The Department of Education has saved billions of dollars in not having to educate my children and grandchildren, as well as thousands of others, who have no choice but to send our children to private schools due to our cherished moral, ethical and spiritual beliefs. How is it possible, then, that we are being PUNISHED for paying DOUBLE for education all these years?? I am told that the Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. This stunning omission will have a huge impact in my home town, and places like it, including our East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school. How is it possible that the district, which must provide certain services to nonpublic school children, receives no Foundation Aid to provide them? This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, and a situation where parents of public school students will be vying with parents of nonpublic schools, for a share of an inadequate fund. I shudder to think how this might destroying communities, and fan the fires of hate, which are already burning out of control in our nation. I am also reliably informed that it relies on outdated U.S. Census data which likely distorts the funding picture statewide. Certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed and grown significantly since the year 2000. The demographics have changed substantially as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. I adjure you to look into this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While my children have gradated from school already, and my grandchildren attend nonpublic school, I believe that the government is mandated to provide for all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school. The children are our future, and they should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Mrs. Pearl Grossman, LMSW

1742. Mabel Muniz-Sarduy

Affiliation: The Council of School Supervisors and Administrators

Relationship to Education: Labor Union for School Administrators

Comments: See uploaded written comment.

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1743. Maria Saccuccimorano

Affiliation: ICSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I have been a school nurse for the Ithaca City School District for 10 years and also a parent of students in the ICSD for a combined 18 years. The last Ithaca City School District budget vote was a challenging vote for many people. Being on staff in the district but also a homeowner in Ithaca, I felt torn. I knew that if I voted in favor of keeping all our resources for the betterment of students, there was a high probability of my taxes (which are already prohibitively high) increasing. Many Ithaca residents have been priced out of the community because of the cost of housing and property taxes. Running high-quality schools isn't cheap. We are already experiencing a crisis in teacher and school related professional's morale, leading to high turnover and understaffing. We have a massive shortage of substitutes, causing daily scrambles just to cover absent staff. And our students have the highest rate of mental health issues that I've ever seen. Our first budget failed, and we had to re-vote on a smaller budget that led to devastating cuts across the district. All of our problems were exacerbated. Funding our schools primarily through local property taxes is systematically unfair. I'm so glad that the state is revisiting the Foundation Aid Formula. Under the current formula, we are considered a wealthy community and receive much less aid than our surrounding districts. But what doesn't show up in the data is that so much of Ithaca's "wealth" is located on the hill by Cornell University. Over 40% of the property in our district is owned by Cornell and is considered tax-exempt so that skews the data. Cornell is a ten-billion-dollar-endowed-institution and they are tax-free. And down the hill, the Ithaca and surrounding areas are suffering because Cornell's wealth is preventing us from getting the aid we deserve. Please help shift the way that the data is seen for what it is and help ICSD get the aid that they deserve. Thank you for your consideration.

1744. Kristina Henneberry

Affiliation: PCSD and PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1745. Pam Knittel

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

1746. Richard VanScoyk

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1747. Avraham Schachner

Affiliation: Controller YDT School, NYC

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as a 22 year veteran as Controller of a large private school in New York, regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged. While I am not a public school parent, I believe that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula accordingly. Sincerely, Avraham Schachner

1748. Phil Kane

Affiliation: West Islip Teachers' Association

Relationship to Education: Teacher Union

Comments:

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1749. Semeret Maasho

Affiliation: PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1750. Shannon Mersand

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1751. Yessenia CarriÃ³n-Ward

