School Funding and Accountability
Overview
Following a 14 year legal effort by the Campaign for Fiscal Equity and an historic ruling by the State Court of Appeals, education funding reform legislation was enacted to ensure New York’s public school children are guaranteed the right to a sound basic education.
New York State’s 2007-2008 education budget reflects this commitment to education in both the short and long term by immediately infusing $1.1 billion in need-based foundation aid to local districts, and phasing up to annual increase of $5.5 billion within four years.
The Problems
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Inequitable funding formula
For far too long, New York relied on a complicated school funding process that was not only unconstitutional, but also nearly impossible to decipher. Without a permanent formula for distributing education funds that is fair, equitable, and transparent, New York’s neediest schools will continue to be shortchanged.
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Lack of accountability
As long as education spending remains ambiguous and unlinked to results, student performance will continue to suffer in New York State.
The Solution
To create excellence in education, the increased funding must be tied to a comprehensive agenda of reform and accountability.
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Fair funding formula
Winning money - as critical as it is - is only the beginning of turning around our troubled education system and creating world class institutions. It is incumbent upon the state to ensure that increased dollars go to the schools that need them most, that programs are clearly defined, and that money can be easily tracked by all stakeholders, including policy makers, advocates, and parents.
Last year, the legislature established a base formula for funding schools. We must continue that formula as well as eliminate the additional spending streams that serve to obscure actual funding levels and short-change the neediest schools. If we can accomplish this, all of New York’s public schools can in perpetuity receive the money required to provide a quality education for all kids.
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Accountability Measures
To be effective, new funding must be tied to a comprehensive agenda of reform and accountability – financial, programmatic and performance based.
Contracts for Excellence provide the fundamental accountability mechanism under the Spitzer school reform program. Every district receiving an increase in funding of at least $15 million or 10 percent more than in the previous year through New York’s new foundation formula will enter into a contract that will govern how those new funds are spent.
The aid must be targeted to five priorities: smaller class size, teacher and principal quality, full-day pre-kindergarten, time on task, and high school/middle school restructuring.
Long-term success of accountability provisions will depend on the Board of Regents, the Education Commissioner, and the Department of Education assertively pursuing their oversight roles.
These entities are currently establishing regulations that will govern the implementation of financial, programmatic, and performance accountability reforms. It is critical the regulations they craft provide transparent and enforceable means to ensure that the State of New York meets its goal of improving student performance by:
- Targeting funding to the neediest students and schools
- Directing spending on five priorities: smaller class size, teacher and principal quality, full-day pre-kindergarten, time on task, and high school/middle school restructuring
- Involving public and parental stakeholders