Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee: 2013-14 State Budget Makes Major Commitment to Education with $936.6 Million Increase in School Aid

Increases funding to community colleges by $150 per-FTE student

March 29, 2013

Assemblymember Ellen Jaffee (D- Rockland) announced she helped pass a

2013-14 state budget that increases school aid by $436 million over the executive’s budget proposal, or a $936.6 million increase over last year. The spending plan also increases community college base aid by $150 per-FTE student for the second year in a row (A.3007-D).

“A community is only as strong as its schools,” said Jaffee. “And I’m pleased by our best efforts to increase funding. By increasing school aid we will be able to provide our children and young adults with the quality education they deserve, hold property taxes in check and keep the dream of a college degree alive for more working families. As we move forward I will continue to focus on funding our schools here in Rockland and ensuring a quality education for all public school students.”

Investing in our children’s future

The budget provides $20.8 billion in total Formula Base Aids for the 2013-14 school year, a $936.6 million increase over the 2012-13 school year.

“Too many of our local schools are struggling to maintain a quality education for our children while keeping property taxes down,” Jaffee said. “Increasing state aid will give our children access to programs that help in their development and better prepare them for the jobs of the future. Also, more education aid will give property taxpayers relief and help save jobs at our schools.”

The budget also includes $25 million for full-day and half-day pre-kindergarten grants. This new investment will allow for more full-day pre-K programs across the state and additional half-day pre-K slots.

“Giving our children an earlier start to education better prepares them for the future,” Jaffee said. “The Assembly Majority has been a major supporter of pre-K funding because studies show it helps children get ahead.”

The final budget also:

• increases expense-based aids by $228 million;
• restores $517.5 million to Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA);
• increases Foundation Aid by $171.3 million over the executive budget;
• restores $68 million in High Tax Aid;
• restores $14.26 million to teacher resource and computer training centers;
• increases funding to Adult Literacy Education by $1 million, for a total of $6.23 million;
• increases aid to public libraries by $4 million;

Increasing higher education funding

The 2013-14 budget highlights the important role that community colleges like RCC play across the state. The spending plan increases support to $2,422 per-full time equivalent (FTE) student at SUNY community colleges. The base aid increase is $150 per-FTE student, which is the second consecutive increase in community college base aid.

In order to assist counties, SUNY is also required to create a standard certificate of residence form, establish a uniform methodology for calculating community college chargeback, create an online chargeback training program and assist in the development and implementation of an online or electronic chargeback billing system.

“New York has one of the finest higher education systems in the nation,” Jaffee said. “It’s vital that we continue to grow our higher education system and improve infrastructure so students have quality places to learn.”

The budget also creates the Graduation, Achievement and Placement (GAP) program, which will provide $1.7 million to fund a comprehensive remedial education plan for SUNY community colleges as well as $3 million in incentive funding for SUNY community college certificate and workforce programs based upon certain measures of student success.

“Adequate funding for local community colleges is imperative to create a highly skilled workforce,” Jaffee said. “Community colleges provide many with the skills they need to be successful and the budget helps ensure that these colleges remain affordable.”

Additionally, the budget provides a 3 percent increase in funding for college opportunity programs, including:

• $25 million to the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), an increase of $728,040;
• $21.7 million to the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), an increase of $632,430;
• $12.9 million to the Liberty Partnerships Program, an increase of $376,250;
• $11.1 million to the Science and Technology Entrance Program (STEP), an increase of $324,030; and
• $8.4 million to the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP), an increase of $245,520.

“The budget continues our strong commitment to higher education by increasing funding to the SUNY system, ensuring our young people have access to a quality and affordable education,” Jaffee said. “A college education is needed in today’s competitive job market. By keeping college affordable we are investing in our students and our state’s future.”

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