A provision included in the New York State Senate's One-House budget bill would give a one-time additional payment to school districts with at least 20% of their students in charter schools.

On Long Island, 36% of students in the Hempstead Union Free School District attend charter schools while the public school foots the bill.

The Hempstead Board of Education has been trying to find a way to close a $30 million budget deficit for next year, which includes a $20 million increase in charter school-related expenses for an estimated total of $107 million in charter school costs for the 2025-2026 school year.

The board has discussed the possibility of closing David Paterson Elementary School to balance its books but if approved, the district would get an additional $24 million in state aid to keep the school open.

“For the 2025-2026 school budget in Hempstead, we are reliant on the partnership with the state and the local community in supporting the education of all students," Hempstead Board of Education President Victor Pratt said in a press release. "The origin of this fiscal crisis is the ever-increasing and onerous increased costs associated with charter schools."

State Sen. Siela Bynoe is fighting to have the extra money included.

"We'll be able to possibly soothe the minds of parents, school administrators, teachers and the students," Bynoe said.

She said other nearby school districts, including Roosevelt (18%) and Uniondale (13%), wouldn't qualify for the funding because they fall below the 20% threshold but show a growing trend of parents opting to send their children to charter schools instead of public schools.

"We understand parents need to have alternatives when educating their young scholars, but we need to find a balance," Bynoe said.

The Senate’s One-House Budget bill also proposes a permanent revision in the state’s transition aid formula, which would help mitigate, on an ongoing basis, the significant charter school costs the Hempstead School District and other school districts across the state face each year.

"It's a good idea," David Paterson Elementary School parent Earnisha Brown said as she dropped her 7-year-old daughter off today. "Any way they can receive help, they should receive it."

The Hempstead Board of Education has its regularly scheduled meeting tonight at 6 p.m. at Alverta B. Gray Schultz Middle School.

A district spokesperson said the possible closure of Paterson or this additional funding stream is not on tonight's agenda as the district waits to find out if the money is included in the budget.

Still, parents are likely to have questions as the April 1 deadline to approve the state budget looms.

"This is really going to disrupt the children's learning," Paterson Elementary School parent Patricia Bell said as she dropped her second grade son off today. "They shouldn't close the school down."

A spokesperson for Gov. Kathy Hochul's office referred us to a previous statement sent to News 12 on March 12.

At that time, Long Island Press Secretary Gordon Tepper said: "In the 2021-22 school year, Hempstead received $163.7 million in total formula-based School Aid, including $114.6 million in Foundation Aid. Under Governor Hochul's proposed 2025-2026 budget, Hempstead schools would receive $247.0 million in total aid, including $196.4 million in Foundation Aid -- that’s a massive increase under Governor Hochul."