Education Department, State

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Agency Web Site: http://www.nysed.gov/Link to External Website

Mission

The State Education Department (SED) is the administrative agency of the Board of Regents. The Department's primary mission is to raise the knowledge, skill, and opportunity level of all the people in New York.

Organization and Staffing

The Board of Regents oversees the State Education Department, which was originally established by the Legislature in 1784 and subsequently continued in the State Constitution. The Board of Regents is comprised of 17 members – one for each of the State’s 13 judicial districts and four statewide members – who are elected by a joint session of the Legislature for staggered five-year terms. The Board elects its chair, who holds the title Chancellor, and appoints the Commissioner of Education as the chief administrative officer of the Department. The Department’s central operations are in the Education Building in Albany. The Department also has regional service facilities at various locations throughout the State.

Budget Highlights

The FY 2023 Executive Budget recommends $40.60 billion for the State Education Department, a decrease of $11.47 billion in funding from the FY 2022 Enacted Budget level. This net change primarily reflects a decrease in Federal pandemic relief funds that were appropriated in the FY 2022 Enacted Budget.

The Executive Budget also projects a workforce of 2,876 FTEs for the State Education Department, a 189 FTE increase from the FY 2022 projection.

Major budget actions include:

  • School Aid: The FY 2023 Executive Budget provides $31.3 billion in total School Aid for SY 2023, the highest level of State aid ever. This investment represents a year-to-year increase of $2.1 billion (7.1 percent) compared to SY 2022, including a $1.6 billion Foundation Aid increase and a $467 million increase in all other School Aid programs.

  • Foundation Aid: Foundation Aid is the State’s main education operating aid formula. It is focused on allocating State funds equitably to all school districts, especially high-need districts, based on student need, community wealth, and regional cost differences. The Executive Budget provides a $1.6 billion (8.1 percent) increase in Foundation Aid, supporting the second year of the three-year phase-in of full funding of the current Foundation Aid formula and ensuring each school district receives a minimum year-to-year increase of 3 percent.

  • Expense-Based Aids: The Executive Budget includes full funding of current statutory formulas that reimburse a portion of certain school district expenses, such as school construction, pupil transportation, services from boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES), and the educational costs of certain students with disabilities. In total, these aid categories are projected to increase by $464 million (5.9 percent), largely reflecting the reduced impact of the pandemic on school operations in SY 2022 compared to SY 2021.

  • Prekindergarten Programs: New York State appropriates over $952 million annually to support public prekindergarten programs, providing access to over 136,000 students statewide, including nearly 125,500 four-year-old children and over 10,500 three-year-old children. Funding has historically been prioritized for students in high-need school districts. The FY 2023 Executive Budget continues current funding for prekindergarten programs.

  • RECOVS Learning and Mental Health Grants: The Executive Budget includes a total of $100 million over two years for a new State matching fund, the Recover from COVID School Program (RECOVS), for school districts with the highest needs to create or expand summer learning, after-school, or extended-day and extended-year programs to help students recover academically. It will also support the hiring of mental health professionals, the expansion of school-based mental health services, and other evidence-based mental health supports to help students and school staff recover socio-emotionally. School districts will be required to match this State grant funding with their federal pandemic relief funds.

  • Charter Schools: Approximately 180,000 students attend 331 charter schools in New York State. Charter schools receive tuition payments made by school districts, funded through State and local sources; these tuition rates are established for each school district based on the average annual growth in the district's spending. The FY 2023 Executive Budget increases New York City charter schools' per-pupil funding by 4.7 percent. This will allow charter schools to continue to innovate, recruit high-quality teachers and staff, and provide strong educational options for New York’s families and students.

  • Nonpublic School Programs: Approximately 370,000 students attend roughly 1,700 nonpublic schools statewide. The Executive Budget provides $295 million in State support for nonpublic schools, an increase of $44 million (18 percent), which includes: $193 million in aid to reimburse nonpublic schools for costs of State-mandated activities; $55 million for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) instruction; and $45 million for capital health and safety projects, including critical repair and maintenance of nonpublic schools' facilities. The Executive Budget also authorizes any unobligated federal Emergency Assistance to Nonpublic Schools funds to be used to reimburse nonpublic schools for allowable pandemic-related costs through the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund.

