ALBANY – The final state spending plan includes full funding of Foundation Aid over the next three years and rejects a proposal from the governor to institute a $1.35 billion local district adjustment, ensuring federal dollars do not serve as a substitute for the obligation of the state to fully fund schools. Language expanding full day pre-kindergarten to over 200 districts across the state with an appropriation of $105 million was also approved by the legislature.
“Students of Ulster and Dutchess counties will benefit from this education funding package,” said Assemblyman Kevin Cahill (D, Kingston).
Ulster County schools will receive a combined state funding amount of $248.1 million and Dutchess schools will receive $364.4 million.
School districts will also receive federal aid allocated within the American Rescue Plan, which has appropriated a combined total of $105,179,179 to schools within Ulster and Dutchess counties.
| School District | Total State Aid | Total Federal Aid |
| Kingston City School District | $79,568,675 | $15,203,181 |
| New Paltz Central School District | $19,417,516 | $1,773,191 |
| Onteora Central School District | $10,108,029 | $4,908,084 |
| Red Hook Central School District | $17,185,656 | $1,669,306 |
| Rhinebeck Central School District | $3,070,113 | $1,550,892 |
| Rondout Valley Central School District | $24,847,915 | $3,688,883 |
| Wallkill Central School District | $31,673,004 | $4,290,640 |
| Dutchess BOCES | $27,965,282 | N/A |
| Ulster BOCES | $15,281,207 | N/A |
“When the pandemic struck, our schools adapted quickly to remote instruction,” said Cahill. “They also stepped up to address the needs of our at-risk students by delivering meals and providing mobile internet hotspots to ensure home learning was as stable and productive as possible. The costs associated with these activities put our districts in a financially tenuous place where business officials were forced to make tough financial decisions regarding compensation for transportation contracts. Expanding aid for transportation, and for extraordinary technological expenses will ease some of that burden.”
