With the school budget voting season not too far off, a number of school districts in the 117th Assembly District will put forth building and capital project propositions to be paid for using EXCEL school funding.
Many residents have asked for an additional explanation of this funding source. So this week, I thought I would explain EXCEL funds.
EXCEL (Expanding Our Children’s Education and Learning) is a one-time, $2.6 billion allocation that is contained in the current 2006-07 state budget specifically for individual capital projects in our schools. It was placed in the budget in response to a high-profile court case (Campaign for Fiscal Equity) which contended that the state had historically shortchanged New York City schools on state aid.
The $2.6 billion will be bonded through the Dormitory Authority, so none of the costs of the EXCEL portion of any project will be paid through local property taxes. The state will also assume the cost of the debt service for the EXCEL funding.
The money will be divided among New York City schools ($1.8 billion), high-need districts outside of New York City ($400 million) and other districts outside of New York City ($400 million) on a per-pupil basis. Based on that formula, there is a specific EXCEL aid amount set aside for each school district. The grants are not competitive, although the projects must be approved by the State Education Department to receive the funding.
The funding can be used for:
- School facility design, acquisition, planning, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, preservation, development, improvement or modernization;
- Projects which enhance the use of education technology in schools;
- Health and safety projects;
- Projects which enhance access for people with disabilities;
- Physical capacity expansion; and/or
- Debt service on any of the above projects.
In the final analysis, decisions on these projects rest with district voters. But EXCEL funding is another example of the state’s commitment to helping our school districts provide a safe and attractive environment in which our children can learn.