Jon Dowding

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Jan 16, 2024, 5:36 PM

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Updated

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A total of 44 Long Island school districts would see decreased state funding next year, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul's proposed 2025 executive budget.

Nassau County: A total of 10 districts are losing money in the proposed budget

• Lawrence

• Oceanside

• Island Park

• Long Beach

• Port Washington

• New Hyde Park

• Mineola

• Locust Valley

• Oyster Bay

• Jericho

Suffolk County: A total of 34 districts are losing money in the proposed budget

• Three Village

• Port Jefferson

• Mount Sinai

• Center Moriches

• East Moriches

• South Country

• East Hampton

• Amagansett

• Springs

• Sag Harbor

• Montauk (based on preliminary data)

• Cold Springs Harbor

• Harborfields

• Islip

• East Islip

• Sayville

• Bayport-Blue Point

• Connetquot

• West Islip

• Fire Island

• Shelter Island

• Smithtown

• Kings Park

• Remsenburg

• Westhampton Beach

• Quogue

• Southampton

• Bridgehampton

• Eastport-South Manor

• Tuckahoe Common

• East Quogue

• Fishers Island

• Southold

• Mattituck-Cutchogue

Hochul discussed the proposed budget Tuesday in Albany. State budget officials say the change to amend funding measures is meant to help districts that need more funding.

"If you have a finite amount of resources a year, you have less and less to provide for schools that are growing or schools that have a higher need," says New York state budget director Blake Washington.

Under the governor's proposal, 10 Nassau County school districts will see less funding, including Long Beach, which stands to lose over $3 million.

A total of 34 Suffolk County school districts will also see less funding next year. One of those districts is Three Village Central School District, which could see an almost $9 million decrease in school funding.

Three Village Teacher Association President Brian Pickford says these changes will present a challenge to him and other educators across the state.

"This is going to be a challenge for us,” he said. "It was devastating to see that number knowing that the aid goes directly to supporting our students, the education they receive in Three Village."

Pickford says although it's too early to know the exact impact this could have, he's hopeful that final budget change amount could change.

"This is an initial starting point. This is not the final number that we have to deal with,” he said. “I'm looking for the legislative support I'm hoping that comes into play that will start to support Three Village."

Republican Assemblyman Ed Flood criticized the proposal, saying Hochul is using the money to provide funding to address the migrant crisis in New York City.

“The proposed Executive Budget highlighted $10 million to train 20,000 teachers on a back-to-basics reading program while lowering the amount of funding our public schools will receive to help our students and teachers rebuild what was lost during COVID," said Flood. "Gov. Hochul claims education for our younger generations is her top priority yet at the same time schools are lowering their testing standards. Instead, Hochul is dumping taxpayer dollars into New York City’s disastrous migrant crisis and leaving the priorities of New Yorkers behind.”

While 44 Long Island districts could see aid decreases, 77 districts could see aid increases. For example, Hempstead Union Free School District could see a $26 million increase in funding under the proposed budget.