Download: Complete Bulletin. PDF file.

Overall Increase of $1.268 Billion in General Support for Schools — THE LARGEST ONE-YEAR INCREASE EVER

* Added $450 million to Governor's proposed increase of $650 million.

* Overall increase in computerized aid of $ 1.1 billion over 2005-06.

Flex Aid —

* Increased Flex aid by $85 million providing a 1 percent increase for all districts.

Sound Basic Education Aid —

* Agreed with the Governor's proposed increase of $375 million to be distributed using the current formula.

* Rejected the Governor's proposal to allow the Division of Budget to determine the distribution.

School Building Program —

* Created a new capital construction program (EXCELL) to provide $1.8 billion for New York City, $400 million for high-needs school districts and $400 million for the remaining school districts to be distributed on a per pupil basis.

* Increases the transitional finance authority bond cap for New York City by $9.4 billion to assist with their capital plan.

Governor's Proposals Rejected —

* Rejected the Governor's proposal for a tuition tax credit to pay for private school tuition.

* Rejected the Governor's proposal for a single school district budget vote.

* Rejected the Governor's proposed increase in the Charter School cap.

      Rejected the proposal to provide property tax rebates to homeowners in districts that cap spending at the contingency budget level.

* Rejected the Governor's proposal to shift the cost of preschool special education evaluations to local school districts.

* Rejected the Governor's proposal to shift the cost of 3020-a hearings to local school districts.

School TAx Relief (STAR) —

* The property tax savings under the STAR program would be increased by 30% — this additional property tax relief savings would come in the form of a direct rebate check from the state that will be mailed by the end of October.

Teachers Programs —

* Agreed with the Governor's recommendation to increase Teachers of Tomorrow funding by $5 million to $25 million.

* Restored the Governor's proposed cut in Teacher Centers and provided a $6 million increase for a total of $37 million.

* Continued Teacher Support Aid at $67.48 million.

* Restored the Governor's proposed cut in the Mentor Teacher-Intern program.

* Restored $500,000 in funding for National Board for Professional Teacher Certification.

BOCES/Special Services aid —

* Restored BOCES aid to present law level of $753.5 million for 2006-07, an increase of $58.1 million.

* Special services aid is increased by $6.1 million to reflect the increased costs of providing career education programs.

* Rejected the Governor's proposal to require BOCES to demonstrate savings for services compared to existing state contract prices.

* Rejected the Governor's proposal to eliminate reimbursement to BOCES for the administrative costs of cooperative purchasing.

Excess Cost Aid —

* Restored public and private excess cost aid to present law level of $2.8 billion, an increase of $125 million.

* Rejected the Governor's proposal to reduce the average state aid ratio used to calculate aid for private special education programs from 85% to 49%.

Universal PreK —

* Increased funding by $50 million over the 2005-06 levels.

Tax Limitation —

* Increased funding by $76.6 million targeting the increase to districts with high residential tax burdens and districts with strong spending effort per child.

Supplemental Extraordinary Needs Aid —

* Creates a new aid program targeting $136.1 million to low wealth districts and districts with high need pupils.

High Tax Aid —

* Creates a new aid program targeting $20 million to districts with high residential school taxes relative to income levels.

Enrollment Adjustment Aid/Growth Aid —

* Creates a new enrollment growth aid targeting $26.7 million to districts which have experienced enrollment growth since 2001.

* Increased growth aid by $2 million.

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Download: Complete Bulletin. PDF file.