Will
continue fight for school aid
Assemblywoman
Addie J. Russell reacted today to the unveiling of the state Senate’s budget
proposal, says that it falls far short in several areas including aid to public
schools, how it funds Pre-K, and is critical of Senate’s failure to fix Common
Core.
The Assembly budget proposal
increased aid to schools by nearly $1.1 billion for SFY 2014-15, which is $402
million over the executive budget. The Senate resolution proposed increasing
general aid to schools by only $217 million.
“Schools across the North Country
have been crushed by years of budget cuts and are looking to Albany for a
lifeline,” Assemblywoman Russell said. “I was shocked to see how far short the
Senate fell in responding to the school funding crisis that we are facing. Now
that final negotiations are set to begin, I will be fighting with everything I
have to ensure our schools get the help they so desperately need.”
Additionally, the Senate budget
allocated $340 million of state money to the City of New York to fund full day
Pre-K, whereas the Assembly budget requires the City to fund their own system
out of their own revenue.
“I think parents around the North
Country would agree that if the City of New York wants to fund their own Pre-K
initiative, we should give them the opportunity and free up money that could be
used here instead,” Assemblywoman Russell said.
Assemblywoman Russell also noted that
the Senate has so far failed to meaningfully address the failed rollout of
Common Core.
“Last week, we passed legislation that
responsibly delayed the implementation of Common Core that will spare our kids
from high stakes testing without risking federal education funds,”
Assemblywoman Russell said. “The Senate missed an opportunity to deliver relief
from this horribly implemented program before Common Core testing resumes in
April. Parents, students and educators across the North Country are waiting for
the Senate to act to put the brakes on this program until our educators have
had the time and resources necessary to fix the Common Core.”
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