"In addition," she said, "we provide funding in many cases on a statewide or citywide basis, initiatives that benefit districts and areas throughout the state, whether it be for higher education, social services or health care."

The Department of Education (ED) has established a network of 16 regional and five content Comprehensive Centers to provide assistance to benefit states and districts nationwide on key issues related to closing the achievement gap.

Furthermore, these wealthier districts benefited from the governor's efforts to maintain the existing school aid formula in the face of reform efforts to benefit New York City and other poorer districts.

The combination of multiple projects benefiting multiple districts helps ensure the uncontroversial passage of legislation.

The project may not benefit the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) or its councils, districts, units, camps and so forth.

The restrictive categories that disproportionately benefit urban districts include aid for summer school, bilingual education, homeless students, incarcerated youth and magnet schools.

This afternoon, negotiators from the Senate and Assembly disclosed a plan to put together a separate $5 million package largely intended to benefit upstate districts, but it was not clear whether the amount would calm the protests.

Both programs would particularly benefit poorer districts, including New York City and Newark, school officials said.

If Mr. Bush changed the eligibility criteria, it could potentially benefit districts with fewer high-need students and take money from New York, the officials said.

But this proposal, which would have mainly benefited districts on Long Island, was rejected by the Governor and the Democratic-controlled Assembly.