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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

Help make a final push for Foundation Aid in the budget

Late last night, Governor Hochul announced a broad budget agreement — and although there were some specifics, when it comes to the Foundation Aid formula, the details are still not clear. However, based on what we know, there’s a real possibility that public schools across are at serious risk of losing significant funding due to Foundation … Continue reading Help make a final push for Foundation Aid in the budget

Last Minute Stand Needed for the Child Care Workforce Caring for Our Kids

We’re hearing a final budget deal has been reached – and once again, the budget is poised to leave the child care workforce behind. No permanent wage funding. No real plan to stabilize a system in crisis.  But it’s not over yet. Legislators are still finalizing the bills that will shape our state budget for … Continue reading Last Minute Stand Needed for the Child Care Workforce Caring for Our Kids

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

Urge Our Leaders to Protect Public Education Funding

Governor Hochul is delaying key funding decisions for public education, and we need your help to make sure our schools and their communities get the support they need. Email your representatives now, calling on them to prioritize public education in their final budget. First off, the Foundation Aid formula must be updated to make sure … Continue reading Urge Our Leaders to Protect Public Education Funding

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

We can expand access to affordable child care in New York. Let’s do it. | Opinion

Chair of the New York Senate Education Committee, Senator Shelley Mayer, wrote an opinion piece published in Lohud, on the importance of expanding CCAP in NYS, in order to better support New York State’s working families and child care workforce. Increased reliance on child care assistance since its recent expansions came into effect, show that … Continue reading We can expand access to affordable child care in New York. Let’s do it. | Opinion