Affiliation: PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

1752. Sean Lauder

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1753. Victoria Van Voorhis

Affiliation: Vertus Charter High School

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

Comments: Dear Members of the Rockefeller Institute, Thank you for taking the lead on this important study of Foundation Aid. Your work can ensure that every child in New York State gets the support they need for a sound basic education and to grow into responsible citizens of our state. As board chair of Vertus and former public-school educator, I strongly believe that a quality education is the key to unlocking human potential. Vertus is about to celebrate it's 10th anniversary and just received a 5 year renewal from NYSED. Our model is working and our students are thriving, but our resources are stretched too thin, meaning our teachers and staff are struggling to meet the basic needs of our students. Needier Students, Less Funding Vertus serves 340 Black (66%) and Brown/Hispanic (33%) young men in grades 9-12 drawn almost exclusively from the city of Rochester. Unfortunately, the RCSD is a failing system and parents, social workers, attorneys for children and mentors are looking for ways to provide a better option for students. The overwhelming majority of our students arrive at Vertus five or more years behind academically, many have failed grades or have been involved with the juvenile justice system. Eighty-six percent of our students meet the requirements for free and reduced lunch and those that don't are universally in fragile economic circumstances. Last year 30% of our students met the legal definition of homelessness at one or more points during the year and 18% of our student population is persistently homeless. We need to seek grant funding from individuals and local foundations to provide a food cupboard, laundry facilities, in-building nursing, supplemental transportation to ensure attendance, push in medical and dental care, athletic facilities, musical instruments and a social worker. Our students are poorer than the district and face homeless at a much higher rate. However, our students receive a small fraction of the state funding their district peers receive. This funding gap has widened since the early days of Foundation Aid and was only further widened this year when Rochester Charter students were the only students in the entire state to receive not only no increase but also an actual cut in funding. This cut was an artifact of the current formula and the fiscal mismanagement of the RCSD and the resulting funding reductions following state interventions. None of that is the responsibility of our school or our students. Moreover, there are stark regional differences in funding. For example, Rochester charter students receive $14,216 per student, compared to $17,068 per student in Albany, despite Rochester's higher proportion of low-income students than Albany (71%). Albany's 2% higher cost of living doesn't justify this 20% funding difference. In our case that means the Vertus budget is $1 million dollars lower than it would be in Albany. Including charter schools in the Foundation Aid formula is essential to repairing these inequities and streamlining school funding.

1754. Bruce Martin

Affiliation: Red Hook Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: Please See File Upload.

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1755. Eliakim Koenigsberg

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I am writing to you as a nonpublic school grandparent regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. In places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this has serious ramifications. The district receives no Foundation Aid and yet it has to provide certain services to nonpublic school children. This creates an impossible situation and all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, with parents sending to public school and those sending to private school all wanting funding, but not being able to receive enough. This deficit has created great hostility in my community, and has been a cause of increased antisemitism. Also, the Foundation Aid formula relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. The district of East Ramapo has changed dramatically in the last quarter century. It has grown significantly and also now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district. The current Foundation Aid formula was created for a totally different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo do not lose out and are granted appropriate funding. I think all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic schools, should be given the resources they need to succeed. Please update the Foundation Aid formula so that it reflects the current population in our district. Sincerely, Eliakim Koenigsberg

1756. Magali Sanchez

Affiliation: Citywide Council on Special Education (NYC)

Relationship to Education: Public Advocate Appointee and Recording Secretary on the Citywide Council on Special Education

Comments: Testimony to be submitted to the Rockefeller Institute of Government Re: The Foundation Aid Formula September 4th, 2024 This testimony is on behalf of the Citywide Council on Special Education. We appreciate the opportunity to submit testimony regarding the New York State Foundation Aid Formula. Citywide Education Councils in the city of NY, are charged with promoting student achievement, advising and commenting on educational policies, and providing input to the chancellor and the Panel for Educational Policy. We are dedicated to providing the tools, support, and resources necessary to empower special education students, their families and their educators to succeed. Let's work together towards a brighter future. The council advocates for all students with disabilities throughout the city, including but not limited to students with disabilities who are in temporary housing, are multilingual, newly arrived and who come from disenfranchised communities. As parents of children with disabilities we've seen and felt the impact of citywide and statewide budget cuts to education. We have heard directly from families who've been affected by school staff turnover including teachers, nurses, related service therapists, social workers, counselors, aides, psychologists, behavioral specialists, family liaisons, etc. Our council has heard from families and providers alike of the damaging effects of enlarging classroom sizes. It's inhumane. There have been long standing inequities here in NY. In FY 2002, the State and the City evenly split the non-federal cost of NYC Public Schools. As expenses and services have grown, the City has invested more, and now spends more than $8 billion more than the State. In FY 2025, the City will fund 57% of the cost of NYC Public Schools, and the State only 37%. Foundation Aid was created 20 years ago, currently uses the 2000 Census and has not been reviewed or updated since. It is weighted similar to the Fair Student Formula, but way less nuanced when it comes to student needs. Astonishingly it is the first time fully funded in 2 decades (Foundation Aid). In actuality $10B is about 25% of State education funding. The states fiscal circumstance should not form the basis for calculating the true cost of educating a child. Public education is the cornerstone of our democracy, and remains our best path to advancing equal opportunity at a time of deepening inequality. Public schools serve children of all abilities and identities, and turn away no one. Adequately and equitably funding our public schools to meet the diverse needs of students is not just important; it is essential to ensuring their success and our shared prosperity. Prioritizing public education means investing in a just and prosperous future for all New Yorkers. Unfortunately, the Governor recently reduced the amount of aid to all districts based on increased inflation starting in 2025. Every child in New York has a constitutional right to a sound, basic education, and it is our government's responsibility to fund it, from Buffalo to Long Island, from the North Country to the Southern Tier. Students throughout the state and regardless of need or circumstance must have fair education funding. The Foundation Aid Formula must reflect the real cost of educating students today, not from 20 years ago. The current Foundation Aid formula was created in 2007 to ensure that NYS was meeting this obligation, though it took until 2023 to bring schools to full funding levels. Over the past 17 years, the needs of students have evolved and grown tremendously, especially over the past 4 years since the pandemic began. The Foundation formula should be updated to reflect the real cost of educating students today, so that every public school has the resources it needs to support all students. Any modifications to the formula must be made on the basis of how much it costs to ensure public schools are getting the resources to meet their students' needs. Please see this tool that compares expected vs. enacted budgets for '24-'25. We agree with the Department of Education's proposed changes to the Foundation Aid Formula: 1. Update the "successful school district" model on which the formula is based, to better reflect the cost and expectations of education today. 2. Provide support for Students in Temporary Housing and Students in the Foster System. NYC has already taken the lead on this work, adding a Students in Temporary Housing weight to our city formula in the school year 2023-24. 3. Expand aid for special education and Multilingual Language Learners, growing student populations NYC and many other districts. This could mean differentiating funding based on student needs, as the NYC formula does. 4. Review the Regional Cost Index metrics, which have been fixed in the formula since 2006, while costs of living downstate have gone up substantially. 5. Provide some aid related to the newly mandated class size caps, which only apply to New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) and are estimated to cost $1.4 - $1.9 billion according to NYCPS, the NYC Comptroller, and the Independent Budget Office. Underfunding public education is not 'sustainable,' and not an option. The state's fiscal circumstances should not form the basis for calculating the true cost of educating a child. We cannot afford to deprive our kids of the resources and opportunities they need to succeed, and we cannot neglect to prepare them for life. Our children's future, and the future of our state, depends on it. Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please email us at . Signed, Citywide Council on Special Education

