Thiells, NY – New York State Senator Pete Harckham announced today that an additional $1 million in financial aid from the Senate is being appropriated for the North Rockland Central School District (NRCSD) in the FY2025-2026 State Budget. The funding, the third time the State Senate has come through for the North Rockland schools, will be combined with the school aid, Foundation aid and Universal Pre-Kindergarten funding the district is already slated to receive. 

The Senate funding for NRCSD was part of an appropriation plan in the state’s FY2025-2026 budget supporting schools that are experiencing extraordinary changes in taxable property valuations or significant tax liabilities because of a tax certiorari settlement or judgment. 

“My colleagues in the State Senate Majority and I recognize that the students and educators of the North Rockland Central School District should not be denied proper financial support and resources because of a tax certiorari settlement dating back nearly twenty years,” said Sen. Harckham. “This Senate funding, in addition to the school aid given by the state to the North Rockland district, will ensure that instruction and programming remain at their optimal levels while protecting local taxpayers.”

Harckham added that Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Senator Shelley B. Mayer, chair of the Senate Education Committee, were instrumental in arranging the additional funding for the NRCSD in the last three state budgets, and said, “Their tireless support for education in New York is unparalleled, and I thank them for focusing on the needs of this particular school district.”

Harckham made the announcement today during a visit to North Rockland High School (NRHS), where he met with 22 students in a history and public policy class for a Q&A session. The class, taught by John Denmead, is part of the Syracuse University Project Advance program, in which students get an opportunity to earn college credits. Joining Harckham and the students in class were North Rockland Central School District Superintendent Dr. Kris Felicello, NRHS Principal Lauren DaPonte and several other teachers and school district officials

In the case of NRCSD, the funding will help draw down the debt from a 2006 tax certiorari settlement with Mirant Corp., the owner of two power plants in the district that were judged to have been overassessed in prior years. The funding secured by Harckham will help offer taxpayers relief from the Mirant debt crisis in North Rockland and the largest tax certiorari in New York State history. 

In the state’s FY2025-2026 Budget, NRCSD received $134.1 million in Total Aid, a $14.3 million or 11.9% increase from the prior year’s budget, not including the $1 million in announced Senate funding.

North Rockland Central School District Superintendent Kris Felicello, Ed. D. said, “This additional $1 million in funding, secured for a third consecutive year by Senator Harckham, will directly support our students and teachers—while lessening the burden on our local taxpayers. We can always count on Senator Harckham to come through for North Rockland.” 

Board of Education President Peggy Zugibe said, “North Rockland thanks Senator Harckham for his unwavering support of our schools. This additional funding will allow our district to enhance programming and supports that meaningfully advance educational outcomes and ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed in life.”

North Rockland Teachers’ Association President Debbie Brennan said, “Senator Harckham continues to work hard for the students, teachers and teaching assistants of the North Rockland Central School District. We thank Pete for always securing funding that has a direct and positive impact on our school community.”