Millions For CUNY And School Districts
Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, chairwoman of the Assembly Education Committee, announced that the Assembly passed a budget proposal which increases school aid by $806.4 million and increases community college funding by $56.9 million.
Specifically, the proposal in- creases school aid by $806.4 million and honors a two-year commitment made in 2011-12 to increase school aid by approximately four percent. The proposal directs $178 million to school districts through a renewed commitment to Foundation Aid.
Additionally, the Assembly budget proposal:
– provides $38 million in expensebased aids and rejects the plan to freeze this aid;
– restores $10.2 million to teacher resource and computer-training centers; and
– increases aid to public libraries by $1 million, providing $80 million in total funding;
– increases support for the Comprehensive Attendance Policy program for non-public schools by $1 million for a total of $27.2 million; and
– increases adult literacy education by $1 million for a total of $5.2 million.
“I’m working to make sure our schools have the funding they need to give our children the quality education they need to succeed in life,” Nolan said. “Adequate state funding for our schools equals better education opportunities for our children and less of a tax burden on our hardworking families.”
The Assembly budget proposal also increases support to $2,327 perfull time student for a total of $40.3 million for SUNY community colleges and $16.6 million for CUNY community colleges such as La- Guardia Community College in Long Island City. The base aid increase is $205 per-full-time student student, the first community college base aid increase since fiscal year 2007-08.
In addition, $1.3 million to CUNY child-care centers, a $544,000 restoration. It also adds $170 million in capital funding for CUNY.
“The Assembly is committed to increasing aid for community colleges, helping keep the dream of a college education in reach for even more working families,” Nolan said.
The proposal also provides $523.5 million for CUNY senior colleges and $87.8 million for SUNY hospitals.
Additionally, the Assembly budget proposal restores:
– $3.5 million to the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), providing $24.3 million;
– $1.7 million to Liberty Partnerships, providing $12.5 million;
– $1 million to the Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP), providing $10.8 million; and
– $778,000 to the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP), providing $8.2 million.
“The SUNY/CUNY system is well known for providing a top-notch education at a reasonable cost and allows higher education to remain within reach for all families,” Nolan said. “This year’s Assembly budget proposal helps maintain the affordability of the state’s public colleges and universities, and keeps the door to opportunity open for our young people.”