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1757. Lea Webb

Affiliation: New York State Elected Officials

Relationship to Education: Other Elected Official

Comments: The attached document is from myself and my Assembly Colleagues, Donna Lupardo and Anna Kelles.

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1758. Shannon Considine

Affiliation: PCSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1759. Judith Hubbard

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: How are our schools funded? Here in Ithaca, most of the funding comes from property taxes. However, I know that is not the case everywhere. Some schools benefit from significant state subsidies; others, not so much. It is reasonable for the state to provide more funding to some schools, based on need. What is less reasonable is to have an opaque formula based on outdated data. I am glad to hear that the Foundation Aid formula is being reviewed. Here in Ithaca, property taxes are very high. For my family, property taxes - of which about half go to support the schools - account for about 25% of our income. That is a painful burden to carry, and it is in part so high because the Foundation Aid formula calculates that our community needs relatively little state support. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find anyone who can explain to me how the Foundation Aid formula actually works. One of the big questions I have is: how does the existence of Cornell University impact the aid that we receive as a community? The state has determined that Cornell University should not pay property taxes on property used for educational purposes. The outcome is that about half of the property in our city is untaxable - pushing the tax burden onto home owners and businesses. This year, the taxpayers voted down the first proposed budget because it was unaffordable. At the same time, teachers are quitting because they are being underpaid - and several of our schools are on state watch lists for underperformance of minority groups, despite huge efforts towards racial equity across the district. It's just not working. We can't solve all problems with money, but it sure would help. How is that tax-exempt property accounted for in the Foundation Aid formula? We need a transparent, FAIR system that allows communities across the state to provide good education without breaking the bank.

1760. MARK BERKOWITZ

Affiliation: 52+years : Teacher, Union Rep, Board Member, Community Activist, etc.

Relationship to Education: School Board Member; Education Advocate; 2 term board member, E.Ramapo teacher 47+ years

