Special funding of $25,000 will help the Canton Central School district cover the cost of a joint merger study with the Potsdam Central School District.

State Sen. Patty Ritchie (R-Heuvelton), whose 48th Senate District includes Canton, announced the funding Tuesday.

Ritchie said the money will help the two neighboring school districts explore options for increased efficiency in delivering educational programs, in administration, and other possible areas of savings.

“It’s so critical that students here in the North Country are provided the best educational opportunities possible,” said Ritchie. “That’s why I’ve been working hard to secure increased funding and create a more equitable financial aid formula that benefits our local schools that are looking to be creative in finding ways to stretch every dollar.”

Ritchie is counting up the money that her office has been able to deliover to Canton schools.

Last year, Canton received a total of $125,000 in unrestricted funding on top of the $1.752 million in additional school aid Ritchie said she helped secure for the district over the past two years.

This year the state Legislature increased its commitment to New York’s public schools with schools in Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence County receiving an increase of more than $25 million in aid, more than $7 million than originally proposed by the governor.

Ritchie’s district includes Ogdensburg and the towns of Hammond Oswegatchie, Waddington, Lisbon, Morristown, Louisville, Canton, Madrid, DeKalb, DePeyster, Gouverneur, Edwards, Fowler, and Rossie in St. Lawrence County, and Jefferson and Oswego counties.