  • Special Education: Approximately 80,000 preschool-age children with disabilities receive services, 14,000 school-age students with disabilities are educated in private settings and special act school districts during the school year, and 50,000 school-age students with disabilities receive summer services. Funding for these providers is determined through an annual rate-setting process. The Division of the Budget will administratively authorize a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of 11 percent for the SY 2023 tuition rates, increasing providers’ annual funding by more than $240 million. The State will ultimately reimburse roughly 60 percent of these costs, which are paid in the first instance by school districts and counties.

  • Zero-Emission School Buses: To improve air quality, the Executive Budget requires that all new school bus purchases be zero-emissions by 2027 and all school buses on the road be zero-emissions by 2035. The Executive Budget ensures that the State provides Transportation Aid for zero-emission bus infrastructure, including charging stations, and purchasing or leasing electric buses. Additionally, the Executive Budget authorizes school districts to lease or finance zero-emission buses for 10 years, double the current five-year limitation for diesel buses, in order to help districts meet this goal.

  • Building/Transportation Aid Penalty Forgiveness: The FY 2023 Executive Budget addresses Building and Transportation Aid penalties once and for all by authorizing the State Education Department to forgive all such penalties that the Department deems to be a result of inadvertent clerical errors.

  • NYC Mayoral Control. The Executive Budget provides a four-year extension of Mayoral control of the New York City school system.

  • Major Capital Investments in Native American Reservation Schools. The Executive Budget provides $35.7 million for capital improvements to the three State-owned schools on Native American reservations, including the St. Regis Mohawk School ($17.8 million), the Tuscarora School ($11.8 million), and the Onondaga School ($6.1 million).

  • Public Broadcasting: The Executive Budget provides $21.8 million in funding for public television and radio stations, including $14 million in operating support and $7.8 million in new funding for several initiatives: instructional content for classroom and remote learning ($3.4 million); digital teaching and learning media tools ($2 million); teacher professional development toolkit on improving student mental health ($0.3 million); resources to address social isolation among seniors ($0.75 million); and special programming and events on the opioid crisis in New York State ($1.4 million).

  • Aid to Public Libraries: The Executive Budget proposes to increase Library Aid by 2 percent, from $94.1 million in FY 2022 to $96.1 million in FY 2023. This funding provides operating support to public libraries, library systems, and reference and research libraries.

  • Independent Living Centers: The FY 2023 Executive Budget increases aid to Independent Living Centers by $1.6 million, from $14.4 million to $16 million. Independent Living Centers provide an array of services to support New Yorkers with disabilities in living fully integrated and self-directed lives.

  • Bundy Aid: The Executive Budget includes $35.1 million in aid for independent colleges and universities. To be eligible for funding, colleges and universities will be required to have an SED-approved plan to improve faculty diversity.

  • Higher Education Opportunity Programs: The FY 2023 Executive Budget includes a $10.5 million (10 percent) increase for SED-administered higher education opportunity programs. This includes the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), the Liberty Partnership Program, the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP), the Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP), and the Foster Youth College Success Initiative.

For more information on this agency's budget recommendations located in the Executive Budget Briefing Book, click on the following link:

Program Highlights

Under the policy direction of the Board of Regents, operational responsibilities of the State Education Department include administration, regulation and review of numerous education programs. The following provides a description of the major program areas administered by the Department:

School Aid

School Aid helps support elementary and secondary education for New York pupils enrolled in the 673 major school districts throughout the State. State funding is provided to districts based on statutory aid formulas and through reimbursement of categorical expenses such as prekindergarten programs, education of homeless children, and bilingual education. State funding for schools assists districts in meeting locally defined needs, such as supporting the construction of school facilities and the education of students with disabilities.