Comments: There's no question in anyone's mind that the Foundation Aid formula needs to be adjusted. East Ramapo is unique in that its non-public student population is triple that of the public school population. When I first came to East Ramapo in 1970 the demographics IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS was 66% Jewish, followed by Italian, Irish, and a small amount of children of color. The school district's boundary to the ease covered Spring Valley and extended over "Jew Hill" (later to be the home to most of the children of color in the district) to Clarkstown. At that time many of the families who lived within the district had already raised most of their children for a total of approximately 14,000 students. The supposition was that as this population was ready for retirement, the additional schools that were built in the 1960's would be able to hold the next generation. The reality was that as the existing families moved out, others looking for a similar way of life would take their places. However, that wasn't the case. Since the early seventies Orthodox Jewish families outgrew their pockets of homes in central Monsey and extended further north of Viola Road, slowly but steadily moving into the houses of the original owners but not planning to send their children to public schools. Later in the late seventies Central Monsey slowly but steadily extended to the east and over The Hill . In the 80's the communities north of Viola Road became the new center of the Orthodox community today extending MILES north of the center of our district.... You've got the idea.... Many of the "new schools" north of central Monsey and then down to the Jersey border saw quickly diminishing public school students. There was school consolidation in a big way as there was no need for so much space in the public schools. Staffing, however, remained the same with many classes with as few as 15 students in them. It was time to consolidate which brought about large layoffs and the sale of buildings. Class sizes remained in the low to mid 20's even after this large move. The next challenge that then came up was the effect on the Foundation Aid our district received. By the 2010's , the public school count of students was in the 7,000 range who were adequately served in the surviving public school buildings. Then there was a wave new entrants of over 4,000 totally unexpected children moving into the district- a number that has grown since.... In addition the non-public growth has brought us to about 10,000 public and 30,000 non-public children. We were always able to make ends meet and offer an excellent course of study for all of our public school students. However, the Foundation Aid formula does not take into consideration the large numbers of non-public students who are also serviced by East Ramapo. What happens is that the North Rockland School District with a similar student population, I believe, receives 70+% aid in the formula which is based on the approved budget divided by its "PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT" but East Ramapo's aid using the huge budgets we must have to run divided by the number of public schools only makes us look like a wealthy school district, such as Scarsdale, offering us Foundation relief in the mid 37% range!!! (Proof of the State actually recognizing the problem is the fact the regarding transportation we DO receive over 70% Foundation Aid for transportation only) East Ramapo by government standards has a large low income rating that includes both public and non-public communities. A reformulation of the Foundation Aid formula that would take in this huge range would give East Ramapo the funds it needs to give a quality education without financially breaking the backs of its residents.

1761. Sarah Hoop

Affiliation: City of Poughkeepsie

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1762. Myron Schlanger

Affiliation: Queens District

Relationship to Education: New York State resident

Comments: I write to you as a concerned citizen regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a Jewish parent, I feel the hostility caused by this deficit; its strife has endured for decades and has exacerbated antisemitism against our community. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged.

1763. Elisheva Jacobson

Affiliation: East Ramapo Central School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Resident, former student

Comments: To whom it may concern, As a resident of East Ramapo Central School District, I'm familiar with the unique funding challenges this district faces. In this school district the overwhelming majority of students attend private school and receive far fewer benefits than public school students do. The majority of parents pay both high taxes to the school district and private school tuition. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, creating tensions in the community while underserving both public and private school students. At the same time, school taxes are raised to a level that places a heavy burden on local homeowners. There are other issues with the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed dramatically in the last quarter century. East Ramapo has grown significantly since the year 2000. Qualitatively, it has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English language learners in public school. These students require, and are entitled to, additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged.

1764. Jamie Lee

Affiliation: General Brown Central School District

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

Comments: Please see attached file.

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1765. Kristopher Williamson

Affiliation: Cortland Enlarged City School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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1766. Neil Farley

Affiliation: Candor Faculty Association (NYSUT Local) for Candor Central School

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments:

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1767. Michael Lew

Affiliation: Kings county

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1768. Angelica Bailon

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1769. David Banks

Affiliation: New York City Public Schools

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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1770. Leonie Haimson

Affiliation: Class Size Matters

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments: See attached.

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1771. Christina Torres

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1772. Alan Lazarus

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: We are being taxed to death here because Albany is broken. It is patently unfair and what just happened is unconstitutional.

1773. LizaBeth Madara

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City Schools

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1774. Yashema Maitland

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1775. Kristina Antonucci

Affiliation: Ppsta

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1776. Arlen Benjamin-Gomez

Affiliation: EdTrust-New York

Relationship to Education: Researcher; Education Advocate

Comments: Submitted via file upload button

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1777. Stacy Kalbfus

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1778. milton freund

Affiliation: none

Relationship to Education: Parent of former students

1779. Victor Izzo

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie city school district

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: I know nothing about it

1780. Kate Berean

Affiliation: Ppsta

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1781. Jennifer Hansen

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1782. Yamir DeJesus

Affiliation: PPSA/PCSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1783. Avrohom Weinstock

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Researcher; Education Advocate; We are a national nonprofit umbrella group representing Orthodox Jewish interests.

