NORWICH – A group of 17 New York senators – including the 52nd district’s Thomas Libous and 51st district’s James Seward – recently banded together in an effort to bring the inequitable distribution of school aid to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s attention.
On Monday, Norwich City School District Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan shared the senators’ letter to the governor with members of the school board.
The letter states that while “remarkable strides” have been made over the past year, the state will face “many new challenges” in the months and years to come. One of those challenges, wrote the senators, involves the state’s distribution practices as it concerns state aid and education.
“We were pleased to partner with you in committing to a significant increase in state education aid in the coming fiscal year,” wrote the group. “While all schools can and will benefit from this increased funding, we would like to call your attention to the unique needs of the low-wealth, rural schools that we represent.”
Last week, the Statewide School Finance Consortium – an organization of more than 350 public school districts across the state, including those located in Chenango County – commended Cuomo for addressing the needs of public education in his State of the State message. In November, SSFC Executive Director Dr. Rick Timbs met with members of the Chenango County School Boards Association to discuss what he called long-standing disparities in state aid.
Said Dr. Timbs, “While the governor did not directly address our primary concern, the inequitable distribution of financial resources for all children in New York’s schools, it is clear that the governor, like our organization, is committed to taking a forward look at how public education can be more effective in fulfilling its vital responsibilities.”
According to the senators’ letter, a number of factors are making it increasingly difficult for rural, low-wealth school districts to provide “the quality education that students deserve and taxpayers expect.” In Norwich, a combined wealth ratio of .426 is less than half that of the state average.
According to the New York State Education Department, combined wealth ratio is a measure of relative wealth, indexing each district against the statewide average on a combination of two factors, property wealth per pupil and income wealth per pupil.
Other school districts across Chenango County face a similar challenge, according to the SSFC, such as Otselic Valley, with a combined wealth ratio of .469; Oxford, .407; Greene, .446; Unadilla Valley, .410; Sherburne-Earlville, .367 and Bainbridge-Guilford, .494.
Stated the senators, “These schools are forced to increasingly rely on state aid to meet the basic educational requirements of students in their care” and “reductions in aid disproportionately impact these districts.”
In comparison, a pair of wealthier districts located in Westchester County, with similar budgeted spending to that in Norwich – approximately $35 million in 2010-2011 – and lower enrollment, both have a combined wealth ratio of over 2.0. In those districts, estimated local tax levies account for more than $30 million. In Norwich, that number drops to approximately $5 million. In addition, the percentage of students relying on free and reduced lunches in those Westchester County districts stands at 7 and 1 percent. In Norwich? Approximately 50 percent.
“While wealthier districts debate whether to curtail one of a multitude of foreign language offerings, arts or extracurricular activities, our schools struggle mightily to meet basic educational needs,” the group of senators wrote to the governor. “Additionally, existing school funding formulas fail to adequately account for the true financial condition of our rural schools. The existing formula is based on a scale that treats the poorest districts equally with districts whose residents have twice the income.”
The result, added the senators, is an unequal educational experience for students in rural, low-wealth districts.
According to the governor’s website, governor.ny.gov, New York spends more on education than any other state, yet places 38th in graduation rates. In his State of the State address, Cuomo announced that he will appoint a bipartisan education commission to work with legislators to recommend reforms in areas such as teacher accountability, student achievement and management efficiency.