An Easier Way to Read Governor's School Aid Run

January 25, 2021

Questions? Contact:

Robert Lowry, Deputy Director
Greg Berck, Esq., Assistant Director
E:  advocacy@nyscoss.org

We have created an Excel spreadsheet which allows users to create an easier way to read School Aid run for any district. Reports will show estimates for Governor Cuomo’s 2021-22 proposed state budget.

Here is the link to access and to use the spreadsheet

It may take a while to load. Once it does, enter a district’s six digit BEDS Code to create a report. To look up a code for any district, click on the tab named “CODE LIST” at the bottom of the screen.

The upper section replicates what is shown on the state-produced runs, but with aid figures for 2020-21 and 2021-22 presented side-by-side, along with the year-to-year dollar change and percent change for each category. This makes it easier to identify which formulas are driving the overall increase or decrease in aid.

The lower section illustrates how the proposal to consolidate 11 aid categories into “Services Aid” would operate. Briefly, aid for each of the now separate categories would be calculated for 2021-22 as under formulas now in law. The sum produced would then be cut by a Services Aid Reduction factor. Although some districts show an increase in Services Aid from 2020-21 to 2021-22, every district would receive less under the proposal than it would from the existing separate formulas.

Please call or write to advocacy@nyscoss.org with any questions or suggestions.