October 7, 2005

ALBANY, N.Y. October 7, 2005 - The New York State Educational Conference Board (ECB), a coalition of statewide education organizations, said today it welcomes the proposal advanced by the state Board of Regents to increase state aid to local school districts by at least $1.339 billion and reform the formulas by which such aid is distributed.

The proposal recommends dramatic steps in the direction of meeting the core school funding principles advanced by the ECB.

Adequacy

* The funding increase is sizable enough to reverse the state's declining share of the cost of meeting higher standards and begin to redress the disparities in funding a sound basic education in high-needs districts;

Simplicity

* Dozens of formulas are consolidated and made more transparent, making administration simpler and allowing voters to more easily evaluate lawmakers' annual changes;

Equity

* Districts with like populations of students and with similar local fiscal capacity are treated similarly under this proposal;

Flexibility

* Districts are given more leeway in using moneys subject to local control, rather than state mandates;

Predictability

* The annual growth in aid is clearly specified, allowing districts to plan and thus use new resources most effectively; and

Accountability

* The proposal sensibly builds on New York's existing accountability structure that has been praised as one of the nation's best.

"The total increase recommended by the Regents is a solid step toward assuring that all schools have the resources needed to deliver a sound basic education for all children. We also applaud the inclusion of a guaranteed aid increase of at least 2 percent to help all districts meet surging costs for fuel and other ongoing operating expenses.

"Having advanced a laudable conceptual proposal, the Regents now need to take the next step: Release district-by-district information so that local officials and policymakers can evaluate the impact of their recommendations, and become advocates for the adequacy, simplicity, equity, flexibility, predictability and accountability they represent.

"The recommendations could not have been better-timed. The Campaign for Fiscal Equity returns to the State Appellate Division on next Tuesday to force the state to end more than a decade of delay and finally keep its constitutional promise of a sound basic education for all children.

"Later this year, the governor will be finalizing his proposed Executive Budget recommendations. Given the limitations the Court of Appeals has placed on lawmakers' ability to amend the recommendations, those recommendations take on greater significance and greater urgency in the goal to comply with the Court of Appeals order.

"We look forward to seeing more detail about the Regents' recommendations and to seeing significant reform and funding increases in the Executive Budget proposal irrespective of the outcome of court proceedings."

ECB comprises the eight major statewide education organizations representing parents, teachers, school board members, superintendents, school business officials and other administrators.