The process of revisiting New York's outdated Foundation Aid formula is underway. A public hearing in Buffalo Thursday was the second of five happening across the state this summer.

Foundation Aid is the primary form of state funding that districts recieve. 

The Rockefeller Institute and the state Education Department are working together on the review of the formula, which dates back to 2008 and uses data from the 2000 Census.

The review represents the product of budget negotiations playing out in real time. In her executive budget, Gov. Kathy Hochul wanted to get rid of the "hold harmless" provision in the formula, which prevents districts from getting less money than the year before if they lose population.

The state Legislature and education experts said no. This review, intended to drive an update of the formula, represents a resulting compromise.

The final budget deal stipulates that the review be completed by next year’s budget, giving education experts what they wanted — more time to prepare for any changes – and the governor another crack at cutting some fat on education spending.

Just as often as the governor has insisted that the state shouldn't be funding "empty seats," those opposing an end to hold harmless have insisted that district by district needs go beyond what population figures represent.

Even if those figures are more than a decade old.

The portion of Thursday’s listening session, which focused on those in the education sector, painted a clearer picture of what that actually means.

Some have suggested the formula have provisions to allow for changes in need throughout the school year, like for districts that took on an influx of migrants.

Representatives from the Syracuse City School District pointed to their city’s unusual tax situation, where vast amounts of property are off the tax rolls because the parcels are used for higher education, hospitals, or are in a land bank for future development.

The question is if Foundation Aid should make up the difference.

Small cities, meanwhile, are concerned that allowing population figures to run out of date like the current formula will make it difficult to track poverty levels and the need for assistance for those students.

Others have pointed to the fact that even similar programs differ from district to district and class to class, and funding for things like English as a New Language and AIS programming should reflect that.

“The data cannot be a template allocating funds to a broad category. There needs to be a recognition of individual difference and the different levels of support needed,” said Nina Karbacka, past president of the New York State Association of Small City School Districts.

During the public comment period, Mark Laurrie, superintendent of Niagara Falls City Schools, used his time to question the condensed timeline of the review.

“That compressed timeline and the testimony you are going to hear is just not possible. You deserve the respect and the ability to do what you have to, because this is so important. We need to get this right this time. It’s 17 years old,” he said of the current formula. 

There will be three more public hearings on Long Island, Central New York and the Capital Region. The Rockefeller Institute is expected to present its findings to the governor and legislative leaders in early December.