Mid-Hudson News reports that the number of school districts statewide designated in a financial stress category has declined considerably since school year 2019-20, and the 2021-22 school year continued the trend, according to a new report by Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office. Just one school district in the state, Mount Vernon in Westchester County, was rated as having “significant stress;" five school districts were rated as having “moderate stress.” State officials said the reasons for the decrease this year are largely the result of significant increases in both federal and state aid. According to the report, although increased federal and state aid has reduced fiscal stress in school districts, the increases in federal aid are temporary and the state’s plan to fully fund Foundation Aid by school year 2023-24 is currently on track, but it is not binding on future legislatures, nor is maintaining aid at that higher level. The report noted that school officials still face operational and staffing challenges to decide how best to provide services to their students in the future. Read the full story at Mid-HudsonNews [dot] com.