Prekindergarten

Over the past decade, the State has more than doubled its annual commitment to prekindergarten from $385 million to over $952 million. This funding provides over 136,000 students with access to publicly-funded prekindergarten programs – 80 percent of whom will be served in full-day spots. Nearly every high-need school district offers prekindergarten. In addition, the State also provides funding to support the implementation of QUALITYstarsNY – a tiered quality rating and improvement system for early childhood programs across the State – which seeks to improve the quality of early learning childcare facilities by assessing programs and providing continuous support for early childhood professionals. This additional support helps monitor the rigor and quality of the State’s prekindergarten portfolio and helps ensure all children are enrolled in high-quality programs.

Smart Schools Bond Act

The Smart Schools Bond Act, approved by voters in November 2014, provides $2 billion in funding for districts to reimagine classrooms and provide New York’s students with the technological resources, skills, and learning environments necessary to succeed in the 21st century. Funding supports enhanced education technologies, including infrastructure improvements, high‐speed broadband internet access, and active learning technologies. Additionally, the Smart Schools Bond Act supports the State’s long‐term investments in full-day prekindergarten through the construction of new prekindergarten classrooms. Further, the Bond Act provides funding for the replacement of classroom trailers with permanent classroom spaces, and high‐tech school safety programs. Over 1,100 Smart Schools Investment Plans totaling over $1.7 billion have been approved in approximately 600 school districts, supporting classroom technology, high-tech security, and school connectivity.

Programs for Students with Disabilities

The State provides a full range of special education services to approximately 500,000 students with disabilities, from ages 3 to 21. Eighty-five percent of these students are school-age students, and the remaining 15 percent are preschool children. Approximately 405,000 school-age students with disabilities are served by public school districts, while roughly 15,000 students require specialized educational settings in private schools, State Supported Schools for the Blind and Deaf, Special Act School Districts, or one of the State-Operated Schools at Rome and Batavia. Preschool special education services, for children ages 3 to 5, are delivered primarily by private providers; however some school districts and BOCES provide these services as well.

Cultural Education

Cultural Education programs administered by the State Education Department include support for public broadcasting stations and aid to public libraries and library systems. SED also administers the State's major cultural institutions located in the Cultural Education Center in Albany, including the State Archives, the State Library and the State Museum. These institutions are responsible for increasing the knowledge and information resources of State and local government, businesses, and individuals.

Higher Education and Regulation of the Professions

Higher and professional education programs oversee the quality and availability of post-secondary education programs, and license and regulate over 50 professions. The Office of Higher Education oversees colleges, universities and proprietary schools; is responsible for the certification of teachers and other school professionals; and oversees programs to improve teacher preparation and recruitment. The Office of Professions currently oversees the preparation, licensure, practice and discipline of more than 50 professions regulated pursuant to Title VIII of the Education Law, including Nursing, Dentistry, Public Accountancy and Engineering.

Adult Career and Continuing Education Services

The Office for Adult Career and Continuing Education Services (ACCES) focuses on the education and employment needs of New York State’s adult population by offering a full range of employment and independent living services to persons with disabilities; overseeing the development of adult education programs that support adult literacy, English language instruction, high school equivalency test preparation and other services; and licensing and regulating the non-degree granting proprietary schools in New York State.

ALL FUNDS
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Category Available
FY 2022
Appropriations
Recommended
FY 2023
Change From
FY 2022
Reappropriations
Recommended
FY 2023
State Operations 639,063,200 637,089,000 (1,974,200) 700,286,000
Aid To Localities 51,299,112,293 39,846,500,850 (11,452,611,443) 25,465,280,587
Capital Projects 135,450,000 117,690,000 (17,760,000) 3,521,613,000
Total 52,073,625,493 40,601,279,850 (11,472,345,643) 29,687,179,587

