Yesterday, Governor Cuomo declared that he can’t raise taxes on wealthy New Yorkers, who he insists are already fleeing to second homes in the Hamptons and the Hudson Valley — so instead, he will close our budget deficit by slashing funding for public schools. New York State’s legislators can and must act immediately to tax … Continue reading It’s time for NY to tax the wealthy & invest in schools
NY’s schools just lost $5 billion in state aid
Governor Cuomo has chosen to hold state education aid hostage in a political game of chicken with Congress, and New York’s students are the ones paying the price. Last week the New York State budget office informed school districts statewide that it was cutting 20 percent of the state aid to school. Statewide, New York’s schools … Continue reading NY’s schools just lost $5 billion in state aid
Schools Hit with 20% Cut Right Before Start of School Year
ALBANY, N.Y. (August 19, 2020) — Last week the New York State budget office informed school districts statewide that it was temporarily withholding 20 percent of the State’s payments. This presents a major challenge for all New York school districts, but is catastrophic for the Big Five. Statewide, New York’s schools stand to lose over $5 … Continue reading Schools Hit with 20% Cut Right Before Start of School Year
New York’s School Reopening Plan Has Failed Before It Begins
Schools lack the resources required to meet the needs of students for in person and remote learning ALBANY, N.Y. (August 7, 2020) — In response to Governor Cuomo’s announcement allowing New York State school districts to reopen in the fall if the COVID-19 infection rate remains low, the public education advocacy organization Alliance for Quality … Continue reading New York’s School Reopening Plan Has Failed Before It Begins
Long Island Communities Hit Hardest by COVID-19 Have Most Underfunded Schools
Impacted districts face $46 million in further state cuts Massapequa, N.Y. (July 28, 2020) — Long Island’s Black, Latinx and low-income children are at the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of pre-existing health disparities, limited community resources and chronically underfunded schools. A new report, Sickness, Death & Cuts: The impact of COVID-19 … Continue reading Long Island Communities Hit Hardest by COVID-19 Have Most Underfunded Schools
Tell Our State Leaders: Enact Revenues Now!
As school districts plan to reopen in the fall — whether in person, remote, or a combination of the two — and beyond, one thing is certain: our students deserve a quality education, and that basic right is being denied to too many Black, Brown and low-income students. Our children deserve a school reopening that … Continue reading Tell Our State Leaders: Enact Revenues Now!
Roadmap to a Just Reopening & Just Schools
AQE Releases Community-Centered Roadmap for a Just School Reopening
ALBANY, N.Y. (July 10, 2020) — Public education advocacy organization the Alliance for Quality Education released a “roadmap” for reopening New York’s public schools in September, centering the recommendations and voices of parents, students, educators and others in cities and communities across the state. As New York’s school districts grapple with how to safely reopen school buildings … Continue reading AQE Releases Community-Centered Roadmap for a Just School Reopening
The rich are getting richer
We need New York’s elected leaders to protect children, not billionaires. School districts have been forced to make cuts to vital services and programs all while New York’s 112 billionaires collectively saw their wealth increase by $59.5 billion in the past four months. In the midst of uprisings and a public health crisis, lawmakers are … Continue reading The rich are getting richer
Winning Police Free Schools in Rochester
In March, just before the New York State budget deadline, AQE made a pivotal decision early on to focus on transitioning our community organizing and advocacy to an entirely online platform. The state budget negotiations didn’t miss a beat, so we couldn’t either.