Foundation Aid Spending Plan

Fiscal year 2023-24

The Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District will be receiving $11,924,580 in foundation aid from New York State in the 2023-24 school year, which is an increase of $2,098,322 or 21.4 percent.  In accordance with NYS regulations, every school district which receives an increase of more than 10 percent must:

• • Seek public comment from parents, teachers, and other stakeholders
  • Take public comments into account in the development of the plan
  • Include an analysis of public comments within the plan
  • Describe in the plan how the foundation aid increase will be used, including portions of the increase used to address any of seven listed areas (see below)
  • Post the plan on the district website
  • Submit the plan to the New York State Education Department in a form prescribed by the Department to be posted publicly

The spending plan should indicate how such funds will be used to address student performance and need, including but not limited to:

(i) increasing graduation rates and eliminating the achievement gap;

(ii) reducing class sizes;

(iii) providing supports for students who are not meeting, or at risk of not meeting, state learning standards in core academic subject areas;

(iv) addressing student social-emotional health;

(v) providing adequate resources to English language learners, students with disabilities; and students experiencing homelessness;

(vi) goals and ratios for pupil support; and

(vii) detailed summaries of investments in current year initiatives and balance funds spent in priority areas.

The following is a preliminary budget for 2023-24 specific to the uses of the foundation aid increase:

$130,000 – Addition of two (2) teachers to support English Language Learner students per NYS regulations.

$65,000 – Addition of one (1) teacher to maintain lower class size at the primary grade level

$80,000 – Addition of one (1) teacher on special assignment in order to improve instruction.

$65,000 – Addition of one (1) middle school teacher to provide more exploratory options for students.

$65,000 – Addition of one (1) Pre-K teacher.

$100,000 – Funding to support student’s social-emotional health.

$100,000 – The purchase of cyber security services to monitor, detect and respond to cyber threats.

$350,000 – For security related expenditures as the result of the planned security audit.

$325,000 – For computer network services and upgrades.

$150,000 – Lease of Computer equipment for students.

$30,000 – Student Supply Lists.

$18,322 – Instructional supplies to offset inflationary cost increases.

$500,000 – Funding to maintain existing teacher staffing levels and class sizes.

$120,000 – Diesel fuel cost increases.

$2,098,322 – Total Foundation Aid Increase

The spending plan will be updated/adjusted throughout the school year(s) as necessary. 

2023-24 State Foundation Aid: ThoughtExchange Findings

In the Spring of 2023, the Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District asked the community for feedback on an anticipated 21.4 percent increase in state foundation aid for the next school year. That’s an increase of $2,098,322 from the previous year. 

Foundation aid is the amount of aid distributed to a school district as determined by the state budget. Given the proposed historic increase in state aid, the district asked for input from parents/guardians, staff, and other stakeholders on the best ways to utilize the funding through a ThoughtExchange.

Participants were able to indicate which immediate needs they felt should be a priority when utilizing state funding.

These were the results:

• • • 54% – addressing student social-emotional health
    • 47% – providing support for students who are at risk of not meeting state learning standards in core academic subject areas
    • 38% – reduce class sizes
    • 29% – other 
    • 28% – provide resources to English language learners, students with disabilities and students experiencing homelessness
    • 20% – increase graduation rates and eliminate the achievement gap
    • 9% – detailed summaries of investments in current year initiatives and balance funds spent in priority areas
    • 8% – goals and ratios for pupil support

The Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District values and appreciates this feedback. It was taken into consideration during the budget development process.