Res. No. 569-A

Resolution calling upon the New York City Department of Education to factor in poverty as a weight in the Fair Student Funding formula for schools beginning at fourth grade or later.

By Council Members Treyger, Ampry-Samuel, Rose, Gibson, Barron, King, Lander, Rodriguez, Grodenchik, Brannan and Chin

Whereas, The New York City Department of Education (DOE) funds the majority of schools using Fair Student Funding (FSF), which is funding used by schools to cover basic needs and which can be used at the principal’s discretion; and

Whereas, The FSF formula is calculated on the basis of student needs, comprised of three factors: grade weight, portfolio weight, and need weight; and

Whereas, Grade weight is determined by each student’s grade level, providing the largest allocation for middle school students, who are deemed to have the greatest social-emotional needs, and the largest risk of drop-off in student achievement; and

Whereas, Portfolio weight is determined based on students who face significant graduation challenges; and

Whereas, Need weight is determined based on a student’s English language proficiency, special education needs, and academic intervention needs; and

Whereas, Academic intervention needs are defined by poverty weight for schools beginning before fourth grade, and achievement weight for schools beginning at fourth grade or later; and

Whereas, For students in schools beginning before fourth grade, poverty weight is used as a proxy for academic achievement, in the absence of test score data, and students qualify for poverty weight based on free lunch eligibility, as determined by family income; and

Whereas, For students in schools beginning in fourth grade or later, students receive achievement weights based on test score data, deemed “well below standards,” or “below standards”; and

Whereas, If DOE broadened its determination of “poverty weight” to include students living in temporary housing as an additional indication of poverty, many more New York City students and schools would benefit from additional FSF allocations; and

Whereas, If DOE took into account poverty weight for schools beginning at fourth grade or later, many more New York City students and schools would benefit from additional FSF allocations; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York City Department of Education to factor in poverty as a weight in the Fair Student Funding formula for schools beginning at fourth grade or later.

LS #6404

SIL/BG

12/7/18