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State Aid and Financial Planning Service
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Non-Allowable Pupil Decimal List

SED has posted this year’s Non-Allowable Pupil Decimal (NAPD). School districts are required to submit this data every three years or if there have been changes to your district’s transportation policy. The worksheet should be completed using data from a routine day of session in March, April or May of the 2011-12 school year. READ MORE>>

2012-2013 STAC Program Service Dates

The following information should be shared with your Committee on Special Education Director.  NYSED has posted a message that Approved Providers of Special Education Services to Preschool and School-age students must provide School Calendar information on the STAC program file by June 15, 2012. READ MORE>>

 

Where To Find the School Report Cards and Fiscal Accountability Supplement       

The State Aid and Financial Planning Service recently sent an e-mail that listed items that must be made available to the public as part of the budget disclosure requirements. Included in that list are the District Report Cards and Fiscal Accountability Supplement. This document is accessible at the link https://reportcards.nysed.gov/. According to the Information and Reporting Service at SED, the 2009-10 data is the most recent available. Districts should print this document and include with their budget disclosure packets.

Is your district registered to receive payment communications from NYS?

This month New York State is implementing a new Statewide Financial System (SFS).  The new system will maintain a history of all payments made after April 1, 2012; including electronic payments and ACH payments.  The district will no longer be receiving separate email notification of payments.

 

If the SFS program had a designated contact on file an email was sent with the user ID and password.  If there wasn’t an email associated with the designated contact on file, a letter was sent to whoever was issued a NYS vendor ID.  The user ID and password allows an individual to register.  Information on this new system can be found at http://www.sfs.ny.gov/ .If there is a problem logging in you may contact the SFS Help Desk at 855-233-8363 or email: helpdesk@sfs.ny.gov.

Certain budget documents must be made available to the public:

The Budget Statement and required attachments must be made available to the public (upon request) at each school building in the district, the district office, any public or free association library located within the district and on the school district’s internet website, if one exists at least 7 days before the Budget Hearing date and not less than 14 days before the Annual Budget Vote. READ MORE>>

SED Approval of Summer Special Education Programs

The deadline to submit applications for programmatic approval to operate new or modified summer programs for students with disabilities is June 1, 2012. If your district has received approval in the past to operate one or more summer special education programs, your authority to operate those programs continues.  Action is necessary by June 1st only if you want to modify an already approved program or need authority to operate a new program. READ MORE>>

Fact sheets to help your budget communications

Now available are three new fact sheets from the tax levy cap work group from Questar III and Capital Region BOCES on the following topics: budget votes, mandates & mandate relief and pensions. READ MORE>>

2012-13 Statewide Averages

SED has posted the 2012-13 Statewide Averages which will be used to compute aids payable during the 2012-13 year. These averages were developed at the time of the state enacted budget and are based on the SA1213 computer run. 
https://stateaid.nysed.gov/publications/saavgs13.htm

Use of Excess EBAL Reserve Funds to Support the 12-13 District Budget

Recently, a letter was sent recently to School Business Officials across the state by the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC). If your district has funds in the Employee Benefit Accrued Liability Reserve in excess of documented liabilities it will be possible to withdraw such excess funds, up to the amount of the 12-13 Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) State Aid reduction. READ MORE>>

Crosswalk to the Tax Levy Limit Related Entries on the Property Tax Report Card and School Budget Notice

The Property Tax Report Card and the School Budget Notice have been revised this year to reflect information related to the Tax Levy Limit. To assist you in completing the disclosure notices, attached to this email is a crosswalk to a SAMPLE “OSC Tax Levy Cap Calculation”.  READ MORE>>

2012-13 Property Tax Report Card

The Property Tax Report Card is now available through the State Aid Management System (SAMS). Please note that the Property Tax Report Card is to be approved by the Board of Education and submitted to SED by Saturday, April 21, 2012. The property tax report card must also be transmitted to the district's official newspaper. You can find directions on completing the Property Tax Report Card here: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/mgtserv/propertytax/

2012-13 Enacted Budget for Aid to Education

On March 30th, the state legislature approved the 2012-13 state budget. The budget includes a total of $20.3 billion in state support for public schools. This represents a year-to-year increase of $805 million (4.1%), as compared to the approved 2011-12 budget. READ MORE>>

2012-13 Legislative Budget School Aid Runs

The updated 2012-13 school aid runs have been published. Our office is currently reviewing the budget agreement and we anticipate sending out a detailed summary of the budget as soon as it is voted on by the Legislature. STATE AID RUNS>>

NYS Budget Process is Winding Down…Votes and Aid Runs Anticipated by Week’s End

Information on Gap Elimination Adjustment, Foundation Aid, Expense Driven Aids and Universal Pre-K. READ MORE>>

Changes to Building Aid For Capital Projects Approved On/After July 1, 2011

SED has recently posted guidance pertaining to changes in the commencement of building aid for all capital projects approved by the Commissioner on/after July 1, 2011 as required under Chapter 97 of the Laws of 2011. READ MORE>>

Statute of Limitations to Close 6/30/2012 on the Submission of Certain School Year 2009-2010 STAC Forms to SED

