New York Schools Still Underfunded
New York Governor Cuomo gave his State of the State address on January 13th, mentioning numerous plans to increase educational opportunities for students in the state. He discussed community schools, preK programs, and increasing education funding. However, some education advocates have argued that the proposed funding increase still falls under what New York owes its public schools. One of our grantees, The Alliance for Quality Education (AQE), has released a new report that talks about the now decade-old Supreme Court case that mandated New York fully fund its education system, and shows what steps are really necessary to ensure that happens.
In his address, Governor Cuomo didn't spend too much time on education, but he did make some significant promises to New York schools: a one billion dollar funding increase, a preK program that includes three year olds, and an increase in community schools. This indicates a shift in focus from Governor Cuomo's now-embattled position on standardized testing, and appears to support some of the education initiatives Mayor Bill de Blasio has been implementing in New York City. But these plans do not seem substantive enough to AQE and their allies, or to many parents, students, and educators. The day before Cuomo's address, AQE helped organize a rally in the capitol building to try and encourage Cuomo to dedicate more funding to their public schools.
Cuomo's announcement failed to meet these hopes, as the one billion dollar funding increase still falls far short of what schools really need to provide a fair and equitable education to all their students. AQE lays out the history behind their fight New York Schools Still Underfunded | Schott Foundation for Public Education: