State aid increases, disparities remain

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Spending per student in North Shore school districts will continue to show a wide disparity in the 2023-2024 school year despite a large increase in state aid, according to an analysis by Blank Slate Media.

The range of spending per pupil in the 11 public school districts in the

North Shore ranges from more than $47,000 to less than $24,000, according to the analysis.

The districts will receive more than $204 million in state aid for the 2023-24 school year thanks to a 7.1% increase in assistance to New York’s school districts. The overall state aid for those 11 will increase by an average of $4.2 million or 31.6%.

Herricks will receive $26.7 million in state aid in the coming school year, followed by Port Washington’s $19.2 million, Great Neck’s $14.9 million, Mineola’s $14.6 million, New Hyde Park-Garden City Park’s $12.1 million, Roslyn’s $12 million, Floral Park-Bellerose’s $10.3 million, North Shore’s $9.7 million and East Williston’s $7.4 million, according to the budget figures.

Long Island as a whole will see a $771 million increase in state aid as part of a budget that provides $31.3 billion in school assistance – a $2.1 billion increase from last year. While foundation aid attempts to close the gap between school districts’ spending per pupil, the disparity continues to grow on a hyperlocal level.

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