This is a reminder to submit any outstanding STAC forms to SED for students with disabilities educated in the 2009-10 school year, as it is still possible to claim 2010-11 Public High Cost and Private Excess Cost Aid for eligible students. READ MORE>>

SED Posts Guidance on New York State's Property Tax Cap

SED has posted guidance on New York State’s Property Tax Cap of Chapter 97 of the Laws of 2011. READ MORE>>

STAC Notice 2010-11 Public High Cost Aid and Private Placements

Submit School year 2010-2011 STAC Forms to SED Soon in Order to Ensure the Payment of Aid in the Current School Year. This is a reminder to submit STAC forms to SED for students with disabilities educated in the 2010-11 school year. READ MORE>>

State Aid Specialist, Questar III

The Questar III BOCES State Aid and Financial Planning Service has an opening for a dynamic individual to join our team as a State Aid Planning Specialist in our Castleton, NY office.  Our organization is a recognized leader in providing technical assistance in claiming state aid, projecting revenues and other school business operations to approximately 639 school districts throughout NYS. READ MORE>>

Non-Allowable Pupil Decimal List

SED has posted this year’s Non-Allowable Pupil Decimal (NAPD) list. School districts are required to submit this data every three years or if there have been changes to your district’s transportation policy. READ MORE>>

Online Verification of Summer 2008 Special Education Student Placements Due 06/30/12

All STAC records for students with disabilities educated and transported during the summer of 2008 must be entered in STAC and also verified on-line by 06/30/12. Records for students entered and/or verified after that date will not be eligible for aid. READ MORE>>

Reminder the 2011-12 Textbook, Software and Library Materials Aid will be Frozen April 30, 2012

2011-12 Textbook, Software and Library Materials Aid will be frozen April 30, 2012.  Districts should review the 2011-12 IMA output report on SED’s state aid page and submit any necessary ST-3 changes relating to the Textbook, Software & Library Aid calculations to State Aid via 2011-12 SAMS by April 18, 2012. READ MORE>>

Senate and Assembly Release 12-13 Education Budget Proposals

Both the NYS Senate and Assembly have released information regarding their 2012-13 budget proposals. READ MORE>>

Workshop Evaluation

If you have attended one of the workshops, please fill out the online evaluation to let us know how we are doing and what we can do to make the workshops better. Online evaluation

Crystal Ball Challenge

The SAPs hereby challenge your power of perception and premonition by asking you to predict the unpredicatable...our state lawmakers! Join the state aid planners in their annual ritual of predicting when the state budget will pass, and the total state dollar increase or decrease in school aid. Crystal Ball Challenge

2012-13 Charter School Basic Tuition rates have been posted on SED’s website

For the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years, charter school basic tuition shall be the same amount as charter school basic tuition for the 2010-11 school year. VIEW RATES>>

Universal Pre-K (UPK) funds are accounted for in the Special Aid Fund

Although the Governor’s 2012-13 Executive Budget Proposal displays UPK funds, UPK aid is not part of the General Fund. READ MORE>>

High Cost Public Placement AVL is Due 3/5/12

NYSED has sent out an Automatic Verification Listing (AVL) for high cost public placements for students served at BOCES during 2010-2011 school year. READ MORE>>

Summary of Tax Cap Webinars

Please see the revised summary of information regarding the property tax levy cap. This reflects our current understanding based on most recent communications with SED. Revised information is highlighted in green. Revised summary

NYSED to Provide Additional Tax Cap Webinars

The NYS Education Department has posted announcements for additional webinars related to the tax cap at their website: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/mgtserv/. The additional presentations are planned for Thursday 2/16 (1:00 – 2:30) and Friday 2/17 (2:00 – 3:30), further details have not been posted at the time of this writing. If you were unable to participate in yesterday’s webinar you may want to visit the site to listen in one of the next two days. Please keep in mind this presentation is being provided by SED and not Questar III. We are providing this e-mail to assist in the notification process only.

Winter 2012 Workshop Recorded Elluminate Session

If you are unable to attend one of our winter workshops that are being held around the state in February and March, you can view the recorded Elluminate session: READ MORE>>

Workshop Materials Now Available

The workshop materials are now available for download. To find your district's report in the PDF document, you will need to use find feature. READ MORE>>

Property Tax Levy Cap Publications

Now available are two informational pieces on the Property Tax Levy Cap produced by Questar III State Aid Planning and Communications Services and Capital Region BOCES Communications Service to help explain New York’s complex new property tax levy cap. They are very detailed publications that try to assist you in explaining the tax levy cap during your school budget development process. READ MORE>>

School District Performance Improvement Grant Competitive Program

2011-12 Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) Grant amounts now based on Fall 2011 BEDS Enrollment Counts: IMMEDIATE DISTRICT ACTION REQUESTED. READ MORE>>

2011-2012 UPK Grant Amounts Now Based on Fall 2011 BEDS Enrollment

The 2011 BEDS UPK enrollment counts have been applied to the calculation of your district’s 2011-12 UPK Grant: the 2011-12 UPK output report calculations now use the actual 2011 BEDS enrollment (#38 on the UPK report) rather than the grant application estimated enrollment (#36) to determine the 2011-12 UPK Grant payable. READ MORE>>

