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
EdTrust-New York Calls for Essential Updates to Foundation Aid Formula
The Foundation Aid formula plays a critical role in ensuring equitable funding for schools serving students from low-income backgrounds and students of color. Our commitment is to ensure that all students achieve high levels of success from early childhood through college completion.
EdTrust-New York calls for changes that further promote equity in the Foundation Aid formula
At EdTrust-New York, we believe the current formula does not accurately reflect the needs of today’s students and any improvements must be student- and equity-centered.
A look at New York State public school enrollment trends in 2022-23
Public schools in New York state have seen enrollment decline for the better part of the last decade. Data from the 2022-2023 school year, however, shows that the declines have finally begun to slow.
A look at New York State public school enrollment trends in 2022-23
An analysis of final enrollment data of NYS public schools for school year 2022-2023 finds that while enrollment is still trending down and public schools have had large enrollment losses, these declines are slowing down from their pandemic highs
Transitioning from EdTrust-New York: a letter from our executive director
“While I have relished the demanding role of leading Ed Trust–NY over the past three years, I am well aware that the battle for genuine educational equity will persist in its difficulty. To secure a promising and prosperous future for all children, we must have our most dedicated advocates at the forefront, operating at their peak. Now, it is time for me to seek respite.”
Federal Pandemic Relief Spending in New York: An Update
As of August 2023, New York had used only 34.9% of its $9 billion in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding — ranking 47th in state progress toward spending its total ESSER allocation (spending 49.5%).