Riverhead Rallies To Advocate For Fair Share Of School Funding

RIVERHEAD, NY — Standing up for the rights of children, Riverhead residents will come together Saturday and rally to demand their equitable share of state aid for students.

The Riverhead Central School District will hold a community rally to advocate for its fair share of Foundation Aid on Saturday at noon at the Riverhead Middle School, located at 600 Harrison Avenue. In addition to administrators, teachers and local government officials, all community members are invited to attend.

Subscribe

“The truth is that our district is in dire need of funding to help us address the growing needs of students,” said Riverhead Superintendent of Schools Dr. Aurelia Henriquez. “It is our hope that this rally will get our voices heard at the state level.”

The Riverhead CSD is one of five districts in New York State, known as the "Harmed Suburban Five," fighting for Foundation Aid because they are facing financial crisis due to rising student enrollment and poverty rates, the district said.

A sample advocacy letter to New York State legislators asking for an increase in Foundation Aid for the Riverhead Central School District is posted on the district's website.

"I am a resident of the Riverhead Central School District and call upon our state leaders to reverse the trend that has caused the following school districts to receive the lowest percentage of Foundation Aid from New York State: Riverhead Central School District; Glen Cove City School District; •Port Chester-Rye Union Free School District; Ossining Union Free School District; and Westbury School District," the letter said.

Those districts, the letter added, receive less than 50% of their allocated Foundation Aid based on the formula. Currently, the average Foundation Aid funding level for school districts across the state is approximately 80%. Since the Foundation Aid Formula was established in 2008, Riverhead has experienced a 22.8% increase in student enrollment and a 307.9 % increase in the number of English Language Learners, the district's sample letter said.

"Furthermore, Riverhead serves an ever-increasing number of students who receive free and reduced lunch. The Foundation Aid gap in these districts will continue to grow as their student needs and enrollments increase. We are simply asking that we be funded at the same level as our peers by providing these districts with at least 70% of their fully phased-in amount," the letter said.

According to cityandstateny.com, the main source of state funding for public schools comes from “Foundation Aid,” created following a 2006 state court decision in the case, "Campaign for Fiscal Equity v. State of New York." The "landmark" case focused on whether or not the state was funding schools at a level that ensured all students received a “sound basic education,” as required by the state constitution, the site said.

The New York State Court of Appeals said that the state was violating the rights of children by failing to provide an education that would give them the “basic literacy, calculating, and verbal skills,” the site said. Subsequently, state lawmakers were mandated to increase public school funding, the site said.

Those who wish to attend the rally are asked to RSVP by emailing aurelia.henriquez@riverhead.net.