Last updated on March 18th, 2025As of July 2024, school districts in New York State that reorganize—or merge—are eligible for financial assistance of up to 40 percent of the Total Foundation Aid Base under the Reorganization Incentive Operating Aid (RIOA) program. Unfrozen in the 2024-2025 state budget, RIOA is available

On January 14, Governor Kathy Hochul delivered her annual State of the State Address in Albany. The governor’s plan for 2025 includes several initiatives focused on supporting children and education in New York State. Among the proposed initiatives are an expansion of the child tax credit and a free universal

Last updated on September 27th, 2024Financial management is a weighty responsibility for all organizations. School districts’ fiscal activities have the added burden of standing up to the multi-faceted demands and scrutiny of parents and taxpayers. More and more, school districts are outsourcing accounting – especially when it comes to budgeting,

After Foundation Aid and the “hold harmless” provision survived New York’s 2025 budget process, Governor Hochul stated in her 2025 budget press release that education priorities include “a Rockefeller Institute study to examine Foundation Aid and prepare for formula changes next year.” Here’s what happened next… The Rockefeller Institute embarked on a

Last updated on July 29th, 2024As part of a school district’s financial management, maintaining a reasonable unassigned fund balance provides a safety buffer for unforeseen expenses or revenue shortfalls. This is vital as it helps ensure adequate cash flow to cover the ongoing cost of operations. Managing these funds entails

Last updated on July 3rd, 2024Putting in the time and effort to prepare for an audit can help your district facilitate a smooth process that saves time and money; leads to a reliable and objective audit report; and helps detect and rectify potential issues before the audit begins. Here’s a

Last updated on June 13th, 2024In 2021, New York became one of the first states to approve a Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) for K-12 teachers. Three years later, RAPs are growing in number, with a variety of support and resources available to get programs off the ground and reap their

As if the annual budget season for school administrators and Boards of Education (BOE) isn’t challenging enough, a lack of information about the final New York state budget’s impact on Foundation Aid and the hold harmless (also referred to as save harmless) provision, along with enrollment challenges and the pending