My Culture My Lens: January 2022

Monday, January 31, 2022

Update on NYS Budget: Good News & Bad News

Hi Ashley,

The good news:

For the first time, fully funding public schools through the Foundation Aid formula is a part of the executive budget proposal. The $1.6 billion increase in Foundation Aid, and $2.1 billion increase for public schools, will greatly support most school districts in New York. New York City's public schools are slated to receive a $349 million increase in Foundation Aid.

The bad news:

But the majority of New York City's school aid increase won't go to the public schools that serve a majority of students— it actually will go to privately run charter schools.

How can this be? State law that mandates that local school districts pay tuition to charter schools in that district — payments that in recent years have been two or three times larger than what the district spends on the students attending public schools. As a result, privately run charter schools get larger increases per student than public schools, even though they educate only a fraction of students.

Email your legislators now demanding they take action in the budget to ensure the majority of school aid increases go to the system serving the majority of students!

Click the graphic above to learn more

Let's break down those numbers: In New York City, public schools enroll 1,033,669 students, while charter schools enroll 145,000 students. And although New York City is getting a $349 million increase in Foundation Aid, the city is obligated to increase aid to charter schools by over $200 million. That means that 57% of the total increase in state operating aid for public schools is going to just 14% of students.

This imbalance in state aid increases between public and charter schools is nothing new. From 2019-2021, students at New York City's public schools have received an average increase in state aid of $471 per student. But at New York City's charter schools, students have received an average increase of $2,325 per student — nearly five times as much per pupil as public schools.

Send your legislator an email now to your representatives in Albany now! Tell the State Legislature that they must take action in the 2022-23 budget to ensure that the majority of school aid increases go to the system serving the majority of students, our traditional public schools.

In solidarity,

Jasmine Gripper

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Friday, January 28, 2022

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Thursday, January 27, 2022

Sign up for AQE's Rapid Response Team!

Ashley-

Everyone wants to live in a New York where all children have access to quality child care, early educators are paid a sustainable wage, and most of the school aid increases go to the systems serving the most students, so that we can build healthy communities where we all thrive, not just survive.

We know that Governor Hochul's executive budget proposal of expanding access to child care to families making less than $80,000 over the next three years and to invest $75 million in workforce salary increases is not enough to restore stability and viability to the child care system or to put the state on the path toward universal child care.

We also know state law mandates that local school districts pay tuition to charter schools in that district — resulting in the majority of NYC public school Foundation Aid increases going to privately owned charter schools despite serving only 14% of students.

That's why we're organizing a rapid response team to put pressure on state leaders to make sure they prioritize our students and communities during the 2022 budget session. Last year, the Rapid Response team was crucial in winning Foundation Aid after nearly three decades! Sign up to be a part of AQE's rapid response team.

We'll meet on Zoom starting in February for a series of virtual actions- from phone & text banking to twitter storms & more. Don't worry, if you don't know how to do something- we'll teach you! There's a place for everyone on the Rapid Response team. Sign up now!

We can work together to make bold and transformational change in New York. Sign up to be on AQE's Rapid Response team.

In Solidarity,

The Alliance for Quality Education

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