The New York State Assembly Chambers
ALBANY – Lawmakers in Albany are calling for a significant increase in school aid in the 2015-16 state budget.
On Monday, the New York Assembly finalized it’s version of the $150.7 billion state budget and care calling for an increase of $1.8 billion in school aid –$830 million more than the high end of Gov. Andrew Cuomo‘s proposed aid increase.
According to a report in the Albany Times Union, the Assembly released details of its one-house budget proposal Monday, including almost $24 billion in total school aid.
The proposal calls for $1 billion in foundation aid, $456 million in gap elimination adjustment restoration, and an $80 million increase in universal prekindergarten aid – which would see funding for U Pre-K go up by nearly 10 percent to $835 million.
The Assembly proposal also rejects the governor’s proposal to tie a package of education reforms to a larger school aid increase.
In January, the Governor said he’d like to see school aid increase by $1.1 billion – if lawmakers agree to his slate of reforms, which include tougher teacher evaluations and a plan that would allow “failing” schools to be taken over by outside entities.
The governor’s aid proposal increase would only be $377 million if his reforms are rejected by lawmakers.
The state Senate is also working on finalizing its version of the 2015-16 budget. Once that is completed, leaders from both the Senate and Assembly will begin the budget reconciliation process with the Governor, in hopes of finalizing and passing a final state budget before the April 1 deadline.
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