The New York state budget, which was adopted by the State Legislature late last night, will bring an education aid increase of 11.42 percent to Riverhead Central School District, State Senator Ken LaValle and Assemblyman Fred Thiele announced yesterday.
The budget increases aid statewide by $1.1 billion in the 2014-2015 year, a 5.3 percent increase that will bring total aid to more than $22 billion statewide; Long Island districts will see $125 million more. Total aid for the Riverhead Central School district will be increased to $22,226,221.
“Superintendents in my district conveyed that their priority for this year’s budget was the reduction of the GEA [gap elimination] – a budget-balancing fiasco imposed by the Democrats in 2010 when they controlled all three branches of government,” LaValle said in a press release. “This year, we were successful in restoring $602 Million of the GEA money to local school districts.”
Riverhead School Superintendent Nancy Carney said the district is “very pleased” with the state aid figures. “We are currently examining the details of the funding and we will discuss with the board the options they have at the next board meeting,” she said.
“We are grateful to the state legislature and the governor for providing this increase. Any additional funding is appreciated,” the superintendent said.
The budget also includes $2 billion for Governor Cuomo’s proposed Smart School Bond Initiative, which aims to improve classroom technology by bringing high-speed broadband to schools and purchasing classroom technology for use by students. Bond proceeds will also be used to construct pre-kindergarten classroom space, according to the New York State Education Department.
Of that $2 billion, $2,191,853 will be allocated to Riverhead Central School District.
The proposed bond will be on the ballot in November.
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