Change in the CPI-U for 2011 was 3.2%

The Average Annual Change in the CPI-U for 2011 was 3.2%, making the Allowable Levy Growth Factor for the 2012-13 Tax Levy Limit 2%.  READ MORE>>

2012-13 Executive Budget Summary

On January 17th, Governor Cuomo presented his proposal for the 2012-13 state budget. The Governor is proposing a total of $20.312 billion in state support for public schools. This represents a year-to-year increase of $805 million (4.1%), as compared to the approved 2011-12 budget. READ MORE>>

2012-13 Executive Budget School Aid Runs

Governor Cuomo released his 2012-13 Executive Budget on January 17, 2012. The school aid runs based off the budget proposal have been posted by the Division of Budget. READ MORE>>

Check Your BCS Aid

It has come to our attention that some school districts have no aid payable to them for Building Condition Survey (BCS) expenditures that may have been incurred in the 2010-11 school year. READ MORE>>

Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee Assessment Relief Program Deadline

The relief program allows for taxing jurisdictions to provide relief to owners of properties that were "catastrophically impacted" by the storms. READ MORE>>

State Aid Planning Spring Workshop Series

The workshop schedule and registration section is now live. Please register each individual separately. READ MORE>>

Online Reporting for Attorney Information is Due Friday, February 3rd

The online reporting system for reporting attorney information under Ed. Law Sec. 2053 for the 2010-11 school year is now available. READ MORE>>

Changes in projection data should be submitted to SED by Sunday, January 15th

To guarantee inclusion in the February 15th database file, all changes to 2011-12 SAMS should be submitted by January 15, 2012.  This database will likely be used for the 2012-13 state aid projections when the legislature and Governor agree on the State budget. READ MORE>>

2010-11 Actual and 2011-12 Estimated Nonresident Tuition Rates Now Available

The 2010-11 Actual Nonresident Tuition Report (NRT) and the 2011-12 Estimated Nonresident Tuition Report (NRTEST) Output Reports have been published by SED. The reports can be accessed through your district’s State Aid webpage, located with your district’s other Output Reports. READ MORE>>

Schools Exempt from Paying the MTA Payroll Tax Starting APRIL 1, 2012

Recent legislation adjusting personal income tax rates also includes a provision to exempt public school districts, BOCES and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools providing instruction in grade one and above from payment of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) payroll tax. READ MORE>>

Cuomo, Skelos and Silver Announce Deal on a Series of State Initiatives

Governor Cuomo announced a deal between his office, Senate Majority Leader Skelos and Speaker Silver regarding a number of prominent issues that have recently been in the news. READ MORE>>

Property Tax Cap and Libraries

Our office has received questions about library tax levies and if they are subject to the property tax cap. READ MORE>>

State Aid Worksheets now available

Now available are two spreadsheets: State Aid Calculation Worksheet and 2011-12 State Aid Reconciliation Worksheet.

2012 School Budget Deadlines and Actions

This includes the deadlines for necessary actions leading up to the May 2012 Budget Vote. School Budget Deadlines and Actions publication 

 

Notice the addition of the Tax Levy Limit submission due to the Office of the State Comptroller by March 1st, 2012.  This submission will at minimum consist of the prior year tax levy, tax base growth factor, prior year PILOTs, prior year exemptions, allowable growth factor, PILOTs for the coming year and the available carryover.  For more information on this submission, visit the Office of the State Comptroller’s website http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/realprop/pdf/instructions.pdf. 

School year 2010-2011 STAC forms should be submitted to SED

This is a reminder to submit your STAC forms to SED as soon as possible through SED’s online system. Placements in 2010-2011 generate aid in 2011- 2012 and are also be used in developing the 2012-13 projections for Excess Cost aid estimates. Directions for using the online system can be found here.

Final Building Aid Statewide Average Interest Rate

SED recently posted the final statewide average interest rate for building aid. The rate, which is based on debt incurred by districts between 7/1/10 and 6/30/11, is 2.625%. READ MORE>>

New School Reporting Requirement Database

SED recently launched a new School Reporting Requirement system which provides school districts, charter schools and BOCES with a single access point for all Prekindergarten through Grade 12 educational and financial plans, applications, reports and data that are required submissions to the New York State Education Department.  READ MORE>>

Education Jobs Fund 2011-12 Online Application/Budget is Available

Districts may now submit their 2011-12 Education Jobs Fund application. The application has been posted on SED Business Portal under the “ARRA Reporting System”. READ MORE>>

Updated Property Tax Cap Information

Our office wanted to pass along updated information on the property tax cap (Chapter 97). While most of the current contingency budget rules and regulations remain in place under the legislation, we were able to clarify that the overall contingency budget spending restriction (lesser of 120% of CPI or 4%) has indeed been stricken from law, beginning with your 2012-13 budget. So, to summarize, under a contingency budget:

  • Administrative cap is still in effect
  • Non-contingent expenses are still removed
  • Expenditures are no longer subject to overall contingent budget spending cap (lesser of 120% of CPI of 4%)

MORE NEWS>>