On Saturday, Assemblymember Fred W. Thiele Jr. (I-Sag Harbor) and his colleagues in the New York State Assembly passed a state budget for FY2023 that includes an unprecedented level of funding and support for education.

"By fully investing in our schools and our teachers, we can ensure that every child has access to a quality education," said Assemblymember Thiele. "I am immensely proud that this budget passed by the Assembly upholds the promise of fully funding Foundation Aid for the second year, delivers exceptional academic supports for recovering districts, and enhances early childhood education.”

Highlights of the FY-2023 budget for education is as follows:

Historic Education Funding: The FY2023 budget provides the highest level of school aid funding in New York State history for a total of $31.2 billion in general support for public schools, representing an increase of $2.1 billion from last year. The enacted budget also includes $21.3 billion in Foundation Aid, representing an increase of $1.5 billion from last year and a guaranteed 3% minimum increase for all school districts. Districts receiving less than 3% in total aid is to account for the past completion of certain state-funded projects. Districts within Assemblyman Thiele’s district will receive the following in state aid:

• Hampton Bays: $11,224,010: (27.55% increase)
• Southampton: $3,295,660 (11.18% increase)
• Bridgehampton: $1,009,728 (21.27% increase)
• Eastport-South Manor: $39,043,728 (1.55% increase)
• Tuckahoe: $1,136,626 (.69% increase)
• East Quogue: $1,747,404 (7.89% increase)
• Oysterponds: $542,335 (29.31% increase)
• Fisher Island: $300,877 (.53% increase)
• Southold: $2,196,221 (10.05% increase)
• Greenport: $2,423,532 (25.31% increase)
• Mattituck-Cutchogue: $3,148,568 (4.16% increase)
• Riverhead: $56,345,179 (16.31% increase)
• Shelter Island: $683,620 (5.03% increase)
• Remsenburg: $653,886 (5.09% increase)
• Westhampton Beach: $2,753,791 (8.23% increase)
• Quogue: $419,655 (2.17% increase)
• William Floyd: $169,082,728 (15.47% increase)
• Center Moriches: $16,363,019 (21.19% increase)
• East Moriches: $7,133,621 (4.03% increase)
• East Hampton: $3,743,942 (9.79% increase)
• Amagansett: $429,428 (7.69% increase)
• Springs: $2,282,660 (11.76% increase)
• Sag Harbor: $2,025,650 (7.42% increase)
• Montauk: $957,379 (.04% increase)

Universal Pre-Kindergarten: The budget ensures young children and parents can access the high-quality pre-kindergarten programs they depend on with an additional investment of $125 million for a total of $1.1 billion in total funding. This increase is expected to provide program access to over 17,500 four-year-old children and, in the next three years, increase to ensure universal pre-kindergarten in every school district.

Mental Health Support: The budget includes $100 million in matching funds over two years for districts to address student wellbeing and learning loss in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Districts will be able to utilize this funding for mental health professionals, afterschool programs, and extended school programs.

Teacher Recruitment and Retention: The budget includes measures to ensure New York continues to hire and support our teachers. New funding will provide for the creation of a teacher residency program, expand alternative teacher certification programs, and temporarily waive the income cap for school retirees willing to return to teaching.

Greener School Districts: The budget makes significant strides towards ensuring a better climate future for our children. The state will provide $500 million through the Environmental Bond Act to support the purchase of electric school buses to ensure all buses on the road in 2035 are zero-emission. Districts will also be supported in modernizing and investing into more eco-friendly infrastructure through the Clean Green Schools provision of the Bond Act should it be supported by voters this November.