Assemblymember Hunter: Assembly Budget Proposal Makes Major Investment in Education
Assemblymember Pamela J. Hunter (D-Syracuse) announced that the Assembly budget proposal includes sizable increases in funding for public schools in Central New York and across the state.
“A good education is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children,” Hunter said. “It’s vital that we provide our schools – especially low-income, high-need districts – with the funding they need. An investment in our education system is an investment in our children’s future.”
Included in the Assembly budget proposal is $27.1 billion in school aid – a $1.5 billion increase from last year’s budget and an $843 million increase over the executive budget proposal. It increases Foundation Aid by $1.2 billion for a total of $18.4 billion. Foundation Aid is critical to ensuring resources are directed in a fair and equitable manner, noted Hunter.
The Assembly proposal would modify the executive’s full-day kindergarten proposal to expand eligibility beyond the 2018-19 school year and have aid continue as part of the district’s Foundation Aid in future years. The Assembly plan also increases funding for prekindergarten grants from $15 million to $50 million.
In Syracuse, scores on state testing have remained below the state averages for math and English. In 2017, only 13.1 percent of students from grades 3-8 were considered proficient on English language arts exams. Additionally, Syracuse schools have received the second lowest test scores among the state’s 5 largest cities.1
“If we want to ensure that our students have the necessary resources to thrive, especially in high-need districts like Syracuse, we must focus on providing adequate school aid on the state level,” said Hunter.
Along with providing critical funding for education, the Assembly budget proposal also addresses other key issues, including combating homelessness and promoting clean energy.
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