THE STATEMENT
“Every school district receives at least a 2% increase in Foundation Aid.”
Assemblymember Carrie Woerner (D) — “State Budget Provides Essential Funding to Support Our Schools and Community,” May 21, 2026
THE VERDICT: TRUE
Woerner’s press release on the newly passed 2026-27 state budget states that every school district in New York is guaranteed at least a 2% increase in Foundation Aid, the state’s main K-12 funding formula. That claim checks out against independent reporting. City & State New York reported the budget “guarantees a minimum 2% increase to Foundation Aid for every school district statewide,” as part of a Foundation Aid total exceeding $27 billion. Spectrum News’ NY State of Politics similarly reported the Legislature secured “a 2% minimum increase in Foundation Aid for school districts,” up from the 1% floor Gov. Hochul had originally proposed — though the outlet also quoted an education-policy expert cautioning that a 2% floor may not keep pace with inflation and rising health-care costs for districts.
The state Senate’s own budget summary corroborates the same numbers, citing $27.4 billion in total Foundation Aid within a $39 billion overall school aid package. Woerner’s characterization of a guaranteed statewide floor is accurate and consistent across multiple independent sources; it describes a minimum that applies to every district, not a district-specific figure for her Saratoga County constituents specifically.
