Dear <representative>,
I am writing to demand a material increase in funding for the Averill Park School District in this year’s budget.
Our Foundation Aid increases have not kept up with inflation. When taking inflation into account, our Foundation Aid has DECREASED by more than 13% over the past 6 years, while our overall enrollment has decreased by roughly 5%. For the same period, enrollment for special needs students has INCREASED more than 10% (and as you know, it costs more to educate students with special needs). Other costs like healthcare and retirement have skyrocketed.
Comparing our Foundation Aid increases with other local schools over the past decade, Averill Park’s aid has increased only 14.7% while other neighboring schools’ funding has increased MORE THAN TEN TIMES that rate. In fact, compared with 13 other local schools, Averill Park had the lowest amount of aid increase during this time.
Our school district has voted to increase local taxes to the “tax cap limit” for 9 out of these past 10 years. But since neither the “tax cap limit” nor our Foundation Aid funding has kept up with inflation, we have been forced cut programs and reduce staff, all of which hurts our kids. Each year, we are paying more and getting less.
For the upcoming school year, we are again reducing staff and programs, and still have a $1.6M deficit, funded from reserves. Deficit spending is not a viable long term strategy.
You can view the data at https://ap-schools.com .
We pay our fair share of taxes to New York State but the state continues to distribute our money to other districts. This is unfair and it has to stop now. I and my neighbors DEMAND that you substantially increase the Foundation Aid for Averill Park in this year’s budget.
Respectfully,
<your name here>
Hello, my name is <name> and I live at <address>.
I am calling to express my deep frustration over the historical underfunding of the Averill Park School District and to plead with you to substantially increase our Foundation Aid funding in this year's budget.
Here are some facts:
- Taking inflation into account, our Foundation Aid has been reduced by 13% over the past 6 years.
- During the same time, our overall student enrollment is down by about 5% but our special needs enrollment has INCREASED by over 10%.
- Comparing Averill Park to 13 other local school districts, we have received the LOWEST Foundation Aid increase over the last decade. In fact, 2 local schools have received MORE THAN TEN TIMES the increase that AP received in the last 10 years.
- Our voters have approved increasing property taxes to the “tax cap limit” in 9 out of those 10 years.
- But because neither the tax cap nor our Foundation Aid increases keep up with inflation, we are forced to cut programs and fire teachers and administrators EVERY YEAR.
- We pay our fair share of taxes to New York State but the state continues to distribute our money to other districts.
- This is unfair. It hurts our kids. And it has to stop now.
- We need the state to dramatically increase the Foundation Aid for the Averill Park School District in this year’s budget.
Please convey my frustration to <representative>.
Thank you for taking my call.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.