Watertown, NY - Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, said restoring fairness to school funding is a top priority in the coming weeks as budget negotiations get underway.
“North Country schools have been underfunded for years,” Russell said, “and it’s getting to the point where there is very little left to cut before our children are robbed of a basic education.”
In particular the Gap Elimination Adjustment - which has stripped away education funding since 2010 in order to close a gap in the state’s operating budget - has shortchanged local schools of millions of dollars in aid.
“The GEA has taken so much money out of our educational system that once stable school districts are on the verge of fiscal and educational insolvency,” Russell said. “I’m calling for an end to the five-year old GEA.”
In addition to eliminating the GEA, another focus for this year’s budget is driving funds into the state’s foundation aid formula which has seen minimal increases in recent years. There was a commitment to increased funding when the formula was created. Failure to do so has put our most valuable schools further behind.
“We must either increase funding that is distributed under the formula, or come up with a new way of funding our schools to ensure our children receive the education they need to become successful adults,” she said.
To help alleviate the financial stress local schools are dealing with, Russell is calling for an additional $2 billion in aid to schools beyond the $377 million proposed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.
Russell is also advocating for an increase in the reimbursement rate for free or reduced school lunches from six to 26 cents. The rate has not been increased in 40 years, which has resulted in districts subsidizing their cafeteria programs.
Finally, Russell is strongly advocating for the state to keep its commitment to fund full day pre-kindergarten across the entire state. In the North Country it’s essential the program comes bundled with assistance for transportation costs.
“Without accompanying transportation assistance, families who can’t drive their children to school in districts without the means to add new bus routes will be left out,” Russell said. “Full day pre-K funding with transportation aid to schools is essential if we want to ensure this program is available to our working poor.”