New York

The Enacted Budget Financial Plan for FY 2016 begins on April 1, 2015 and end on March 31, 2016. New York State’s 2015–16 General Fund tax receipts, totaled $58.6 billion, $210 million higher than projected in the Executive Budget. School Aid is expected to total $23.5 billion in school year (SY) 2016, an increase of $1.4 billion (6.1 percent) from SY 2015. This increase is provided largely through $1billion of additional general operating support, consisting of a $603 million restoration in the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) and a $428 million increase in Foundation Aid. Another $274 million supports increased reimbursement in expense-based aid programs. The increase also includes $47 million of funding for new competitive grants, led by $30 million for prekindergarten for three and four-year-old children. (1)

Overview of the revenue situation in new york state

General Fund receipts, including transfers from other funds, are expected to total $68.3 billion in FY 2016, an annual increase of $364 million (0.5%). Tax collections, including transfers of tax receipts to the General Fund after payment of debt service, are expected to total $62.6 billion in FY 2016, an increase of nearly $4 billion (6.8%). General Fund PIT receipts, including transfers after payment of debt service on State PIT Revenue Bonds, are expected to increase by $4 billion from FY 2015. (2)

General Fund disbursements, including transfers to other funds, totaled $62.9 billion, a decrease of $325 million from the Executive Budget estimate. Spending was lower than planned across a range of programs and activities for local assistance ($394 million), agency operations ($186 million), and transfers to support mental hygiene costs and various other programs ($127 million).

General Fund user taxes and fee receipts, including transfers after payment of debt service on Local Government Assistance Corporation (LGAC) and Sales Tax Revenue Bonds, are estimated to total $12.6 billion in FY 2016, an increase of $360 million (2.9%) from FY 2015, reflecting projected consumer spending increases across a broad range of consumption categories. General Fund business tax receipts are estimated at $5.9 billion in FY 2016, a decrease of $368 million (−5.9%) from FY 2015 results. The estimate reflects a decline in corporate franchise tax receipts resulting from the first year of corporate. (3)

The New York State Education Department (SED) announced federal approval of New York’s plan to distribute $15.6 million in unspent Race to the Top (RTTT) funds to local school districts to purchase instructional technology equipment and to upgrade regional technology infrastructure. (4)

State Issues Affecting P-12

The Board of Regents established new, teacher and school building leader certification exams. Beginning May 1, 2014, new teachers must take and pass the edTPA; Academic Literacy Skills test (ALST), and the Educating All Students exam (EAS), and a content specialty test (CST); These new certification examinations ensure that teaching candidates have the knowledge, skills and abilities to be effective teachers. (5)

The edTPA, a performance examination, is a multiple-measure examination system, comprised of three tasks: (i) planning instruction and examination; (ii) instructing and engaging students in learning; and (iii) assessing student learning.

The ALST measures skills and competencies in reading and writing aligned to college and career readiness standards, including: (i) analyzing text structure; (ii) writing to sources; and (iii) using valid reasoning and relevant evidence to support claims.

The EAS measures skills and competencies that address: (i) diverse student populations; (ii) English language learners; (iii) students with disabilities and other special learning needs; (iv) teacher responsibilities; and (v) school-home relationships.

The CSTs measure content knowledge in a particular subject area, and are aligned with the New York State learning standards.

Since the implementation of these exams, The Board requested that the Department propose safety net options for the ALST, EAS and the CSTs. In response to the Board’s request, the Department proposed at the April 2015 Board meeting multiple options for safety nets applicable to each of the following certification examinations: ALST, EAS and the CSTs and an extension of the edTPA safety net to exist. It is anticipated that...