In 2026, with all of you, AQE helped win a stronger school aid increase than the Governor initially proposed. We also helped win updates to the school funding formula so districts receive more funding to support students who are experiencing homelessness or are in foster care, along with more funding for English Language Learners. These changes move New York closer to a formula that reflects the needs of students in public schools today. The enacted budget also moved pre-K funding forward by raising rates and continuing investment in New York City’s 3-K program.
School funding is a racial and economic justice issue. Students do not arrive at school with the same resources around them, and the state has a responsibility to account for the inequities students are living through. New York has fully funded Foundation Aid under the current formula, but that does not mean the formula fully reflects the growing needs of students today.
There’s still more work to be done. The formula still needs further updates, including how the state accounts for the cost of running schools in different regions. Pre-K funding still needs a fairer structure that keeps pace with local costs and does more to support high-need districts and community-based programs.
This summer, AQE organizers will be out tabling and talking with families. We’ll also be digging into where and why some school districts are facing cuts, despite overall funding increases, with more reporting on that coming later this summer. We’ll keep pushing elected officials to understand that fully funding an outdated formula cannot be the end of the conversation. Public schools should be funded around the needs of the students they serve, not around what Albany is willing to call enough.