The state will send $191.5 million more to cities and towns in the fiscal year that begins July 1, an 8% increase over current funding. This comes on top of the $3.2 billion in additional federal pandemic aid that municipalities have to spend over the next couple years.
While 82% of the $2.6 billion in state aid heading for municipalities is earmarked for education, the bulk of the increased state aid, $145 million, is to help lower-income communities cover non-education related costs. Of the $3.2 billion in federal aid that the federal government is sending cities and towns to help them weather the pandemic, $1.6 billion went to towns for non-education aid and $1.5 billion to school districts.
Here is a rundown of non-education aid cities and towns can expect.
The state budget boosts overall school aid by $46.4 million, a 2.2% increase, most of which is directed at lower-income districts. This is accomplished by sending more to districts for each English language learner they enroll and to districts that have high concentrations of students who come from low-income families. There has also been more than $1 billion in pandemic aid from the federal government directed largely at impoverished school districts.
Here is a rundown of the state and federal education aid heading for each school district. Districts have two more school years to spend the federal aid. On Tuesday, the state released districts’ plans on how they plan to expend the federal aid.
Here is a rundown of overall state aid heading for each municipality.