ALL FUND TYPES
PROJECTED LEVELS OF EMPLOYMENT BY PROGRAM
FILLED ANNUAL SALARIED POSITIONS
Program FY 2022
Estimated FTEs
03/31/22
FY 2023
Estimated FTEs
03/31/23
FTE Change
Administration
Capital Projects Funds - Other 54 54 0
Adult Career and Continuing Education Services
General Fund 12 12 0
Special Revenue Funds - Federal 700 700 0
Special Revenue Funds - Other 27 28 1
Cultural Education
General Fund 8 8 0
Special Revenue Funds - Federal 45 45 0
Special Revenue Funds - Other 183 201 18
Internal Service Funds 26 26 0
Office of Higher Education and the Professions
General Fund 43 49 6
Special Revenue Funds - Federal 4 4 0
Special Revenue Funds - Other 374 444 70
Office of Management Services Program
General Fund 49 79 30
Special Revenue Funds - Other 175 175 0
Internal Service Funds 118 118 0
Office of Pre-kindergarten Through Grade 12 Education
General Fund 188 252 64
Special Revenue Funds - Federal 486 486 0
School for the Blind
Special Revenue Funds - Other 114 114 0
School for the Deaf
Special Revenue Funds - Other 81 81 0
Total 2,687 2,876 189

STATE OPERATIONS
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY FUND TYPE
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Fund Type Available
FY 2022
Recommended
FY 2023
Change
General Fund 60,612,000 66,758,000 6,146,000
Internal Service Funds 35,606,000 33,663,000 (1,943,000)
Special Revenue Funds - Federal 380,778,299 365,770,000 (15,008,299)
Special Revenue Funds - Other 162,066,901 170,898,000 8,831,099
Total 639,063,200 637,089,000 (1,974,200)
Adjustments:
Transfer(s) From
Special Pay Bill
General Fund (26,654,200)
Appropriated FY 2022 612,409,000

STATE OPERATIONS
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY PROGRAM
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Program Available
FY 2022
Recommended
FY 2023
Change
Adult Career and Continuing Education Services
General Fund 4,255,713 4,331,000 75,287
Special Revenue Funds - Federal 140,325,854 132,393,000 (7,932,854)
Special Revenue Funds - Other 8,046,000 12,670,000 4,624,000
Cultural Education
General Fund 693,000 713,000 20,000
Internal Service Funds 13,144,418 12,749,000 (395,418)
Special Revenue Funds - Federal 15,816,000 15,378,000 (438,000)
Special Revenue Funds - Other 45,192,266 43,502,000 (1,690,266)
Office of Higher Education and the Professions
General Fund 8,422,303 8,755,000 332,697
Special Revenue Funds - Federal 2,995,592 2,952,000 (43,592)
Special Revenue Funds - Other 61,667,002 68,763,000 7,095,998
Office of Management Services Program
General Fund 8,745,975 11,198,000 2,452,025
Internal Service Funds 22,461,582 20,914,000 (1,547,582)
Special Revenue Funds - Other 26,228,011 25,505,000 (723,011)
Office of Pre-kindergarten Through Grade 12 Education
General Fund 38,495,009 41,761,000 3,265,991
Special Revenue Funds - Federal 221,640,853 215,047,000 (6,593,853)
Special Revenue Funds - Other 150,000 150,000 0
School for the Blind
Special Revenue Funds - Other 10,661,420 10,646,000 (15,420)
School for the Deaf
Special Revenue Funds - Other 10,122,202 9,662,000 (460,202)
Total 639,063,200 637,089,000 (1,974,200)

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF PERSONAL SERVICE APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2023 RECOMMENDED
(dollars)
Program Total Personal Service Regular
(Annual Salaried)
Amount Change Amount Change
Adult Career and Continuing Education Services 685,000 (31,713) 632,000 (31,713)
Cultural Education 399,000 11,000 399,000 11,000
Office of Higher Education and the Professions 2,880,000 154,697 2,861,000 154,697
Office of Management Services Program 8,866,000 2,372,025 8,638,000 2,372,025
Office of Pre-kindergarten Through Grade 12 Education 20,437,000 2,376,991 18,181,000 2,376,991
Total 33,267,000 4,883,000 30,711,000 4,883,000
STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF PERSONAL SERVICE APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2023 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program Temporary Service
(Nonannual Salaried)
Holiday/Overtime Pay
Amount Change Amount Change
Adult Career and Continuing Education Services 53,000 0 0 0
Office of Higher Education and the Professions 18,000 0 1,000 0
Office of Management Services Program 114,000 0 114,000 0
Office of Pre-kindergarten Through Grade 12 Education 2,129,000 0 127,000 0
Total 2,314,000 0 242,000 0

