ALBANY, NY (Erie News Now)--FOUNDATION AID—THE STATE’S MAIN EDUCATION OPERATING FORMULA COULD SEE CHANGES DURING BUDGET TALKS IN ALBANY.  

THE GOVERNOR WANTS TO CHANGE THE FORMULA WITH THE INTENTION TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR POORER SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND MODERATE THE IMPACT OF ENROLLMENT DECLINES. 

WHILE LAWMAKERS WANT TO KEEP THE FORMULA THE WAY IT IS, FULLY FUND ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND CONDUCT MORE RESEARCH BEFORE MAKING CHANGES.  

"Anything that begins with half of the school districts in the state losing money that they had planned to get based on past practices is really a non-starter,” said Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-35th Senate District).

BUT DESPITE THEIR OPPOSITE VIEWS ON THE ISSUE, SOME LAWMAKERS HAVE SAID THEY THINK THEY WILL BE ABLE TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT.  

THE majority LEADER SAid SHE FEELS EDUCATION BUDGET TALKS HAVE BEEN PRODUCTIVE.  

“We are all talking about how we can create a path forward that is based in contemporary data, and contemporary needs, and contemporary resources that will allow the school districts to plan properly,” she said. 

The final budget deadline is Thursday April 4, recently extended from its original April 1 deadline.