After Mayor Eric Adams made cuts to free preschool for 3-year-olds, families faced more uncertainty and the possibility of larger child care bills. This change has sparked a competition to secure seats, causing a great deal of worry for lower- and middle-income families. Read the full article.
With Pandemic Money Gone, Child Care Is an Industry on the Brink
Five months after the expiration of federal funds, running a child care business is more precarious than ever, and many parents struggle to pay tuition, surveys show. Read the full article.
NYSUT and partners launch One-in-Five campaign to combat cycle of childhood poverty
The One-in-Five coalition, consisting of NYSUT and a coalition of stakeholders, is advocating for legislative measures to address childhood poverty in the state, including the Working Families Tax Credit, Mothers and Lasting Change, support for Medicaid services in schools, affordable housing, universal school meals, and $100 million in categorical funding for community schools. AQE’s Marina … Continue reading NYSUT and partners launch One-in-Five campaign to combat cycle of childhood poverty
What New York educators want in 2024
By Katelyn Cordero in Politico, 1 January 2024. Education advocates in New York seek crucial changes in 2024, focusing on revisions to the foundation aid formula, flexibility in zero-emission school bus mandates, and a fully funded universal school meals program. AQE’s interim Co-Executive Director, Marina Marcou-O’Malley, emphasized the importance of fully funding foundation aid and … Continue reading What New York educators want in 2024
Coalition Building for Change
In the pursuit of our 2024 priorities for education equity, we recently hosted a coalition meeting, bringing together our partners, including Make the Road, Citizen Action, New York Communities for Change, and the New York City Coalition for Educational Justice. This strategic session in Albany allowed our newest members to get familiar with our priorities … Continue reading Coalition Building for Change
NY had biggest public school enrollment drop in U.S. during pandemic
By Emilie Munson in the Times Union, 20 December 2023. This article reports on significant declines in New York’s public school enrollment due to varying reasons as declining birth rates, migration, and changes during the pandemic. It discusses issues like class size laws, funding, and mayoral control, reflecting concerns about reduced funding and challenges in … Continue reading NY had biggest public school enrollment drop in U.S. during pandemic
Moving New York Toward Educational Equity
This report sheds light on a pivotal moment in New York State’s education history. For the first time in its history, high-need majority Black and Latinx school districts across New York are receiving the long-overdue funding needed to provide students with a “sound basic education.” This achievement is a testament to the unwavering efforts of … Continue reading Moving New York Toward Educational Equity
AQE Responds to Arrest of Schenectady Student
Following the arrest of a Schenectady High School student on school grounds on Wednesday, the public education advocacy organization Alliance for Quality Education reiterates our position that policing children is not a solution that addresses root causes of disciplinary issues. Read the following statement in response: “Incidents like the one in Schenectady this week underscore … Continue reading AQE Responds to Arrest of Schenectady Student
Statement in Support of Jamaica Miles
Over the past 10 years, Jamaica Miles has worked with AQE as a parent, advocate, community leader, and member of the AQE board — years of experience that speak to her fierce commitment to educational and racial justice for Schenectady’s students and for children around the state. Jamaica was deeply involved in the decades-long statewide … Continue reading Statement in Support of Jamaica Miles
Legislators can raise revenue next week, but will they?
After nearly 6 weeks since passing the budget, New York’s lawmakers are returning to work on Tuesday. The legislature is expected to take up bills focused on the coronavirus pandemic. But, State Legislators have no plans to pass revenue-raising bills like taxing the ultra rich — the single most important thing that New York could … Continue reading Legislators can raise revenue next week, but will they?