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF NONPERSONAL SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE UNDISTRIBUTED
APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2023 RECOMMENDED
(dollars)
Program Total Supplies and Materials
Amount Change Amount Change
Adult Career and Continuing Education Services 3,646,000 107,000 33,000 0
Cultural Education 314,000 9,000 21,000 0
Office of Higher Education and the Professions 5,875,000 178,000 52,000 0
Office of Management Services Program 2,332,000 80,000 187,000 0
Office of Pre-kindergarten Through Grade 12 Education 21,324,000 889,000 83,000 0
Total 33,491,000 1,263,000 376,000 0
STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF NONPERSONAL SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE UNDISTRIBUTED
APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2023 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program Travel Contractual Services
Amount Change Amount Change
Adult Career and Continuing Education Services 5,000 0 3,587,000 107,000
Cultural Education 2,000 0 287,000 9,000
Office of Higher Education and the Professions 152,000 0 5,619,000 178,000
Office of Management Services Program 95,000 0 1,394,000 80,000
Office of Pre-kindergarten Through Grade 12 Education 113,000 0 20,921,000 889,000
Total 367,000 0 31,808,000 1,263,000
STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF NONPERSONAL SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE UNDISTRIBUTED
APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2023 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program Equipment
Amount Change
Adult Career and Continuing Education Services 21,000 0
Cultural Education 4,000 0
Office of Higher Education and the Professions 52,000 0
Office of Management Services Program 656,000 0
Office of Pre-kindergarten Through Grade 12 Education 207,000 0
Total 940,000 0

STATE OPERATIONS - OTHER THAN GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2023 RECOMMENDED
(dollars)
Program Total Personal Service
Amount Change Amount Change
Adult Career and Continuing Education Services 145,063,000 (3,308,854) 68,278,525 (1,923,534)
Cultural Education 71,629,000 (2,523,684) 29,837,000 (1,506,144)
Office of Higher Education and the Professions 71,715,000 7,052,406 33,989,000 3,765,140
Office of Management Services Program 46,419,000 (2,270,593) 22,651,000 (1,371,477)
Office of Pre-kindergarten Through Grade 12 Education 215,197,000 (6,593,853) 77,874,000 (3,990,981)
School for the Blind 10,646,000 (15,420) 5,956,000 (357,622)
School for the Deaf 9,662,000 (460,202) 5,482,000 (278,881)
Total 570,331,000 (8,120,200) 244,067,525 (5,663,499)
STATE OPERATIONS - OTHER THAN GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2023 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program Nonpersonal Service
Amount Change
Adult Career and Continuing Education Services 76,784,475 (1,385,320)
Cultural Education 41,792,000 (1,017,540)
Office of Higher Education and the Professions 37,726,000 3,287,266
Office of Management Services Program 23,768,000 (899,116)
Office of Pre-kindergarten Through Grade 12 Education 137,323,000 (2,602,872)
School for the Blind 4,690,000 342,202
School for the Deaf 4,180,000 (181,321)
Total 326,263,475 (2,456,701)

AID TO LOCALITIES
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY FUND TYPE
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Fund Type Available
FY 2022
Recommended
FY 2023
Change
General Fund 27,372,913,293 28,349,314,850 976,401,557
Special Revenue Funds - Federal 18,542,123,000 5,099,141,000 (13,442,982,000)
Special Revenue Funds - Other 5,384,076,000 6,398,045,000 1,013,969,000
Total 51,299,112,293 39,846,500,850 (11,452,611,443)

