Rockland County schools are poised to receive a record amount of state aid, thanks partly to the Rockefeller Institute’s groundbreaking report on education funding disparities. While the Institute held five public hearings across New York State, the Hudson Valley was notably excluded. In response, Senator Bill Weber hosted his own bipartisan foundation aid forum on July 29, 2024, bringing together school superintendents from Rockland County and beyond to ensure their voices were heard.
The testimony from Senator Weber’s forum was submitted to the Rockefeller Institute and incorporated into their final report, highlighting the urgent need for increased funding for Rockland County schools. As a result, the Governor’s proposed executive budget includes an additional $42.2 million in base state education aid for Rockland County schools over last year, including:
⦁ $19.75 million more than last year for the East Ramapo School District
⦁ $13 million more than last year for the North Rockland School District
⦁ $4.2 million more than last year for the Clarkstown School District
⦁ $1.98 million more than last year for the Nyack School District
⦁ $1.81 million more than last year for the Suffern Central School District
“I’m grateful to the Rockefeller Institute for acknowledging and addressing this long-standing funding imbalance,” said Senator Bill Weber. “For years, Rockland County schools have been short changed due to an outdated funding formula. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure these crucial funding increases, at a minimum, are adopted in the final New York State budget for 2025-2026. I am also looking forward to the implementation of some of the other good recommendations in the Rockefeller report, which will ensure even more base state education aid for all our schools.”
