Capital District Times

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik has successfully secured $70 million in funding for the Department of Defense Impact Aid program, benefiting school districts impacted by military installations such as the Indian River and Carthage School Districts in Jefferson County, New York.

Expressing her satisfaction with the funding allocation, Congresswoman Stefanik stated, “I’m proud to have helped secure $70 million for the Department of Defense Impact Aid program through this year’s appropriations process. Significant portions of this funding will go to school districts in the Fort Drum community, including the Indian River and Carthage School Districts, where they will support high quality education in Jefferson County.”

Jennifer Premo, Superintendent of Schools for the Carthage Central School District, emphasized the importance of Impact Aid for their district, stating, “Impact Aid allows the Carthage Central School District to provide a multitude of diverse opportunities for students, both academic and extracurricular. Aid of this type helps to stabilize staffing in spite of changing enrollment which is a characteristic common to military connected schools. Additionally, this federal funding supports lower classroom sizes throughout the District, especially in our lower grade levels, increasing individualized instruction. The Carthage Central School District is very grateful for Impact Aid as it reduces the tax burden on our local community.”

The funding secured by Congresswoman Stefanik will play a crucial role in supporting educational initiatives and maintaining the quality of education in these school districts. More details about this development can be found at the official link: [Stefanik Secures Funding for Indian River and Carthage Schools](https://stefanik.house.gov/2024/3/stefanik-secures-funding-for-indian-river-and-carthage-schools).