ALBANY, N.Y. (November 4, 2026) — In response to the 2026 midterm election results, public education advocacy organization Alliance for Quality Education released the following statement from Co-Executive Directors, Marina Marcou-O’Malley and Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari: “Last night voters across New York and the nation rejected an agenda that protects billionaire fortunes while asking working families to … Continue reading The People WON Last Night
Families and advocates across New York have fought for years to make our schools more equitable, and that work has brought important progress, but racism continues to shape how students are treated in school. Black and brown students are too often criminalized for their behavior, and Black students and students with disabilities disproportionately lose classroom … Continue reading Help end a racist legacy of pushing students out of school
Too many students in New York are losing classroom time to suspensions that do little to address behavior and instead push young people further to the margins and away from their education. Black and brown students, immigrant youth, LGBTQIA+ students, and students with disabilities bear these harms disproportionately, reinforcing inequities, and deepening inequities. The Judith … Continue reading It’s Time to Pass Solutions Not Suspensions
NEW YORK, N.Y. (October 5, 2026) — In response to New York City’s announcement that it will move 10,000 children ages 6 weeks to 13 years off the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) waitlist, public education advocacy organization Alliance for Quality Education released the following statement: “Today’s announcement is a major step toward getting more … Continue reading NYC Tackling Child Care Waitlists Will Bring Relief to Families, Momentum for Universal Child Care Statewide
ALBANY, N.Y. (October 2, 2026) — In response to new federal regulations governing a tax credit voucher program that would let individual taxpayers receive up to $1,700 off their federal tax bill for contributions to scholarship-granting organizations, and as Governor Hochul considers whether to opt New York into this program, the Alliance for Quality Education … Continue reading AQE responds to new federal voucher rules, urging Hochul to stay out
ALBANY, N.Y. (September 29, 2026) — In response to renewed debate over New York State’s Regents exams and graduation requirements, the public education advocacy organization Alliance for Quality Education released the following statement from Co-Executive Directors, Marina Marcou-O’Malley and Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari: “For seven years, the State Education Department and Board of Regents have worked with … Continue reading AQE responds to the Debate Over New York’s Regents Graduation Requirements
ALBANY, N.Y. (September 8, 2026) — The public education advocacy organization Alliance for Quality Education released a new report today, What Students and Families Lose When School Districts Face Budget Pressure, examining how local budget pressures shape educational opportunity across New York. Drawing on district budgets and state data, the report examines how statewide funding … Continue reading New AQE Report Connects State Budget Decisions to District-Level Pressures Across New York
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 … Continue reading Funding public schools for the students they serve
ALBANY, N.Y. (July 16, 2026) — The public education advocacy organization Alliance for Quality Education responded to reports that Salamanca High School, located on the Seneca Nation, will begin using a humanoid robot as a teaching assistant in classrooms this fall: “We want our children prepared for the future, including a strong foundation in STEAM … Continue reading AQE Responds to Plans for Humanoid Robot at Salamanca High School
