Schools in New York may be able to breathe a sigh of relief, as Gov. Kathy Hochul is largely retreating from her more controversial proposals to change the way the state determines how much funding districts receive, at least for this year.
Speaking to reporters in an impromptu visit to the capitol’s press chambers Thursday, Hochul indicated she and legislative leaders will likely agree to delay the more significant proposed changes to the funding school aid formula until next year.
“We talked about putting a process in place, so by this time next year, giving everybody the notice and warning that they all asked for that there will be a different formula,” Hochul said after chumming up reporters by handing out eclipse glasses and cookies.
Details of the formula change, Hochul said, still need to be worked out.
“I’m just deciding with [legislative] leaders how that mechanism will work,” she said.
The governor’s remarks represent progress on one of the most heated debates needing to be ironed out between her and legislative leaders before reaching a final agreement on the state’s massive spending package.
One of her most controversial proposals involves eliminating an aspect of the funding formula referred to as “hold harmless.” The provision stipulates that school districts cannot receive a reduction in state funding from one year to another. By removing the mechanism, almost half of school districts in New York would see a loss in state funding.
Hochul also proposed changes to how heavily inflation is weighted within the formula.
The governor argues that, under her watch, the state has significantly ramped up school funding to a level dictated by a landmark court ruling, but that such spending is unsustainable in the long term.
“This is overdue,” Hochul said.
Democrats and Republicans initially responded with outrage at the governor’s proposal, but lawmakers have started to come around to the idea of addressing the funding formula.
The state Senate included a measure in its budget proposal to conduct a study on changes to the formula. However, lawmakers have disagreed on whether such a report should be conducted by the state education department or by another agency.
