End of COVID Federal Funds -$33 Million–and Last Year YPS Used $34 Million in Fund Balance
By Dan Murphy
For the first time in five years, the Yonkers Public Schools faces a serious budget gap, which will be difficult to close without cuts to programs and staff.
YPS Interim Superintendent Dr. Luis Rodriguez has presented his budget to the Yonekrs Board of Education, with an $86 Million budget shortfall for the upcoming 2024-25 school year.
“We are at a pivotal moment where the urgency for action is critical,” said Rodriquez, who explained the factors that are the cause of the $86 Million budget hole.
I-$33 Million ($100 Million over 3 years) from the Federal American Rescue Plan will expire at the end of this school year. The funding was used over the last three years to hire 200 staff.
II-Changes to the allocation of State Education Aid by Governor Kathy Hochul have resulted in funding changes to YPS. One action, to peg inflationary budget increases to a lower, multi-year aggregate, will result in a reduction of $7.5 Million to YPS.
However, changes made to the Foundation Aid formula in Albany will provide YPS an additional $24.3 million
III-Last year, YPS and the Board of Education used $34 million of its fund balance-surplus, to close a budget hole. It is unclear what fund balance, if any, YPS does have for this year.
So far, the City of Yonkers has contributed $293 to the Yonkers Public Schools for the upcoming school year in September, an increase of less than 1%.
Total State Aid to YPS is proposed at $411 Million under Hochul’s budget plan. “Governor Hochul’s Executive Budget includes record funding for education and under her proposal, Yonkers will receive a nearly 10 percent increase in Foundation Aid, an additional $24.3 million, compared to last year,” said the Governor’s office, in an email to Yonkerstimes.com.
YPS has three choices to meet it current level of fudning or make cuts. They can receive additional state aid, but its doubtful it will be $86 million
YPS can receive more funding from the City, based on the City’s budget for fiscal year 2025, which will be passed over the summer. Look for parents, students and educators to lobby for more funding for the city in the upcoming City budget process.
Or YPS will have to make cuts to their budget. The 200 positions the district funded with the Federal funds would be a laikely place to start. YPS used that funding to support music and art teachers, counselors and social workers.
The timeline to determine YPS has the State budget coming in first, due on April 1.
Then the City Council and the Mayor will agree on a City budget, due July 1, and then over the summer, YPS will know for sure what their funding is and what if any cuts have to be made.
YPS’s new Superintendent Dr. Anibal Soler Jr.will start on May 1.
Salary and benefit increases are among the rising costs in the budget.
YPS received $12 Million in “Bullet Aid” from NYS in their current budget. This is usually an addition that State legislators negotiate with Governor Hochul. Hopefully, Yonkers can see that number or a larger number again in this year’s state negotiations, which are underway. A state budget is due on April 1.