Comments: To the Rockefeller Institute of Government, I write to you as Chief of Staff at Agudath Israel of America, one of the oldest and largest nonprofit umbrella groups representing Orthodox Jews in America. Most of our constituents wish to have their children raised with a keen awareness of their Jewish background and heritage, and self-fund their children's education in nonpublic schools. Thus, we are perhaps not the stakeholder one would expect when requesting feedback regarding Foundation Aid designed to fund public schools. Yet, this expected omission is precisely the issue I write to you about. The Foundation Aid formula does not account for nonpublic school students at all in its multiplier for Weighted Student Count. While this may have negligible impacts in some areas, in places like the East Ramapo Central School District, where 3/4 of students attend nonpublic school, this oversight has serious repercussions. The district must provide certain services to nonpublic school children yet receives no Foundation Aid to provide them. This all but guarantees a fiscal deficit, pitting public school parents against nonpublic school parents, all vying for a share of an impossibly small pie, destroying communities. As a leading national Jewish organization, we have watched, with dismay and sometimes alarm, the communal strife caused by this deficit, and how it has exacerbated antisemitism. We harbor other concerns about the Foundation Aid formula. It relies on U.S. Census data from the year 2000. While the use of dated information likely distorts the funding picture statewide, certain districts, like East Ramapo, have changed and grown dramatically in the last quarter century. Qualitatively, East Ramapo Central School District has changed as well, and now includes large numbers of English Language Learners in public school. These students require -- and are entitled to -- additional services, further straining an already financially strapped district operating under a bygone Foundation Aid formula representative of a different population. In addition, the EN% (Extraordinary Need) component of the PNI (Pupil Need Index) will be distorted, because it counts the Census amount times 0.65 for children in poverty, and the number of children in poverty has risen significantly in East Ramapo since the year 2000. We would also like to flag the District Wealth adjustment which is, in part, predicated on the Selected Actual Valuation (AV) of Taxable Real Property Per Pupil. If the purpose of this measure is to compute how much a district ought to contribute toward education, this has already been accounted for in the Expected Minimum Local Contribution portion of the formula. Thus, it must be intended to measure actual wealth. Actual Valuation of real estate is helpful when calculating one's net worth but is an illiquid asset valuation. Put simply, as opposed to a pure, income-based measure, the value of one's home does not pay the bills. In districts like East Ramapo, wherein home values have appreciated significantly but actual income has not kept pace, this would be an especially troublesome feature of the Foundation Aid formula. While the children of many of our constituents attend nonpublic school, Agudath Israel of America believes that all children, whether they attend public or nonpublic school, should have the resources necessary to succeed. The Foundation Aid formula has been a volatile issue in East Ramapo for decades. Thank you for researching this issue so that districts like East Ramapo are not shortchanged, and for considering our comments for alternative formulaic approaches for how to accomplish that. Sincerely, Avrohom Weinstock, JD Chief of Staff Agudath Israel of America

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1784. Leonard Narrow

Affiliation: East Ramapo

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1785. David Waingarten

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: My understanding is that FAF takes into account the value of the property in the district but does not account for non taxable land owned by exempt entities. In Ithaca, NY, where I live, over 50% of property (by value) is exempt from property taxes due to Cornell University's disproportionately large presence. The university continues to acquire and develop more land each year. Our property taxes are 3.435% of value per year, with school taxes making up 48% of that. The tax burden is incredibly high. An average Ithaca homeowner will pay over $1,000/month in taxes, an absurd tax burden that is unaffordable for many owners (and indirectly, renters). As a result, Ithaca is becoming increasingly unliveable due to this tax burden, and the school district is suffering as a direct result. This year, the school district was forced to implement major cuts after the initial budget was voted down in the spring. This will also continue to happen because property owners (and indirectly, renters) who shoulder this unfair tax burden, and who very much support funding education, simply cannot afford to pay more. If the current formula is not modified, this situation will only worsen. New York should modify the formula to either A) fund our school district more to compensate for Cornell's exempt status or B) remove or limit Cornell University's tax-exempt status. It is unconscionable that average citizens are asked to subsidize a for-profit university with an endowment valued in the billions of dollars. Payments in leiu of taxes are not enough. Please help.

