Those who believe downstate and upstate New York need to be separated might be surprised to know just how aid distribution works out for schools. While downstate has the majority of New York’s population, about 60 percent, it only receives about 52 percent of the aid for education, according to the On Board publication of the state School Boards Association.

In fact, aid distribution for this year and next year is exactly the same — 48.2 percent for the rest of the state and 51.8 for New York City and Long Island.

By the way, most of that state educational aid money comes from the downstate economy as most rural school districts in our county reap rewards. Most of those districts with 600 or fewer students are rewarded with 70 to 75% aid. That’s an excellent deal.