Approved SFY 2019-20 Budget Includes $27.86 Billion in School Aid

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Education Committee Chair Michael Benedetto today announced the approved State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2019-20 Budget will include $27.86 billion in funding to General Support for Public Schools (GSPS), an increase of $1 billion, or 3.7 percent, over the 2018-19 School Year (SY).

“The Assembly Majority recognizes that a quality education is the foundation to success for our students,” said Speaker Heastie. “Despite the financial challenges we face, we fought to deliver a $1 billion increase in state education aid for New York's students.”

“Making strong investments in our public schools helps us ensure every student has access to a basic sound education,” said Assemblymember Benedetto. “This budget reflects our continued commitment to ensuring a quality education for all of New York’s school children.”

“Libraries ensure equality in access to information and promote lifelong learning,” said Libraries and Education Technology Chair Sean Ryan. “This budget demonstrates the value that we place on the critical role libraries play in every community.”

The spending plan also includes a $618 million increase for Foundation Aid for a total of $18.4 billion to help fund the state's obligation to our neediest schools.

The budget extends mayoral control of the New York City School District for three years until June 30, 2022, and includes provisions to require increased parental involvement, such as appointing at least one more parent to the 13-member educational policy board.

The approved budget allocates $50 million for Community Schools Aid, for a total of $250 million. Community schools take a holistic approach to educating students by acting as community hubs and offering wrap around services including academic, health, mental health, social services and afterschool programs to students and their families

The budget also restores $2 million for the Supportive Schools Grant Program to help districts improve school climate, safety and implement the Dignity for All Students Act. The act seeks to provide the state's public elementary and secondary school students with a safe and supportive environment free from discrimination, intimidation, taunting, harassment and bullying. The plan also includes $1.5 million for mental health grants for junior high schools.

The spending plan also includes a $15 million increase in funding for grants for pre-kindergarten, for a total of $822 million.

Three years ago, New York became the first state in the nation to fund the My Brother's Keeper initiative. The initiative focuses on family and community engagement, professional development, the expansion and development of exemplary school practices and models, and addresses issues related to restorative justice and racial disparities in education. The SFY 2019-20 Budget includes $18 million in ongoing funding for My Brother's Keeper programs, for a total of $74 million in funding since the program's creation.

The enacted budget also includes an increase of $10 million for afterschool programs, as well as $1 million to help schools increase access to advanced courses.

The spending plan includes a total of $18.5 million for bilingual education grants, and $770,000 for training programs for teachers in bilingual/multi-lingual education. In addition, the budget provides $7.8 million in funding for Adult Literacy Education, which helps community organizations provide literacy and English language instruction across the state.

Among other things, the SFY 2019-20 Budget also includes funding for the following programs:

• $14 million for Teacher Resource and Computer Training Centers;
• $103.9 million for Schools for the Blind and Deaf (4201s);
• $2.3 million to eliminate remaining student costs under the reduced priced meal program; and
• $1.5 million restoration for the Consortium for Worker Education (CWE).

Libraries are the cornerstone of our communities. They ensure that everyone has access to the information and technology they need to succeed. The spending plan would restore $5 million to Aid to Public Libraries, for a total of $96.6 million for SFY 2019-20.