1786. Kathy Spruill-Dudley

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Student; Education Advocate

Comments: Public education is the bedrock of our democracy, and remains the most powerful means of advancing equal opportunity in the face of growing inequality. Public schools welcome children of all backgrounds, abilities, and identities, ensuring no one is left behind. Adequately and equitably funding our public schools to meet the diverse needs of students is not just important—it is essential for the shared success and prosperity of our students, schools, and communities. As an educator in the Poughkeepsie City School District, I am advocating for a more equitable funding formula for small city school districts. According to the 2023 state report card, 84% of Poughkeepsie's students are economically disadvantaged; 20% are classified for special education; and 15% are English language learners (ELLs). Unlike wealthier communities, our district has a limited tax base and relies heavily on New York State funding. Restoring an equitable Foundation Aid formula is not just necessary—it is crucial if we are to effectively combat the impacts of poverty, attract highly qualified educators and administrators (especially amid a teacher shortage), and offer vital social-emotional learning (SEL) support through school psychologists, social workers, and counselors who help our students navigate daily trauma. It is also essential for meeting the needs of our special education and ELL students, ultimately improving their graduation rates. We urge you to seize this opportunity to address the inequities in public education, allowing small city districts like Poughkeepsie to provide better opportunities for our students and communities. Prioritizing public education is an investment in a just and prosperous future for all New Yorkers—most importantly, for our children.

1787. Amanda McCarthy

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1788. Nyah Berg

Affiliation: New York Appleseed

Relationship to Education: Education Advocate

Comments:

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1789. Danielle Omondi

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1790. Deahnara Knauth

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1791. Mark Zipper

Affiliation: Agudath Israel of America

Relationship to Education: Member of the community, relatives are in schools

Comments: Please fix the formula to account for non-public schools.

1792. Casey Jakubowski

Affiliation: Ctj Solutions

Relationship to Education: Researcher; Education Advocate

Comments: The formula needs to do more to assist rural districts in NYS. It also needs to increase aid based on need, not head count. Finally, pre merger aid should be used to help districts with consolidation.

1793. Joseph Felipe

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Stakeholder

1794. MERCEDES KARABEC

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

1795. Brian Halloran

Affiliation: Break the Hold - BTHBreakthehold.org

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate; Co-Founder Break the Hold, a youth wellness organization.

Comments: Foundation Aid Formula does not adequately account for mental health instruction in the classroom. School administrators report that their number one concern in 2024 and beyond is mental health and how to address this growing pandemic. Issue:Mental Health Law Amendments to Sections 135.1 and 135.3 of the Commissioner's Regulations relating to Mental Health Education in Schools, effective as of July 1, 2018, require mental health education as a part of a Health Education program. NYS DOE mandated in July 2018 that mental health instruction be included in the curriculum. However, no funding and very little guidance was provided. I can report at this time that no school districts in Westchester County offer mental health instruction directly to students, in the classroom at part of the overall Health curriculum - except the districts that work withour organization, Break the Hold (BTH). BTH delivers mental health and emotional regulation instruction to students grades 5-9 in their respective health classes. BTH delivers 10-16 hours of DBT Steps-A (Dialectical Behavior Therapy Steps-A) each academic year and is currently engaged with 4 school districts: Pleasantville, Mount Pleasant, Scarsdale and Elmsford, impacting more than 1,200 students. BTH will be expanding its services in 2025 to two new school districts which will double our impact. Break the Hold has developed a very low cost, sustainable model that can be replicated in all school districts. Recommendation - 1) Increase funding for mental health instruction in school. It is needed NOW! 2) Support Break the Hold and help fund the expansion of our programming. The time is now. The keys are education and early intervention. By immersing mental health in the curriculum our youth with better understand their mental health journey and will develop skills to more effectively manage their emotional regulation. In summary, education will lead to our youth to seek early intervention which in turn provides the greatest chances of a successful outcome. For additional information, please visit BTHBreakthehold.org Brian Halloran BTHBreakthehold.org NAMI Westchester Board of Directors Westchester County Suicide Prevention Task Force Attached is a guide on how our program works.

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1796. NeQuan McLean

Affiliation: Education Council Consortium

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Board Member; Education Advocate

Comments:

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1797. Djamilia Iagia-Holmes

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1798. Jane Robin Ward

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1799. Gina Cacioppo

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Ithaca public school is under funded. Cornell University is tax except. It should not be. Many people leave their property to Cornell or rent in the area. The public school Shantel and town is losing millions on taxes . Last year our ithaca city school budget failed. The people that live in the city / town can't afford the prices it cost to run the school to meet student needs. Our public school teacher are under paid compared to surrounding areas. And we have a serious issue retaining staff and providing certified teachers in all areas

1800. Marjan Markumarjanmar

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Stakeholder

1801. Donald Chu

Affiliation: Cortland Enlarged City School District

Relationship to Education: School Board Member

Comments:

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1802. Raylene Ackerbauer

Affiliation: City of Poughkeepsie school district

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1803. Margaret Fabrizio

Affiliation: Ithaca City School District

Relationship to Education: Other Elected Official; 43 year resident and taxpayer of the Ithaca City School District

Comments: Please see attached.

