School Funding
Equal is not the same as equitable, and schools with students who require additional support require greater funding than other schools. This is especially true in the post-pandemic climate, as systemic racism continues to exacerbate pre-existing inequities. Inequitable school funding allocations take a disproportionate toll on students who are underserved by the education system, students of color, students experiencing poverty, students living in temporary housing or foster care, multilingual students, and students with disabilities.
Our Equity-Centered Approach
To ensure equitable school funding, we champion efforts to increase spending transparency statewide about how schools are funded in New York State. We advocate for improvements to the Foundation Aid formula that center students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and students experiencing homelessness or foster care. We empower parents, educators and other stakeholders in education by providing resources to advocate for equitable funding and see how schools are spending funds per student and broken down by demographics and student outcomes.
Latest Resource
Testimony: EdTrust-New York Calls for Changes that Further Promote Equity in the Foundation Aid Formula
New York State’s 2025 Enacted State Budget called for the Rockefeller Institute of Government to conduct a study to assess Foundation Aid — the primary source of state funding for public schools to support high-need school districts — and discuss potential modifications to the formula. Arlen Benjamin-Gomez, executive director of EdTrust-New York submitted a testimony focusing on how any changes to the formula must be equity-centered. The testimony provides recommendations on how to meet that standard.
Featured Reports and Resources Over the Years
Interactive Data Tool: School Funding
Statement: EdTrust-New York Calls for Essential Updates to Foundation Aid Formula
Statement: EdTrust-New York Calls for Continued Stakeholder Engagement with Foundation Aid
Parent Resource: Questions to Ask Leaders About School Funding
Data Snapshot
New York City public elementary and middle schools with the highest share of multilingual learners spent
<0.5%
more in funding ($28,460) per student than schools with the lowest share of multilingual learners ($28,356).
Yonkers public high schools with the highest share of students from low-income backgrounds spent
%
less in funding ($21,890) per student than schools with the lowest share of students from low-income backgrounds ($23,255).
Syracuse public elementary and middle schools with the highest share of multilingual learners spent
19%
less in funding ($24,955) per student than schools with the lowest share of multilingual learners ($20,982).
Rochester public schools with the highest share of students with disabilities spent
%
less in funding ($22,318) per student than schools with the lowest share of students with disabilities ($24,713).
Buffalo elementary schools with the highest share of multilingual learners spent
%
less in funding ($19,573) per student than schools with the lowest share of multilingual learners ($20,174).
More Resources
Testimony for New York City Council – Fiscal Year 27 Preliminary Budget – Education
As the largest district in the state and nation, serving nearly 1 million students, New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) is a key focus of EdTrust-New York’s commitment to advancing equity-focused educational efforts across the state. Such investments are even more critical this year due to federal funding cuts and attacks on critical educational equity programs.
Testimony for New York City Council Committee on Education Fiscal Year 27 Preliminary Budget – Education
As the largest district in the state and nation, serving nearly 1 million students, New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) is a key focus of EdTrust-New York’s commitment to advancing equity-focused educational efforts across the state. Such investments are even more critical this year due to federal funding cuts and attacks on critical educational equity programs. The following are our top priorities for the FY27 budget.
Statement from EdTrust-New York on NYC Class Size Reduction Implementation Report
EdTrust-New York welcomes this new analysis from the Urban Institute on New York City’s class size reduction law and agrees it highlights critical challenges in implementation. While the city has made progress, reaching 64 percent compliance, this report reinforces our longstanding concerns about equity, funding, and feasibility.
EdTrust-New York: Proposed ELL Funding Changes Would Deepen Inequity and Jeopardize Student Success
As threats to Title III funding and federal protections for ELLs/MLLs grow, EdTrust-New York strongly opposes proposals that reduce resources, urges New York State to strengthen its commitment and plan for disruptions, and highlights that inequities shown in its New York School Funding Data tool demand bold solutions and a fully funded formula.
EdTrust-New York: NYCPS Decision on Class Size Law Risks Equity, Fiscal Stability, and Student Opportunity
EdTrust-New York is deeply disappointed that New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) chose not to request a pause in the implementation of the Class Size Reduction Law. This decision puts fairness, fiscal stability, opportunity, and equity at risk for the students and communities the law is intended to serve.
New York City’s $1 Billion Crisis: Education Leaders Urge Pause On Class Size Mandate
With just two days remaining before the November 15 deadline, when New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) must publicly report their progress on the 2022 Class Size Law, Educators for Excellence, EdTrust-New York and Robin Hood urged the city to act. The groups emphasized that this deadline offers a one-time opportunity to request a pause or revise the implementation timeline to ensure the law is carried out equitably and sustainably.