ALBANY, N.Y. (May 9, 2025) — In response to the finalization of the New York State Budget, public education advocacy organization Alliance for Quality Education released the following statement: “At a time when federal policies are gutting support for working families, New York had the opportunity to lead. This budget could have delivered real change: … Continue reading NY Budget Put Politics Over Progress, Leaving Children and Families Behind
Responding to the Senate Education Committee vote on S460
Statement from New Pride Agenda, Make the Road New York, NY Working Families Party and Alliance for Quality Education on today’s senate education committee vote on S460 Statement from Kei Williams, they/them, New Pride Agenda; Mateo Guerrero he/they, Make the Road NY; Ana Maria Archilla, she/her, NY Working Families Party, Marina Marcou-O’Malley, she/her, Alliance for … Continue reading Responding to the Senate Education Committee vote on S460
Hochul’s Late Budget Has Cut New York City’s Families Off From Child Care Support
“Starting today children in New York City are being cut off from the child care vouchers families rely on, all thanks to the political impasse that Governor Kathy Hochul has orchestrated over the late state budget — now the latest budget New York has had in 15 years,” said Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari and Marina Marcou-O’Malley, Co-Executive … Continue reading Hochul’s Late Budget Has Cut New York City’s Families Off From Child Care Support
AQE Responds to Governor Hochul’s Proposal to Weaken New York’s Substantial Equivalency Law
New York’s leaders should reject any deal that weakens substantial equivalence and the state’s responsibility to ensure a sound basic education for all students. Every young person – regardless of the school they attend – has the right to an education that includes core subjects like English and math. These subjects are not just academic … Continue reading AQE Responds to Governor Hochul’s Proposal to Weaken New York’s Substantial Equivalency Law
AQE Responds to Governor Hochul’s Budget Announcement
Black, brown, lower-income, and immigrant communities needed transformative investments: an updated Foundation Aid formula to ensure equitable school funding, significant investment in universal child care, and real economic justice. Instead, the announcement of the budget deal reflects incremental progress and continued compromises, leaving too many uncertain about their future. This repeated cycle of uncertainty over … Continue reading AQE Responds to Governor Hochul’s Budget Announcement
Mayor Adams announces expansion of free after-school programs with goal of making it universal
Mayor Adams proposed “After-School for All” expansion, priced at $331 million by the 2027-28 school year, may if implemented provide around 184,000 additional seats for public school students in kindergarten through 5th grade. Whether or not the eprogram can be truly universal and have enough seats to provide programming to any family who wants it … Continue reading Mayor Adams announces expansion of free after-school programs with goal of making it universal
Gov. Kathy Hochul announces $254 billion state budget deal
Nearly a month after the state budget was due, Governor Hochul announced a “general agreement” to pass a tentative $254 billion budget. Read the full article.
Hochul won’t rule out nonpublic school regs rollback in budget
Governor Hochul and legislative leaders are considering weakening education standards for nonpublic schools – including religious yeshivas – as part of budget negotiations, which could undermine recent stricter equivalency rules for public school alternatives. Critics warn that lowering standards, particularly for core subjects like math and English, risks harming students’ education and politicizing school accountability, … Continue reading Hochul won’t rule out nonpublic school regs rollback in budget
Trump signs orders to promote stricter school discipline, end analysis of racial disparities
President Trump signed executive orders reinstating stricter school discipline policies and banning the use of racial equity considerations, reversing Obama-era civil rights guidance that aimed to address disparities in suspensions and expulsions. The move, supported by many conservatives who blamed previous approaches to safety concerns, ignores data showing declining school violence and risks worsening racial … Continue reading Trump signs orders to promote stricter school discipline, end analysis of racial disparities
New York Democrats Push to Bring Back State Tax on Stock Sales
New York State Democrats, led by Senator James Sanders Jr. (10th SD) and Assemblymember Phil Steck (110th AD), co-hosted a press conference outside the New York Stock Exchange along side advocates, including AQE. Should the bills passing the return of this tax (repealed in 1981 since being in effect from 1905) pass, revenues gathered would … Continue reading New York Democrats Push to Bring Back State Tax on Stock Sales