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1804. Monica Graham

Affiliation: RCSD (Rochester, NY)

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: Rochester has one if the highest rates of child poverty in the country. As we know there are multiple social determinents that come with poverty. What I would like taken into account regarding foundation aid would be the median income of the zip codes within that school district. Families being able to provide basic needs may be an issue with children attending school and performance. The amount of available mental health providers for each school within that district. Possibly also looking at some health and child mortality data as well. If our children do not have their basic needs met, are not well emotionally and/or physically our children will not be able to show up as their best selves. This will all be reflected in enrollment as well as test scores. Thank you for your consideration.

1805. Cassandrs Galbreath

Affiliation: Ithaca City School district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member; Grandparent taxpayer

Comments: I am a grandparenting 4 students in the Zithaca City School. Please review and realign the tax basis for districts like ours where a huge proportion of the property is tax exempt The burden falls disproportionally. Where is the equity?

1806. Marissa OBrien

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1807. Kyle Hill

Affiliation: Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees

Relationship to Education: Other Elected Official

Comments:

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1808. Jawan Trocino

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

Comments: Poughkeepsie City School District relies heavily on funding and we need all of the resources we can get as we serve a highly needy community in all aspects of life.

1809. Tanya Holk

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1810. Shawn Van Scoy

Affiliation: Hinman Straub

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments:

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1811. Tracy Magarelli

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Teacher or School Staff Member

1812. Simone Dornbach

Affiliation: Community Education Council District 28

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; Education Advocate; Community Education Council Member

Comments: To whom it may concern: Please see the attached resolution. Our Community Education Council District 28 passed a resolution yesterday, September 5, 2024 asking for revisions to the foundation aid formula. Thank you, Simone Dornbach

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1813. Maribeth Smith

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member; Education Advocate

1814. Jaime DiTata

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1815. Shannon Mersand

Affiliation: PCSD/PPSTA

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1816. Lisa Anderson

Affiliation: Hendrick Hudson School District

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

Comments: I am a former Board of Education Trustee who served for 6 years until June 2022. I am currently a Co-chair of the PTA Advocacy Committee. The Foundation Aid formula needs to look at ALICE data when determining needs in districts. Other data points do not accurately reflect the true needs families and school districts have in communities. The current data being used is extremely outdated and no longer reflects what is happening in our communities. Districts also need to know how much money they can plan on earlier. Another important factor to look at in the formula is making it more responsive to shifting populations, changes in PILOT, and changes in the numbers and needs of Special Education and ENL students. Lastly, please consider providing funding for programs and things that schools are required to do. Unfunded mandates really eat away at districts' budgets. Thank you for your consideration.

1817. Thomas Murphy

Affiliation: PCSD

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1818. Sam Hillson

Affiliation: Ithaca city school district

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student

1819. Shawn Van Scoy

Affiliation: Gananda Central School District

Relationship to Education: School or District Administrator

Comments: The '2023 State Aid to Schools - A Primer' issued by The University of the State of New York, THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, Fiscal Analysis and Research Unit, states that a key concept is of school aid is Wealth Equalization (https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/ fiscal-analysis-research/primer-2023.pdf). The primer explains that the intent of Wealth Equalization is 'To distribute State Aid in inverse proportion to fiscal capacity to offset dramatic differences in the ability of school districts to raise local revenues.' In its current format the Foundation Aid Formula is not offsetting Gananda's inability to raise local revenues. Please see attached for details

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1820. Yvette Thomas

Affiliation: Poughkeepsie City School District/PCSD/PPSTA.

Relationship to Education: Teacher or School Staff Member

1821. Whitney Toussaint

Affiliation: District 30 Queens

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Board Member

Comments: NY State Foundation Aid formula needs to be updated as the current formula relies on poverty data from the 2000 Census, which fails to reflect the realities of many New York communities that have changed significantly since then. For instance, my neighborhood in Long Island City/Hunters Point is a prime example, as it didn't exist in its current form with many high-rises, including mixed & low-income buildings during the 2000 Census. Moreover, the 11109 ZIP code in Long Island City is relatively new, having been created as the neighborhood saw a surge in residential development. This area, primarily Hunters Point, underwent a significant transformation in the 2010s, and my children's school was not built until 2013. This reliance on old data leads to misallocated resources. Districts with growing populations and evolving economic conditions—like my neighborhood—are not receiving the necessary funding to support new students. This is especially true as our school district, District 30, has taken in the most asylum-seeking families in New York City. Current data sources, such as the American Community Survey (ACS), offer better, more frequent updates on poverty levels and other socioeconomic factors. This would result in a fairer distribution of funds that aligns with actual community needs. The Foundation Aid Formula is designed to support districts with higher needs, but its effectiveness needs to be improved by discontinuing the use of outdated supporting data like the 2000 Census. Updating the formula to include more recent data sources on income and poverty levels would better serve schools in growing and underserved areas. Using more current data sources will lead to more equitable funding for modern communities.

