Relates to the regional cost index for purposes of the calculation of total foundation aid; updates the regional cost index to better reflect the differences in cost of living across the state.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9049
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
September 5, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to the regional cost
index for purposes of the calculation of total foundation aid
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subparagraph 2 of paragraph a of subdivision 4 of section
2 3602 of the education law, as amended by section 10-a of part A of chap-
3 ter 56 of the laws of 2025, is amended to read as follows:
4 (2) The regional cost index shall reflect an analysis of labor market
5 costs based on median salaries in professional occupations that require
6 similar credentials to those of positions in the education field, but
7 not including those occupations in the education field, provided that
8 the regional cost indices for the two thousand seven--two thousand eight
9 school year and thereafter shall be as follows:
10 Labor Force Region Index
11 Capital District 1.124
12 Southern Tier 1.045
13 Western New York 1.091
14 Hudson Valley 1.314
15 Long Island/NYC [1.425] 1.496
16 Finger Lakes 1.141
17 Central New York 1.103
18 Mohawk Valley 1.000
19 North Country 1.000
20 Provided that in the two thousand twenty-five--two thousand twenty-six
21 school year and thereafter, the regional cost index for Westchester
22 county shall be 1.351 and the regional cost index for Long Island/NYC
23 shall be 1.496.
24 § 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025; provided, however, that
25 if section 10-a of part A of chapter 56 of the laws of 2025 shall not
26 have taken effect on or before such date then section one of this act
27 shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as such part
28 of such chapter of the laws of 2025, takes effect.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13131-01-5
