Senator Gianaris: State Owes LIC High School Almost $7 Million

Senator Michael Gianaris is working to see that New York State provides Long Island City High School with the nearly $7 million the school is owed as determined by a 2006 Court of Appeals decision in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE) case. Senator Gianaris, who graduated from LICHS, noted that his alma mater was owed more than all but two other schools at $6,709,960.29 in total. This astronomical figure averages out to more than $2,660 per pupil. Senator Gianaris has a long history of fighting for LICHS in the face of threatened co-locations and closures.

“Starving our public schools of the resources they need has led us to a crisis. It is unacceptable that this school, which has beaten back attack after attack in recent years, remains nearly $7 million dollars short of what it needs,” said Senator Gianaris. “We should be giving our kids every opportunity to succeed but instead the students at Long Island City High School have been forced to deal with bureaucratic distractions, and now we find out it's not getting millions of dollars to which it is legally entitled. I will do all I can to make sure this is rectified.”

The CFE decision determined Albany shortchanged New York City schools by billions of dollars and in so doing failed in its constitutional obligation to provide students with a sound education. Senator Gianaris has long worked to make sure NYC schools get the funding they deserve and will continue his efforts to see that children in western Queens get the educational resources they need to succeed. Gianaris noted his advocacy extends to PS 111 as well, which is owed nearly $1 million. All figures presented come from a recent analysis of what specific schools deserve according to the CFE ruling.

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