New York School Districts

In New York state there are approximately 1,200 school districts. These school districts are in charge of public education for all grades K-12 and some have special programs for higher learning.

The New York State Department of Education is the agency that oversees all schools in the state. The department has a website where you can find information about your local district as well as other important links to help you navigate through the system.

School District Administration

In New York, school district administration is governed by the Board of Education. Each board consists of five members elected at large from the community. The board sets policy and approves budgets. It also hires a superintendent who manages the day-to-day operations of the district.

Superintendents are appointed by the mayor or confirmed by the governor. They serve four year terms. A superintendent may be removed only for cause after an investigation by the Commissioner of Education.

School District Funding

School districts are funded primarily by property taxes. Property tax rates vary throughout the state. Most districts have their own levy rate which is set annually based on the previous years’ assessed value. This means that if your home increases in value over the course of a year, your property taxes will increase accordingly.

School district funding comes from two main sources: state aid and local revenue. Local revenues come from property taxes, income taxes, sales taxes, and fees.

Each school district receives money from the state government called “state aid.” State aid is determined by the number of students enrolled in each district. The amount of state aid received depends on how many students live within the district. For example, if a district has 2,000 students but only 500 live within its borders, it would receive $2,500 per student. If a district has 5,000 students but only 3,000 live within its boundaries, it would receive $5,000 per student.

State Aid is distributed according to a formula that takes into account the cost of providing services such as teachers, buildings, transportation, etc. The formula is designed to ensure that every district gets the same amount of state aid no matter what size it is.

State Aid is not enough to cover the costs of running a school district. Therefore, most districts supplement their funding with local revenues. Local revenues include property taxes, income taxes (which includes payroll taxes), sales taxes, and any other source of revenue.

Districts use these funds to pay for things like salaries, benefits, supplies, equipment, maintenance, building repairs, and more.

Districts must submit financial reports to the state government. These reports show how much they spent during the fiscal year and how much was raised locally.

Use the links below to find specific information about New York School Districts

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