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Presenter says Contract for Excellence set‑aside for Utica schools would rise by about $5.8 million
Summary
District presenters told the public that the Contract for Excellence set‑aside used for targeted programs would rise from roughly $26 million to just over $32 million under the newest calculations; the funding must be targeted to high‑need students and used for class‑size reduction, more instructional time, teacher/principal quality or pre‑K/kindergarten.
At a public hearing, a district presenter explained how Contract for Excellence (C4E) set‑asides of foundation aid must be targeted and reported for the 2026–27 school year and said the district’s newest figures (received the morning of the hearing) would raise Utica’s C4E set‑aside to just over $32 million.
The presenter said last year the district set aside about $26 million and that the new calculation represents roughly a $5.8 million increase from last year’s minimum. She told the hearing the district distributed last year’s set‑aside by building population, with Proctor receiving the largest share.
Under the C4E rules explained at the hearing, allowable uses include class‑size reduction, increased instructional time, improving teacher and principal quality, and pre‑K and kindergarten; funding must be targeted to students with the greatest needs, particularly English‑language learners and students with disabilities, and is intended to supplement, not supplant, existing services.
The presenter cautioned that the numbers cited at the hearing were based on last year’s template and that she had received updated figures only that morning; she invited questions and offered to receive follow‑up inquiries from the public.
No formal vote or board action on the C4E distribution was recorded in the hearing minutes.
