Below is our guide to writing and submitting a testimony. Please contact us at district103@nyassembly.gov if you have any questions.

What is Foundation Aid?

The Foundation Aid formula is a method, created in 2007, used to allocate a large portion of State education resources to school districts. 2023 was the first year schools received full funding determined by the formula, but the Governor proposed changes to it the following year that would have resulted in cuts to school aid. Instead of accepting the proposal, the legislature included a provision in the FY2025 budget to have changes to the formula studied. Rockefeller Institute has been tapped to conduct the study, and is holding five public hearings across the state as part of that study.

Where should you submit your testimony?

One you've read this guide, you can head over to the Rockefeller Institute Testimony Form to submit your testimony. The deadline is September 6th, 11:59 PM EST. Feel free to email us a copy at district103@nyassembly.gov.

What should the Foundation Aid do?

Foundation Aid does not apply to capital expenses related to buildings, including heat and ventilation, but it can and should fund the following:

• Qualified personnel, including teachers, principals, and nurses
• Additional support personnel, including social workers, counselors, aides, psychologists, behavioral specialists, family liaisons, etc.
• Appropriate class sizes
• Learning materials such as books and other supplies
• Libraries and educational technology
• Core curricula (math, reading, science, social studies)
• Foreign language classes
• Electives such as art and music classes
• Extra-curriculars, such as sports and clubs
• Advanced placement/IB classes
• Tutoring
• Before and after school programs
• Summer school
• Early academic interventions
• Pre-K
• Support for English Language learners
• Support for students with disabilities
• Support for vulnerable students, e.g. dropout prevention, pregnant students/teen parents, etc.

How can you structure your testimony?

Introduce yourself

I am a [parent, educator, student, member of the community etc.] from [your city or town and school district.] Explain your connection to your school, whatever form that may take—for example, if you/your children currently/previously attended, you work there, are retired, community advocate, representative or school board member, etc.

Opening

Explain why public education is important. For example, 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.

Answer some of the following prompts

• What does your public school community look like? What are the student demographics?
• What types of challenges are students in your public school facing? Examples: living in poverty, English language learners, students with disabilities, students living far from school, food insecurity, newcomers, trauma, unhoused families or living in transitional housing, etc.
• What is good about your public school? Is there a particular program, teacher, or service that stands out to you?
• Are there enough resources for students with additional needs?
• What kinds of student and family support does your school offer? Examples: social workers, family liaisons, school counselors, ESL teachers, special education services, aides, etc, dropout prevention programs, programs for young parents, etc. How do these services help students learn more successfully?
• Are there enough of these kinds of support to serve everyone who needs them?
• Is there a particular program that is helping students, but needs to serve more kids? How has this program helped?
• Have there been any recent cuts to programs, staff or curricula? How has it impacted students?
• What is something students in your community need, but that your public school is not currently able to provide? Examples: foreign language, art or music, mental health services
• Are there any stories from your community, class, school you would like to share that illustrate how these unmet needs are impacting students?
• Does your school have enough teachers, principals and other personnel? If your answer is yes or no, how does that impact teaching?
• Are class sizes appropriate for each grade level? Why is appropriate class size important?
• Do students have up-to-date materials like textbooks, supplies, libraries, educational technology and laboratories?
• Do students have access to a rich curriculum, including electives, AP, foreign languages, and extra-curriculars?
• Is your school able to support kids who need more to be able to access their education, such as tutoring, before and after school, summer school, early academic interventions, and pre-k?
• Do you feel your public school is able to ensure a safe environment for students?
• Why do you feel public education and public schools are so important to you, your family, your child, and/or your community?

Closing: state what should happen

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 schools is not an option. The state’s fiscal circumstances should not form the basis for calculating the true cost of educating a child.

Signed,

Your Name
School District