AID TO LOCALITIES
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY PROGRAM
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Program Available
FY 2022
Recommended
FY 2023
Change
Adult Career and Continuing Education Services
General Fund 93,451,000 95,796,000 2,345,000
Special Revenue Funds - Federal 123,776,000 123,776,000 0
Special Revenue Funds - Other 12,458,000 7,569,000 (4,889,000)
Cultural Education
General Fund 108,479,000 117,954,000 9,475,000
Special Revenue Funds - Federal 5,400,000 5,400,000 0
Special Revenue Funds - Other 8,807,000 8,957,000 150,000
Office of Higher Education and the Professions
General Fund 144,022,850 154,630,850 10,608,000
Special Revenue Funds - Federal 5,000,000 5,000,000 0
Office of Management Services Program
Special Revenue Funds - Other 5,214,000 5,214,000 0
Office of Pre-kindergarten Through Grade 12 Education
General Fund 27,026,960,443 27,980,934,000 953,973,557
Special Revenue Funds - Federal 18,407,947,000 4,964,965,000 (13,442,982,000)
Special Revenue Funds - Other 3,378,140,000 4,545,320,000 1,167,180,000
School Tax Relief
Special Revenue Funds - Other 1,979,457,000 1,830,985,000 (148,472,000)
Total 51,299,112,293 39,846,500,850 (11,452,611,443)

CAPITAL PROJECTS
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY PROGRAM
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Comprehensive Construction Program Available
FY 2022
Recommended
FY 2023
Change Reappropriations
FY 2023
Administration
Capital Projects Fund 7,600,000 10,200,000 2,600,000 15,276,000
Capital Projects Fund - Authority Bonds 0 0 0 10,220,000
Breakfast After the Bell Equipment Grants
Capital Projects Fund 0 0 0 2,562,000
Cultural Education Center
Capital Projects Fund 0 0 0 5,757,000
Capital Projects Fund - Authority Bonds 0 0 0 12,318,000
Cultural Education Storage Facility
Cap Proj Fund - Cultural Education Storage Facility 0 0 0 59,736,000
Education Building
Capital Projects Fund 0 0 0 160,000
Library Construction
Capital Projects Fund - Library Aid (Auth Bonds) 34,000,000 14,000,000 (20,000,000) 53,925,000
Matching Grants for Safety and Security Projects for At-Risk Facilities
Capital Projects Fund - Authority Bonds 0 0 0 20,000,000
Non-Public School Health and Safety Projects
Capital Projects Fund 15,000,000 45,000,000 30,000,000 63,633,000
Non-Public School Technology Projects
Capital Projects Fund - Authority Bonds 0 0 0 23,473,000
Office of the Professions Electronic Licensing System
Misc. Capital Projects 7,850,000 7,790,000 (60,000) 32,078,000
Safety and Security Projects for at Risk Facilities
Capital Projects Fund - Authority Bonds 0 0 0 36,536,000
School for the Blind
Capital Projects Fund 0 3,200,000 3,200,000 671,000
School for the Deaf
Capital Projects Fund 0 1,800,000 1,800,000 138,000
Schools For Native American Reservations
Capital Projects Fund 0 0 0 2,000
Capital Projects Fund - Authority Bonds 0 35,700,000 35,700,000 88,000
Smart Schools Bond Act
Smart Schools Bond Fund 0 0 0 1,597,482,000
Smart Schools Implementation
Capital Projects Fund – Smart Schools (Bondable) 0 0 0 1,483,696,000
Smart Schools Special Education Projects
Capital Projects Fund - Authority Bonds 0 0 0 2,862,000
State Aid Data System
Capital Projects Fund - Authority Bonds 41,000,000 0 (41,000,000) 41,000,000
State Supported Schools for the Blind and Deaf
Capital Projects Fund - Authority Bonds 30,000,000 0 (30,000,000) 60,000,000
Total 135,450,000 117,690,000 (17,760,000) 3,521,613,000

Note: Most recent estimates as of 05/11/2020