ALBANY - The state board of Regents on Tuesday identified the 55 school districts that will be required to spend much of their increased state aid on specific ways to improve instruction.

From rural school systems to New York City, the Regents set regulations on how the districts will have to implement the state's new Contracts for Excellence included in the state budget adopted April 1.

Of the $490 million provided to the school districts, $317 million will go to those in New York City and will be released only when schools provide specific ways to improve student achievement that are approved by the state.

Districts will be able to use the money to hire more teachers if it reduces class size, make school days longer, provide added training for teachers and principals, restructure middle schools, add full-day pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten, among other measures.

Fifteen percent can be used for experimental programs grounded in solid research.

Districts must submit their plans to the state in July and enact the programs in September.

Districts in the Contracts for Excellence program had substantial state aid increases but still had at least one school identified as in need of improvement.

To learn more

The districts are listed on the state Education Department's Web site http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/attachmenta.htm.