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PRESS RELEASE

Many Positives in Executive Budget, Students Will Greatly Benefit

Highly Disappointed by Exclusion of School Meals Proposal

February 1, 2023 (Albany) – The NYS Congress of Parents and Teachers, Inc. (NYS PTA) is honored to represent the families of our 2.6 million school children and our 210,000 members.  It is our mission to make every child’s potential a reality and support EVERY child with ONE voice.

“As we continue to analyze the budget, we are very pleased that as promised, Foundation Aid continues to be fully funded – making true investments in our students. We are also extremely pleased with investments in PreK, Early College High Schools, PTECH, child care, mental health, and many other NYS PTA priorities” offered Kyle Belokopitsky, NYS PTA Executive Director. “We are highly disappointed, however, that there is no expansion in supports for our food insecure students, and the necessary and critical School Meals for ALL program was not included.”

“Working for a school district, I see the daily struggles of students, and their families,” offered Helen Hoffman, NYS PTA President. “A state funded School Meals for ALL program isn’t a luxury – it is an absolute necessity as food insecurity and hunger of our children continues to rise in each and every school and community in NYS.”

NYS PTA is initially pleased with:

Education

  • Full funding of Foundation Aid at an increase of $2.7 billion
  • Total increase in School Aid of $3.1 billion
  • A 3% minimum increase for all districts
  • Full funding for expense-based aids at $232 million
  • $10 million in school-based mental health programs
  • $125 million to add 17,500 seats for full day Pre-K 4
  • $250 million focus on academic recovery, with a new tutoring program – however this program should be separate from Foundation Aid, and not a set-aside
  • $20 million in grant funding for new ECHS and P-TECH programs, prioritizing support for students in high-need school districts, with programs focused on computer science and computer and software engineering
  • $10 million (over two years) in competitive funding for school districts, BOCES, and community colleges to develop strategic workforce plans – however we prefer non-competitive funding
  • $2.5 million for SED to study and design a new rate-setting methodology for certain special education schools
  • $8 million for capital improvements for State Schools for the Deaf
  • Support for Native American Reservation Schools
  • Support for Mandated Services Aid and STEM programs for Non-public Schools
  • Increasing funding for SUNY/CUNY

Health, Mental Health and Welfare

  • Increasing the excise tax on cigarettes from $4.35 to $5.35
  • Prohibiting the sale of all flavored tobacco products
  • Increase in residential mental health beds ($890 million)
  • Funding for 12 new Comprehensive Emergency Psychiatric Programs ($60 million in capital)
  • Requiring insurance companies to cover mental health services
  • Continued expansion of the 988 Crisis Line
  • Community based youth mental health support including $10 million in grants to suicide prevention programs targeting high-risk youth, $12 million for the HealthySteps program and HomeBased Crisis Intervention (HBCI) teams, and $5 million for High Fidelity wrap-around supports
  • Increased funding and support for Opioid prevention, addiction and recovery services

Children and Families

  • New tax credit for the creation and expansion of child care
  • Expansion of access to child care assistance by raising the income limit to the maximum allowable by federal law
  • $16 million for renovations to OCFS youth facilities
  • ConnectALL Broadband Initiative ($1.6 billion)
  • Increased funding for the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit

Environment

  • $38.8 million for lead inspection requirements in rental properties 
  • PFAS Clean Up Forever Chemicals Initiative
  • $10 million for small and underserved communities for PFAS testing

NYS PTA initially opposes:

  • Exclusion of a School Meals for ALL proposal, and the absence of a program to expand support for school-based children hunger and food insecurity
  • Elimination of the charter school cap in NYC
  • General concept of school aid set asides
  • General concept of school aid competitive funding

We humbly ask that the Governor and the Legislature continue to infuse our schools with the tools and resources necessary to accelerate the success of our children and families. Together, we can Support Kids and Raise Awareness. No other work is more important.

Source: NYS FY2024 State Budget Briefing Book

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