ALBANY, N.Y. (January 20, 2026) — In response to Governor Hochul’s executive budget address, the public education advocacy organization Alliance for Quality Education issued the following statement:
“New York needs to be a state where families thrive. Governor Hochul’s executive budget proposes some steps in the right direction, but doesn’t go far enough.
“Governor Hochul rightly acknowledged the ongoing harm caused by the federal government’s attacks, and the growing affordability crisis facing New York’s families. But naming the problem is not enough: New Yorkers need the Governor and State Legislature to meet this moment with the urgency and investment that it requires in the state budget,” said Marina Marcou-O’Malley and Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, Co-Executive Directors, Alliance for Quality Education.
“While we welcome the Governor’s commitment to fully funding Foundation Aid and providing an increase to all school districts, her executive proposal falls short of recognizing the reality in which public schools operate. Going another year without addressing issues with the Foundation Aid formula, such as the absence of an updated regional cost index and the increase in students experiencing homelessness or housing instability, perpetuates structural problems and perpetuates inequities. Any plan to address affordability must recognize that escalating costs of living and loss of federal funding are having a major impact on New York’s public schools right now, too. The Legislature must build on Governor Hochul’s proposal and ensure the enacted budget includes the long-overdue updates to the Foundation Aid formula to accurately reflect regional costs, meets the needs of all students, and is fully funded while allowing schools to improve.
“Governor Hochul’s proposed investments in pre-K would be transformational for four-year-olds and their families across the state, especially for the school districts that have not seen an increase in their funding for decades. The executive budget recommends the increase to $10,000 per child or the selected foundation aid amount, whichever is higher. This win is a direct result of the tireless advocacy of families, providers, and organizers across the state who have been fighting for truly universal, full-day pre-K for four-year-olds for many years.
“Building on the work that has been done over the years resulting in expansion of eligibility for child care, the executive proposal adds significant funding to the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), and implements pilot programs that prioritize low income families. However, without a permanent state investment in workforce wages in this budget, the Governor’s plan for universal child care will fail. Expanding access for families without paying educators a thriving wage is not a question of long term sustainability, as the Governor suggested, but an immediate crisis that we must address for the sake of the educators themselves, families, and the state economy. Without wage increases, programs will continue to be unable to staff classrooms, educators will continue to leave the field, and families will continue to be left without options for care. It is a setup for failure.
“The Governor was excited to share today that she’s found enough money to pay for her proposals already, without raising taxes. She even admitted that revenues are exceeding projections largely because the wealthiest New Yorkers continue to get richer, while families are struggling day to day just to put food on their table. Poll after poll has shown New Yorkers are ready to tax the ultra wealthy, many of whom are benefiting from the permanent tax breaks handed out by the Trump administration. Making New York a place where families thrive requires sustained investment.
“If the Governor is serious about her plan for universal child care being a success, she has the power to make it happen. New York has more than enough resources to fully fund its schools, pay child care educators a thriving wage, make universal child care a reality, and much more. It’s time for the Governor and State Legislature to rise to meet the moment, because half measures now will leave families, educators, and students paying the price.