This is bad calculation.
New York state spends more money on schools than any other state in the nation, but results are mediocre, a heartbreaking report released Friday found.
Even as enrollment and test scores have both plummeted, education spending has increased, reaching a whopping $89 billion in New York school districts this year, according to an analysis by the Citizens' Budget Commission.
The average statewide spending per student reached $36,293, a 21% increase from the 2020-21 school year, according to the budget watchdog group's report.
This is despite the fact that New York students' scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a common test taken by students across the country, are even lower than the national average.
“Continuing to pump more and more money into school districts every year without fundamentally questioning this status quo behavior will not solve this problem,” the CBC report said.
“We need states to increase oversight to identify what isn’t working, fine-tune interventions to ensure effectiveness, and hold school districts accountable when they misbehave.” It is long past time to improve student outcomes and ensure that schools' vast resources are able to meet their needs.
Of the $89 billion in total spending, $39 billion will come from the state budget, according to the report.
CBC officials say New York state pays more than any other state for almost everything, including teacher pay, benefits and pensions, school construction, services for immigrants and non-English speakers, and even electric school buses. It is said that they are spending money.
An edict by the state Legislature to reduce class sizes in the city's public schools, supported by American Federation of Teachers President Mike Mulgrew over the objections of Mayor Eric Adams, is also costly.
Mulgrew and the teachers' union also campaigned against cuts to school budgets based on enrollment.
Under the controversial “Hold Harmless” provision maintained by Albany lawmakers and supported by school district officials and unions, will schools with declining student numbers maintain the same level of funding? , and will even increase.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, who initially favored cutting funding to schools with declining enrollment, reversed course last month as she looks toward re-election next year.
What is her reaction to New York's extraordinary spending compared to other states?
Spend more money!
“Governor Hochul will increase education funding to record levels while advancing long-awaited policies that will improve student outcomes, including a statewide 'back to basics' reading plan and limiting the influence of social media on children. ” said a Hochul spokesperson.
“The Governor will continue to fight for quality education that works for all children in New York.”
A UFT spokesperson also defended the high spending, saying, “New York schools are the first and often only safety net for students, parents, and communities. No matter how much you try to turn blame into political material, that's the reality.”
The report's findings include:
- The state spends 91 percent more on K-12 schools than the national average, significantly more than spendthrift neighbors and competitors like California, Massachusetts and New Jersey.
- Average spending per student was $36,293, which includes federal, state, and local aid, with the state share increasing by about 26% from 2020 to 2021, or about 6% annually. .
- Despite the decline in student numbers over the past decade, education funding continues to increase, with student numbers down 7.7% this year to 2.45 million from 2.66 million in 2013.
All that spending has produced less-than-stellar and even disastrous results.
New York state fourth graders ranked 32nd and 46th, and eighth graders ranked 9th and 22nd, respectively, on the 2022 NAEP exams in reading and math, according to the report.
NAEP exam results have declined across the country amid virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the drop in scores was even greater in New York state.
National average scores in reading and math dropped by 3 and 5 points, respectively, and in New York state, average scores plummeted by 6 and 10 points.
Eighth grade reading scores were an exception, remaining flat from 2019 to 2022, while the national average score declined by three points.
Even after statistically controlling for the demographics of New York's student population, including those below the poverty line, the Empire State remains in the middle of the pack academically, the report said.
The report says New York City's relatively high spending is due in part to higher salaries, union-friendly labor policies, and policy choices to provide a broader range of services.
Still, New York consistently spent more per student than other states with high living and labor costs, such as California and Massachusetts.
For example, California is the only state with a higher average teacher salary than New York, yet it spends 42.9% less per student than the Empire State, the report said.
Before the Great Recession of 2008, New York state's per-student spending was about the same as that of neighboring New Jersey. By 2022, New York spent $4,774 more per student than the Garden State.
The report questioned the effectiveness of New York State's accountability and oversight of schools.
The governor does not appoint education commissioners. This is done by a board of regents whose members are appointed by the state legislature. The lack of clear accountability may not be in the interests of taxpayers, parents and students, the report said.
The CBC authors said: “More funding is not a panacea. It is illogical to think that the next billion will fix what the last billion didn't fix.”
The state Department of Education criticized CBC for touting the “level of service and support” New York schools provide to students.
“New York State's education spending numbers demonstrate that the state is committed to providing students, including those with disabilities, significant cognitive impairments, and special needs, the support systems they need to succeed. ,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
“The alternative, although costly, is to provide students with the bare minimum, but this certainly does not improve performance.”
