New York schools are receiving a record amount of state aid. And now a new tool online is helping to show how that money is being spent. 

The Education Trust-New York, an advocacy organization, released the database Tuesday using public information from 673 school districts to get an understanding of how aid is being used across New York. 

The database is tracking how resources are being allocated, whether low-income students, students with disabilities and multilanguage learners are receiving aid. 

But there are differences in how the largest school districts in the state are spending money for high-needs students. For instance, in New York City at the elementary and middle school level, the district is spending $5,886 more per student at its schools with the greatest needs. Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, however, are spending hundreds of dollars less per student with the greatest needs versus those with the least needs. 

“The money districts are receiving through increased Foundation Aid and the American Rescue Plan Act offers a historic opportunity for education leaders to invest in ways that narrow and close opportunity gaps,” said Dia Bryant, executive director of The Education Trust–New York. “Education leaders must act with urgency to ensure these resources are immediately used to provide students with important supports like high-quality afterschool programming, rigorous coursework that will prepare them for postsecondary success, and learning experiences to help close the gaps caused by interrupted instruction experienced during the pandemic.”

The online tool can be found here.