Two Steuben County school districts landed on the state comptroller’s latest fiscal stress list, a sign they could face growing budget challenges as pandemic-era aid continues to dry up.
According to a report released by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, both Jasper-Troupsburg Central School District and Addison Central School District were designated as “susceptible to fiscal stress” for the school year ending June 30, 2025.
Jasper-Troupsburg received a fiscal stress score of 30.0, while Addison scored 26.7. Districts in the “susceptible” category are not currently in crisis, but state officials say the designation signals warning signs that could lead to more serious financial trouble if conditions worsen.
The comptroller’s office said the number of districts statewide facing some level of fiscal stress has climbed back to pre-pandemic levels as federal relief funding runs out. From 2019-20 through 2024-25, school districts spent about $4 billion of the nearly $4.6 billion in federal pandemic aid that had helped stabilize budgets.
In the most recent year, districts reported using just $317 million in remaining federal relief funds, a drop of more than 70% from the year before. DiNapoli said that shift is forcing districts to rely more heavily on local revenue and state aid.
The Fiscal Stress Monitoring System scores districts based on factors such as fund balance, operating deficits, cash position, and reliance on short-term borrowing. Higher scores reflect deeper financial strain.
DiNapoli urged school officials across the state to closely monitor finances and ensure budgets remain structurally balanced as temporary funding sources disappear.
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