The Westchester Brief | 05.25.26: Yonkers Has a 90% Graduation Rate. Albany's Funding Formula Is Still Failing It.

Send us Fan MailThe Yonkers Board of Education met this week to consider closing School 21 — a neighborhood elementary school — to address a $101 million structural budget gap. The superintendent said the gap isn't from mismanagement. It's from a state funding formula Albany hasn't fixed.Yonkers Public Schools serves 23,000+ students: 73% economically disadvantaged, 22% with disabilities, 13% English Language Learners. The district has the highest graduation rate among New York's Big 5 cities. It's being rewarded with a funding formula that doesn't reflect what it actually costs to run it.Today's Brief covers the three structural forces driving the gap, why Mayor Spano's Albany trip didn't solve it, and the accountability question that belongs in the state legislature — not at the Yonkers Board of Ed.In This Episode:(0:00) Cold open — the 90% graduation rate(0:30) The $101M gap and what's driving it(1:30) The Foundation Aid Formula — what it is, why it fails(2:30) Mayor Spano and Superintendent Soler go to Albany(3:15) Where the accountability belongs(4:00) Quick hits: primary races, AAA bond rating(4:45) CloseSources: Yonkers Public Schools | Daily Voice | Yonkers Times | Hoodline | WAMCSupport the showI Live Here Westchester is a production of I Live Here Media.We spotlight the voices, visionaries, and stories that make Westchester County more than just a place to live—it’s a place to belong.Have a guest suggestion or want to partner with us?Email: [email protected]: www.iliveheremedia.comFollow us on Instagram: @iliveheremediaSubscribe, rate, and share to support local storytelling.