This report summarizes results of school district scores for the 2017-18 school fiscal year (SY) and compares results to SY 2016- 17.

Parents, educators, the public and State policymakers agree that student safety must be a top priority in every school. This report summarizes some of the information reported by New York’s public school districts on violent and disruptive incidents and expenditures on school building security materials and equipment, and includes a series of regional profiles.

This report summarizes results of school district scores for the 2018-19 fiscal school year (SY) and compares results to SYs 2016-17 and 2017-18. The report reflects the seventh annual release of FSMS scores. FSMS covers 674 school districts in 57 counties, but excludes the New York City School District.

New York’s school districts are responsible for one of the most important functions of government – educating children from kindergarten through 12th grade. Each district must navigate a complex set of State rules and local needs and determine how to fund its programs using a mix of local property taxes and State and federal aid sources. This report provides regional analysis of certain financial and demographic data for New York’s school districts outside of New York City.

As of December 2014, OSC has completed 40 audits of expenses submitted to SED by preschool and/or school age special education providers over the last decade. These audits have cumulatively identified almost $42 million in disallowances, or 7.6 percent of the total claimed expenses of $544 million for the audit period. 

In 2015, OSC completed 23 audits of expenses submitted to SED by preschool special education providers. These audits have cumulatively identified over $10 million in disallowances, or about 3.4 percent of the total claimed expenses of almost $301 million for the audit period. 

In 2016, OSC completed 26 audits of expenses submitted to SED by preschool special education providers. These audits have cumulatively identified about $5.5 million in recommended disallowances, or nearly 3 percent of the total claimed expenses of almost $188 million for the audit period. 

In 2019, OSC completed 18 audits of expenses submitted to SED by preschool special education providers. These audits have cumulatively identified almost $11.2 million in recommended disallowances, or almost 11 percent of the total expenses of $103.5 million for the audit period. 

Each year in New York City, more than 100,000 public and private school children between the ages of 5 and 21 are referred (by teachers or parents) to the New York City Department of Education (DOE) to be evaluated for their needs for continued or new special education services.

The State University of New York (SUNY) system represents an excellent value to its many students, regardless of resident status. The State-operated system enrolls well over 400,000 students at its 64 campuses, of which 13 are university centers, 21 are colleges and 30 are community colleges. Tuition dollars combined with State and county revenues support the $10.7 billion SUNY budget.