School at St. Regis Mohawk facing financial strain due to insufficient state funding
In the small community of the St. Regis Mohawk reservation, located on the US-Canada border, the local elementary school has been struggling with issues such as flooding, outdated mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, and inadequate Pre-K and kindergarten classrooms. Despite repeated calls for funding to construct a new school building, there is no publicly available information indicating that the New York state budget negotiations for 2023–2025 have directly impacted the funding situation for this project.
Governor Kathy Hochul's January budget proposal allocated only $20.1 million for capital projects at all three schools owned by Native American tribes in New York state. This amount falls short of the estimated $40 million needed for the feasibility work on the new school building, let alone the actual construction costs.
The St. Regis Mohawk elementary school community has been resilient in the face of these challenges. Staff have resorted to placing buckets in the hallways to catch water during rain, and students were forced to evacuate and spend a week at nearby Salmon River Elementary School following widespread flooding in 2018.
Superintendent Stanley Harper has launched a campaign to secure funding for an entirely new school building, emphasizing the students' right to equal treatment and access to facilities comparable to those of other students across New York state. This includes science labs, libraries, and gymnasiums. The risk of flooding due to climate change worsening has been highlighted as a persistent concern.
In 2023, New York State Education Department's Commissioner Betty Rosa visited the school in support of the request for funding. The state Board of Regents' budget request included increased funding for the three state-owned Indigenous schools, including $110 million for a new building for the St. Regis Mohawk Nation. However, as of the time of writing, there is no direct evidence that these proposals have been adopted in the New York state budget negotiations for 2023–2025.
Land on higher ground has been donated by the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe for a new school building, but without adequate funding, the project remains stalled. For the most accurate and current information, direct inquiries to the Salmon River Central School District or the New York State Education Department would be necessary.
- The St. Regis Mohawk community, battling with flooding and outdated facilities in their elementary school, is still waiting for funding to construct a new school building promised in the New York state budget negotiations for 2023–2025.
- Governor Kathy Hochul's budget proposal only allocated $20.1 million for capital projects at Native American schools in New York state, which falls short of the estimated $40 million needed for the feasibility work on the new school building.
- Staff at the St. Regis Mohawk elementary school have resorted to creative measures, like placing buckets in the hallways to catch water during rain, and students were forced to relocate to nearby schools during flooding incidents.
- Superintendent Stanley Harper has rallied support for a new school building, emphasizing the students' right to equal education and access to facilities comparable to those in other schools across New York state, including science labs, libraries, and gymnasiums.
- In 2023, the New York State Education Department's Commissioner Betty Rosa visited the school to support the funding request, and the state Board of Regents' budget request included increased funding for the three state-owned Indigenous schools, but no direct evidence has been found that these proposals have been adopted in the New York state budget negotiations for 2023–2025.
- Land for the new school building has been donated by the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, but without adequate funding, the project remains at a standstill. For the most recent and accurate information, inquiries should be directed to the Salmon River Central School District or the New York State Education Department.
