Oceanside, Island Park schools face a loss of state aid

Oceanside and Island Park school districts both would suffer a loss in state aid if the State Legislature goes along with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget proposal.

The budget includes a rare reduction in aid to some individual school districts, including 10 districts in Nassau County. The governor is proposing an end to a “hold harmless” policy that guaranteed the districts would receive at least as much state aid as the previous year.

Oceanside received a little more than $35,148,238 in state aid for the 2023-24 school year, and under Hochul’s budget plan, the district would lose a mere $787. Island Park received $3,641,540 in aid for the current school year, and the governor is projecting to cut $10,499 from that.

The executive budget reflects a nearly $5 billion decline in federal aid as pandemic-driven support winds down. Federal funds usually account for 36 percent of the state’s budget.

In addition, Oceanside and Island Park both received a reduction in foundation aid from the prior year, marking a more substantial percentage cut, with just over a $484,000 loss for Oceanside and a $207,457 loss for Island Park. Foundation aid takes a district’s wealth and student needs into account, helping to create an equal distribution of state school funding. It is the primary source of funding for public schools to distribute state funding to schools based on student need and school district wealth.

“The Board of Education and administration are currently analyzing the governor’s proposed budget and examining its potential impact on our district,” Island Park Schools Superintendent Vincent Randazzo said. “As we move through the process of developing our district’s proposed budget for the 2024-25 school year, we will keep community residents updated and look forward to their participation throughout the process.”

The governor and Oceanside and Island Park school districts both would suffer a loss in state aid if the State Legislature goes along with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget proposal.

The budget includes a rare reduction in aid to some individual school districts, including 10 districts in Nassau County. The governor is proposing an end to a “hold harmless” policy that guaranteed the districts would receive at least as much state aid as the previous year.

Oceanside received a little more than $35,148,238 in state aid for the 2023-24 school year, and under Hochul’s budget plan, the district would lose a mere $787. Island Park received $3,641,540 in aid for the current school year, and the governor is projecting to cut $10,499 from that.

The executive budget reflects a nearly $5 billion decline in federal aid as pandemic-driven support winds down. Federal funds usually account for 36 percent of the state’s budget.

In addition, Oceanside and Island Park both received a reduction in foundation aid from the prior year, marking a more substantial percentage cut, with just over a $484,000 loss for Oceanside and a $207,457 loss for Island Park. Foundation aid takes a district’s wealth and student needs into account, helping to create an equal distribution of state school funding. It is the primary source of funding for public schools to distribute state funding to schools based on student need and school district wealth.

“The Board of Education and administration are currently analyzing the governor’s proposed budget and examining its potential impact on our district,” Island Park Schools Superintendent Vincent Randazzo said. “As we move through the process of developing our district’s proposed budget for the 2024-25 school year, we will keep community residents updated and look forward to their participation throughout the process.”

The governor and state legislators are now expected to discuss the proposals and changes as part of the budget negotiations, with a budget to be adopted by April 1. Jerel Cokley, Oceanside’s assistant superintendent for business and operations, expressed surprise over a cut in state aid.

“We were surprised by the initial proposal,” he said. “State aid is funded in a very complicated way based on categorical formulas and actual expenses.”

Hochul’s $233 billion executive budget plan includes a record $35.5 billion for school aid, an increase of $825 million from last year, marking the highest-ever investment in education in the state’s history, according to the governor’s website.

Even with the proposed reduction in aid, Island Park would see an increase for universal pre-K, BOCES and transportation, according to the state aid website. They would also see an increase in Library and textbook services. Oceanside would also see an increase in all the same areas except for a loss in BOCES funding and library and textbook services.

State aid comprises about 15 percent of Oceanside’s total revenue. Cokley said the district’s budget is still a work in progress, and that specific strategies for balancing the budget are yet to be determined since it’s in the early stages. Oceanside is proposing a rollover budget, with no new initiatives or programs in the district’s 2024-25 budget proposal except for the addition of girls’ varsity flag football.

Oceanside is in the process of finalizing expenditures and revenues while closely monitoring state-level developments. School districts have no direct input into the state budget process, which is reviewed and enacted by the Legislature, but Oceanside is doing what it can.

“We are working with our local legislators to advocate for additional state funding,” Cokley said. legislators are now expected to discuss the proposals and changes as part of the budget negotiations, with a budget to be adopted by April 1. Jerel Cokley, Oceanside’s assistant superintendent for business and operations, expressed surprise over a cut in state aid.

“We were surprised by the initial proposal,” he said. “State aid is funded in a very complicated way based on categorical formulas and actual expenses.”

Hochul’s $233 billion executive budget plan includes a record $35.5 billion for school aid, an increase of $825 million from last year, marking the highest-ever investment in education in the state’s history, according to the governor’s website.

Even with the proposed reduction in aid, Island Park would see an increase for universal pre-K, BOCES and transportation, according to the state aid website. They would also see an increase in Library and textbook services. Oceanside would also see an increase in all the same areas except for a loss in BOCES funding and library and textbook services.

State aid comprises about 15 percent of Oceanside’s total revenue. Cokley said the district’s budget is still a work in progress, and that specific strategies for balancing the budget are yet to be determined since it’s in the early stages. Oceanside is proposing a rollover budget, with no new initiatives or programs in the district’s 2024-25 budget proposal except for the addition of girls’ varsity flag football.

Oceanside is in the process of finalizing expenditures and revenues while closely monitoring state-level developments. School districts have no direct input into the state budget process, which is reviewed and enacted by the Legislature, but Oceanside is doing what it can.

“We are working with our local legislators to advocate for additional state funding,” Cokley said.