1822. Samantha Hicks

Affiliation: Averill Park CSD

Relationship to Education: Parent, Caregiver, or Family Member of a Student; School Board Member; Education Advocate

Comments: As an MPA graduate of UAlbany's Rockefeller College, it is gratifying and encouraging to see the Rockefeller Institute charged with this task. I am hopeful, despite the Herculean nature of the undertaking and its timeline, that the team you have assembled will make some pragmatic and positive inroads into the much-needed update of the foundation formula. Having watched a substantial amount of the hearing live streams, there is certainly nothing I can write here that you will not have heard already, yet my hope here is to amplify both those speakers and the voices of my district and community on the ground in Rensselaer County. You heard from my fellow board colleague, Adam Stewart, about our geographically large, semi-rural, economically (if not demographically) diverse district east of Albany and south of Troy and I would encourage you to review his testimony and supporting submission in detail as his numbers paint a very clear picture of our challenges. Indeed, our experience echoes that described by so many others - increased student needs and services, a district space that doubles as a community hub, extended food and support services over the summer, and increases in costs over which we have no control (like health insurance, retirement commitments, and maintenance supplies, to name a few), and an enrollment decline that has virtually tapered off. We are a 'Save Harmless' district that has operated very close to the margin of our budget projections while maintaining reserves within the legal limit sufficient to aid the district in both responsible planning and coping with the unexpected. This includes helping to offset a capital project referendum outlay on an overburdened, largely residential, tax base and enabling massive building repairs necessitated by extreme flooding three weeks prior to the start of the school year. With this background in mind the key elements that we feel should be addressed in this - albeit rushed - process revolve around data, costs and the complex nature of districts. As many have stated, simply replacing the inputs to the existing formula with current data will be an improvement. Of course, this is only a start and an updated formula should endeavor to better reflect actual property wealth and distinguish between residential, tourism-based (second home), and commercial tax bases. An effort to reflect the incremental and non-linear nature of enrollment declines (or increases) should be included as well as the increasing costs associated with educating students on the margins - those who do not rise to the level of special education but need significantly more resources than in years past(as noted by so many speakers). I again encourage you to review carefully the testimony presented at your hearings as key themes emerged over and over, often aligned with my comments above. I thank you very much for your time and effort and would be happy to follow up to discuss this further.

1823. Ann Gymburch-Schramp

Affiliation: Adirondack Central School District resident

Relationship to Education: Taxpayer, community member, parent of graduated students

Comments: I feel that the changes that Governor Hochul originally wanted to institute in the current state budget were grossly unfair to most school districts in New York State. And I don't think this ploy is over. I am concerned that your organization can come up with a fair plan in the short amount of time allotted and with the person who authored Governor Hochul's "plan" to change foundation aid taking a position at your organization. In my research I soon realized that the foundation aid formula is like attempting to read a Byzantine Document and at 87 pages might take weeks to decipher. I read an article from the Jan. 27, 2024 issue if the Times Union entitled: "Half of New York schools could see loss in foundation aid" It laid out all the key points such as: 2021 was the settlement of a lawsuit from 2014. And the article said: By the 2023-24 school year "and thereafter" the foundation aid phase-in "shall be" 100 percent, according to a budget bill signed into law. It took 10 years from the lawsuit to get to 100 percent, "by law" and now it will be erased??? I also take issue of getting rid of "Hold Harmless" which could lead to aid cuts every year. And the Governor's proposal to have school districts take money out of their reserve funds to supplement their lost aid...and what happens to those who run out of reserves? Bankruptcy, closure? Many students already travel long distances to school and spend an hour or more on their buses, so they will go to another school farther away and spend more time on the bus? What's the limits to that, especially for elementary school students? In my district high school/middle school students on my road board the bus 1 hour, 35 minutes before school starts and elementary student 1 hour, ten minutes. Some other bus routes are earlier. Finally i take issue with your total lack of in-person hearings in the North Country and Adirondacks. And Laurens, NY is on the outer edge of the Central New York area. Town of Webb: 110 miles, 2 hrs., 20 min., Chateaugay 195 miles, 3hrs. 6min., Massena 201 miles, 3hr.56 min.