Numbers are starting to add up for Niagara Falls School Superintendent Mark Laurrie, who says under the state's budget proposal, the district would receive more than $153 million in total education aid.

That includes a $16 million increase in foundation aid, money based on a formula that funds schools across the state, which, for the first time in a long time, is being fully funded.

"I'm very pleased with it," said Laurrie. "I think it's a fair representation of what the district is entitled to based on the formula. And I think it's well within what we need to run our school district."

​What he says is not fair is the outdated formula itself, as well as a budget mandate to spend $1.5 million on tutoring high-needs students in grades 3-8. He says the district already works with those students and should decide for itself how to spend that money.

Other funding goes to needs like curriculum, staffing, textbooks, technology and other general expenses.

"I'm not satisfied with the state aid because the formula itself is flawed," said Kevin Whitaker, superintendent, Jamestown City School District.

Leaders with the Jamestown City School District say they're projected to receive more than $86 million, which reflected in that, is a fully-funded $9 million increase in foundation and other aid, that'll also be spent on curriculum, books, technology, new hires and upgrades to Strider Field.

Whitaker says while he's appreciative of the increase, he says it does not reflect the needs of the district as compared to wealthier ones in the state.

"Our students fall further and further behind because we don't have the support that other districts would naturally have given their ability in a tax base, to tax their local economy in order to provide those services," said Whitaker.

Both were two of five small city school district plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the state calling for its fair share of funding dating back to before the case was filed in 2009.

After years of legal battles, district leaders won their case, but have yet to receive their money.

"While we're happy that the decision was in our favor, what is still being held up in both the court and in the legislature will be what is the actual restitution, payment, release of money to settle the lawsuit," said Laurrie.

Whitaker says that's because the state is in the process of appealing, not the decision, but the process of determining how much each district will get. Other plaintiffs in the small cities lawsuit include Utica, Kingston, Port Jervis and Mount Vernon.

"What is it that goes into determining which districts get how much. So that's going to take quite a while I would imagine," said Whitaker.

The state Senate and Assembly want funding in the budget to examine the foundation aid formula for the future.

Both superintendents are hopeful, but cautiously optimistic, that the state will continue to fully fund foundation aid moving forward.

"And we could debate the formula. But the formula as it stands right now, I'm confident that it will be followed in years, the years going forward. I really am," said Laurrie.

"It is looking good for next year. The question mark is beyond that," said Whitaker.

Both districts are proposing a zero percent tax increase when voters decide on school budgets in May.