NYSSBA discusses school budget votes, state education budget

There was plenty of education news out of Albany on Wednesday.

New York state lawmakers are currently reviewing the education budget bill, which includes a 2% increase in Foundation Aid for all districts regardless of student population changes. It also includes reforms to the Foundation Aid formula. 

On the school budget front, New York state voters approved 96% of proposed school district budgets on Tuesday, according to preliminary results compiled by the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA).

More than three dozen districts sought approval to override their property tax caps this year, which means their budgets needed a 60% supermajority of votes to pass. According to NYSSBA, 38 districts sought to exceed the 2% cap, with 25 budgets passing and 13 failing. 

For the 630 districts whose budget was within the tax cap and needed support from only a majority of voters for budget passage, NYSSBA had data for 623 districts: 608 districts, or 98%, passed on the first try.

Dave Albert, chief communications and marketing officer for the New York State School Boards Association, spoke with Capital Tonight host Susan Arbetter about both issues.