RELEASE: AQE Responds to 2012 Executive Budget Proposal

RELEASE

Alliance for Quality Education Responds to 2012 Executive Budget Proposal

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, January 17, 2012

 For Information: Nikki Jones, AQE Communications Director, (518) 432-5315

Statement of Billy Easton, Executive Director, Alliance for Quality Education

School Aid and Competitive Grants

“We commend Governor Cuomo for restoring $805 million in school aid; these funds will help students throughout the state.  The exact distribution of these funds and how much is prioritized to high need and average need school districts will take a few days to evaluate. We are greatly concerned that almost one-third of these funds could be distributed based on competition between school districts which has the potential to create a system of educational winners and losers among our students.  It is important to note that last year the state moved backwards on its commitment to quality education by enacting huge classroom cuts that resulted in larger class sizes and narrowing of the curriculum.  Students need the budget to focus on restoring these classroom cuts for all, not only for those whose schools win at a competition.”

Cost Savings through Centralizing School Bus Purchasing

“Governor Cuomo has proposed a new cost savings initiative that would centralize the purchasing of school buses through a single statewide contract. This is the type of cost saving initiative from the state we need to see more of and we commend Governor Cuomo for providing the leadership to advance this type of common sense cost savings solution.”

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