The office of the New York State Comptroller has released the results of a study that examined stress factors on the state's school districts, and some Western New York schools were tagged for significant stress. The East Aurora School District was one of only two in the state that ranked high for significant fiscal stress. Indicators of fiscal stress are challenges with budgetary solvency, fund balance levels and a reliance on short-term cashflow borrowing. Overall, eight percent of Southern Tier school districts measured some degree of fiscal stress, ranking second across the state.
Another component of the study was environmental stress factors, such as higher percentages of economically disadvantaged students and English language learners along with larger class sizes and high teacher turnover rates.
Western New York school districts ranked second highest in the state for these stress factors.
