Senator Mayer Notifies Interested Individuals and Parties of SUNY Rockefeller Institute of Government's Public Hearings on the State Education Foundation Aid Formula

(White Plains, New York) - State Senator Shelley B. Mayer, Chair of the Senate Education Committee, is pleased to notify all interested individuals and parties that the SUNY Rockefeller Institute of Government will hold five public hearings throughout New York State to hear testimony regarding the State’s Foundation Aid Formula. The Foundation Aid Formula determines how public schools are funded by the state and affects every school district.

These hearings come as part of the Foundation Aid Formula study secured in the New York State’s Enacted State Fiscal Year 2024-25 Budget through the leadership of Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins and the advocacy of Senator Mayer. The study will reexamine the current formula and recommend how it should be modified to meet the current needs of New York’s schools.    

 Each hearing will feature invited speakers from the education community, such as education advocacy groups, academic experts, leaders in education research, and representatives of unions; followed by a public commenting period. Each speaker will be given two minutes for their remarks and must register in order to speak.  

Senator Shelley B. Mayer said, “I am pleased to share that New York is moving forward with our promise to revise the education foundation aid formula to better reflect the changing needs of our schools, to ensure every school receives the support it needs. I encourage all interested parties to use their voice and participate in these hearings, whether providing verbal or written testimony. Make sure your voice is heard.” 

Locations and Dates for the Public Hearings:

July 16, 2024 | New York City
High School of Fashion Industries
225 W 24th St, New York, NY 10011

July 25, 2024 | Buffalo
North Park Community School
780 Parkside Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14216

July 30, 2024 | Long Island
Weldon E. Howitt Middle School
70 Vancott Ave, Farmingdale, NY 11735

August 8, 2024 | Central New York
Laurens Central School
55 Main St, Laurens, NY 13796

August 14, 2024 | Capital Region
Guilderland High School
8 School Road, Guilderland, NY 12085

Testimony for invited speakers will begin at 2 p.m. and public comment for registered speakers will begin at 5:30 p.m.

To register, visit the Institute's Foundation Aid Study page. Comments can also be provided through written testimony submitted on the online form, found here.        

The testimonies provided through these hearings will inform the Institute’s final report on the findings of the study, which will be presented to Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie in December.