Governor Cuomo’s Budget Increases School Funding Disparities Based on Race & Poverty:

March 2, 2011 Legislative & Political Updates

Governor Cuomo’s Budget Increases School Funding Disparities Based on Race & Poverty:

Findings of Budget Analysis Prepared by Alliance for Quality Education for

NYS Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus Briefing

Albany—The Alliance for Quality Education presented a budget analysis to the NYS Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus at a briefing for Caucus members held at the State Legislative Office Building in Albany today.  The report was prepared by the Alliance for Quality Education and the Public Policy & Education Fund of New York. Governor Andrew Cuomo has proposed record setting $1.5 billion in cuts to public schools.  The report analyzes the differing impacts of these proposed cuts based on student demographics of poverty and race.  The report, titled Widening the Funding Gap: Race, Poverty and Governor Cuomo’s Education Cuts, also examines the impact of the cuts on funding from the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit.

In commenting on the report and the impacts of the cuts, Dr. John H. Jackson, the President and CEO of The Schott Foundation for Public Education said, “In our country, education is a civil right. The president has said it. Governor Cuomo has said it. New York has to assess what is necessary to provide students a fair and substantive opportunity to learn – and ensure that the resources necessary to do that are protected. The budget that is currently before the state does not accomplish that goal.  In fact it would be a setback because it takes back the funding provided under the Campaign for Fiscal Equity.  As proposed the Governor’s budget cuts would widen the gap in educational opportunity based on poverty, race and zip code.”

To read the full release, click HERE.