Although 2011 is coming to a close, it seems like just yesterday we were passing the state budget in Albany. And, before we know it, budget time will be upon us again.

To prepare for budget negotiations, I recently held a meeting with several school superintendents and school business managers from the North Country area. This meeting was an eye-opener for me in regard to the extent that this year’s school aid cuts have affected North Country schools.

One of the most important pieces of information that came out of these meetings is the impact of school aid cuts on districts that rely heavily on school aid because of their low property tax incomes. For example, South Jefferson, with an enrollment of 1,914, has a 46% poverty rate. In 2011, their state aid was cut 10.65%, or $3.1 million. This amounts to a $1,574 cut per pupil. In order to make up this lost revenue, South Jefferson would have had to raise property taxes by 49%!

To balance their budget, 18 instructional positions have been eliminated since 2010, including 6 supplemental math and reading teachers and 5 elementary teachers. In addition, 23 support staff have been eliminated.

In contrast, Locust Valley School District, which is located on Long Island and has a similar enrollment to South Jefferson, has a 10% poverty rate and, therefore, relies less on school aid. In 2011, their school aid was cut just 1% or $747,715 dollars. This amounts to a $331 cut per pupil. To make up the lost revenue, Locust Valley would have only had to raise taxes by 1.12%.

What these examples show is that low-wealth rural school districts that rely heavily on school aid are being unfairly impacted by school aid cuts. What’s more is that these schools have no way to make up the lost revenue because of the property tax cap. As a result, instructional programs are being cut, jobs are being lost, and students’ educations are being negatively affected.

Several superintendents have recommended that the Gap Elimination Adjustment should consider the district’s ability to raise local revenue. Such a change could be made by adding a measure to the GEA formula that includes a minimum and maximum reduction based on a district’s total levy. For example, a GEA of even 30% of South Jefferson’s total levy would have reduced their GEA by over $1 million, instead of the $3 million that was enacted. This measure would go a long way in ensuring ALL school districts bear school aid cuts equally.

Another important fact that came out of my meetings with school administrators is the need for foundation aid to be unfrozen. As my constituents are aware, the 122nd Assembly district includes Fort Drum, a military installation that continues to grow. And with deployments being reduced from 12 months to 9 months and a “full house” expected this spring at Fort Drum, the area is preparing for an influx of more families in the next year. More families mean more students attending our local schools.

This influx of new students is already being felt by schools in the Fort Drum area this year. Unlike most districts in the North Country, Indian River is not getting smaller. In just two years, their enrollment has increased by 800 students, and the district is expecting an additional 300 students next year as new homes open up on post. The district had to hire 25 new teachers for the 2010-2011 school year. Carthage School District is in a similar position. Carthage has seen 300 new students enter the district in the last 3 years.

However, while enrollment is rising in these districts, foundation aid has been frozen at the 2008 level, based on enrollment numbers taken in 2007. For Indian River, the enrollment increases are costing the district $3.4 million. Again, Indian River, which has a high poverty rate outside of the post, cannot make up this revenue because of the property tax cap. And despite having 300 new students enter the district in the last 3 years, Carthage’s foundation aid has been frozen at $23 million since 2008.

Last week, I sent a letter to Governor Cuomo and the Commissioner of Education, John King to relay some of the concerns, recommendations and statistics that were addressed at my meeting with school officials, as well as in subsequent meetings with administrators from Indian River and South Jefferson School Districts.

I also urged the Governor and the Commissioner to consider unfreezing foundation aid and letting the formula run as the measure was enacted in 2008. Not only would this help the school districts surrounding Fort Drum in meeting the educational needs of their growing student population, but it also would help the small rural districts in absorbing the blow from the Gap Elimination Adjustment.

Changes to the GEA and the reinstatement of Foundation Aid are of critical importance to the rural schools in my district. I’m hoping the Governor hears the voices of rural New York educators and legislators and follows up with a school aid formula that is fairer to rural, low-wealth school districts.