ELDRED, NY — Like every other school district in New York, Eldred Central let out a big sigh of relief when the state funding they’d expected was restored to them by the state legislature.

So, this year’s state aid—$3,926,429—will be the same as last year's, dollar for dollar. This sum reflects about 20 percent of Eldred's proposed $19,815,851 budget for 2024-25, of which 66 percent will be raised from taxes, according to the school district.

The draft budget reflects a 1.6 percent increase from 2023-24. The year-over-year increase in tax bills as proposed are as follows: $110 in Highland, $105 in Lumberland, $107 in Deerpark, and $202 in Tusten. The  budget is up for a vote on Tuesday, May 21.

“The good news is nothing changed,” reported business administrator Caleb Russell at Eldred’s April 23 school board meeting. “On the negative side, we didn’t get any raises in state aid.”

Looking ahead to the 2025-26 school year, Eldred and other school districts in the state are bracing for cuts. A new state commission has been formed to overhaul the foundation aid formula to fund local school districts.

In anticipation, Eldred is reducing staff through attrition, looking into saving money on software, and hoping to reduce out-of-district placements.

“The first thing to go is probably going to be sports,” board chair Scott Hallock lamented.

He went on to stress the importance of the athletic program.

“I went to school for sports,” he said. “I kept my grades up so I could play sports. It’s sad what Albany’s doing to us.”

He added, “We’ll just have to roll with it and do the best we can.”

Earlier this year, Gov. Kathy Hochul said she would end the “hold harmless” provision that guarantees no district receives less aid than it did the year before so that cuts do not disrupt budget planning. Even though she has pulled back from that intention this year, Hochul said she wanted to take another look at the school aid formula which she said is funding “empty classrooms” in districts that have lost population.

Rural schools are particularly affected by this shift. Eldred has lost 43 percent of its K-12 student population in 23 years, since the 1999-2000 academic year (see sidebar).  That's the same percentage lost by Sullivan West during the same period. 

The school board approved two budget initiatives for the May 24 ballot: The school budget of $19.8 million, and a separate ballot initiative asking for $38,000 to fund the Sunshine Hall Free Library.

See related story “Sullivan West waits for state aid number” at riverreporter.com.

Editor's note: This story has been revised to correct the state aid number and percentage of the Eldred budget, and to provide additional information. The River Reporter regrets the error.

Eldred enrollment, 1999-2023

1999-2000: 778

2000-01: 759

2001-2: 725

2002-03: 725

2003-04: 733

2004-05: 725

2005-06: 706

2006-07: 686

2007-08: 702

2009-09: 684

2009-10: 686

2010-11: 647

2011-12: 650

2012-13: 650

2013-14: 618

2014-15: 581

2015-16: 570

2016-17: 546

2017-18: 529

2018-19: 500

2019-20: 464

2021-22 448

2022-23 448