Message from the Superintendent on Advocacy

Dear South Orangetown Parents and Community,

As spring approaches, we wanted to let you know that the snow day that was used on Monday, February 23, 2026 will not be counted against the mandatory 180 day requirement from the New York State Education Department. Therefore, we have used two snow days thus far, with one available day remaining due to the waiver. Currently, April 6, 2026 will remain a vacation day and April 7 will be a day of school. The 180 day requirement is directly tied to state funding for our school district, which we fully expect to meet.  

Towards this end, New York State Aid and Foundation Aid plays a critical role in supporting South Orangetown Central School District students, accounting for 20% of our overall budget. The state constitution entitles every child to a sound, basic education and adequate and predictable state aid is one of the most important ways the state is required to fulfill this obligation. 

Unfortunately, SOCSD has not seen any increases in state aid for three consecutive years, along with declining federal funding in Title I, II, III and IV. From 2021-2024, SOCSD received an increase of $4.6 million in state aid; however, from 2024 to what is projected for the 2026-2027 school year, SOCSD has seen a decrease. To best stay within the 2% tax levy limit for our District, the state needs to keep pace with rising costs associated with public education — otherwise school districts like ours will be forced to cut programs and services. Our approach to addressing this year’s budget gap is through attrition and reducing areas of expenditures that do not adversely affect programs and services for students.

At the recent New York State Council of School Superintendents Winter Institute and Lobby Day, Commissioner Betty Rosa stated that Universal Pre-K will be fully funded by Fall 2029 for all children age four. In SOCSD, we plan to open a second Pre-K class at William O. Schaefer this upcoming September, while also working with local providers to take advantage of the grants our District already receives — along with the additional funding we will see for next year. While encouraging, funding for our K-12 programs has not seen the same increases.  

A key factor in how that aid is calculated is New York State’s Regional Cost Index (RCI). The RCI serves as a multiplier within State Aid formulas, primarily Foundation Aid and Building Aid, to increase funding for school districts located in high-cost areas such as New York City, Long Island and Westchester. Districts in these higher-cost regions, including Rockland County and South Orangetown in particular, face comparable cost pressures with regards to property taxes, home values, insurance and transportation costs and school-related expenditures. Rockland County’s RCI has not been adjusted to reflect these realities, resulting in State Aid levels that do not align with the true cost of educating students in our community.

To ensure equity in state funding, the County’s RCI should be increased to at least the same level as Westchester County (1.351), beginning in the 2026-27 school year. This adjustment would generate $5.4 million total for Rockland County school districts, including $335,669 for South Orangetown. Ultimately, Rockland County’s RCI should align with that of New York City and Long Island (1.425) given our comparable, and sometimes higher, cost of living factors, which would yield an additional $671,408 for South Orangetown. 

We encourage you to use your voice to enact change just as student representative Board Member, Miriam George, has — speaking about the importance of advocating for funding that shapes the future we want for public education. Read or listen to her speech here. 

You can support this important advocacy effort by contacting your local legislatures and urging them to support a fair and adjusted RCI for Rockland County. A model advocacy letter template is available for your convenience. We invite you to send it to state legislatures listed below:

Governor Kathy Hochul
Direct Contact Form: https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form
Phone: 518-474-8390

Senator Bill Weber
Email: weber@nysenate.gov
Phone: 518-455-2991

Assemblyman Aron Wieder
Email: wiedera@nyassembly.gov
Phone: 518-455-5118

Your outreach, by phone or email, makes a meaningful difference in strengthening our district’s advocacy efforts. Working together, we can play a role in helping our district  receive the funding necessary to maintain the quality education we provide K-12 learners.

Sincerely,

Brian Culot, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools