State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF – Sag Harbor) announced the Assembly passed a state budget proposal that would increase aid to schools by nearly $1.1 billion for SFY 2014-15, the largest increase in six years (E.914). That’s $402 million over the executive budget’s formula aids for a total of $22.2 billion in state aid. Included in the increase is $335 million to accelerate the phase-in of Foundation Aid and $367 million for Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) restoration.

“I was pleased that the Assembly Budget Proposal increases the amount of education aid as proposed by the Governor,” said Assemblyman Thiele. “I will, however, continue to advocate that more funding be directed to eliminate the GEA for fiscally distressed school districts and reduce the GEA for all other districts by 50% in 2014, completely phase out the GEA for the non-stressed school districts over the next two years, and fully eliminate the GEA in 2015. “

The Assembly’s proposal is the first step in a multi-year plan that would provide schools with an increase of approximately $1 billion annually over each of the next four years.

“Ever since the 2008 financial crisis, New York’s schools have struggled with decreased state aid. Teachers were laid off, programs were cut and our children suffered for it,” Assemblyman Thiele said. “With the economy slowly coming back, the time to fully invest in our kids is now.”

Investing in full-day UPK

The Assembly’s budget proposal earmarks $100 million in universal, full-day pre-K funding for high-need districts. Under the plan, any unspent funds would be placed in a reserve account which would be available to districts in following years. That money could be used to establish full-day kindergarten if needed. Funding for this program would total $1.5 billion over the next five years.

“The Assembly’s commitment to pre-K will provide more children with the opportunity for quality early education, preparing them for success in school and beyond,” Assemblyman Thiele said.

Restoring funding for vital education programs

The Assembly’s budget proposal expands the $2 billion Smart School Bond Act proposal by an additional $302 million in an effort to update technology in the classroom. The funds could be used by nonpublic schools, approved private schools, special act schools and schools for the blind and deaf.

In addition, the Assembly budget proposal:

• restores $14.3 million for teacher resource and computer training centers;
• provides an additional $11 million to nonpublic schools, which includes $5 million to address prior year claims for the CAP program, for a total of $153.8 million;
• maintains funding at $5 million for the Pathways in Technology and Early College High School (P-TECH) program, and includes Career and Technical Education (CTE) High Schools as eligible grant recipients;
• restores $1.5 million for the Consortium for Worker Education;
• increases funding for bilingual education grants by $1 million;
• restores $1 million for adult literacy education; and
• restores and increases funding to $475,000 for the Executive Leadership Institute.

“The proposal put forward by the Assembly brings us closer to realizing the Assembly Majority’s goal of providing every student with the sound, quality education they deserve,” Assemblyman Thiele said. “I’ll continue fighting to make sure the focus remains on our children and providing schools with the resources they need.”

Investing in our libraries

The Assembly budget proposal restores $2 million of the executive’s $4 million cut to libraries, for a total of $84.9 million.

“This restoration is a good start as libraries and library systems provide all New Yorkers with access to a wide variety of resources, services, and educational and literacy programming,” said Assemblyman Thiele. “No other State-funded service serves so many people for so few dollars. As Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Libraries and Education Technology, I will continue to fight to bring the funding level as close to the $102.4 million that is required by NYS Education Law to maintain the critical information infrastructure that New York libraries provide.”