Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara is launching this year’s Student Cabinet program, bringing together high school students from across the 111th District to examine how changing education funding conditions – including uncertainty around future federal support – may impact local schools.

The Student Cabinet, now in its 12th year, gives students a direct role in reviewing real budget challenges and proposing solutions. With New York State currently evaluating its school funding formula and districts watching for potential shifts in federal aid, the Cabinet will focus on how these broader trends shape classroom resources, school programs, and student opportunities.

“Students are directly affected by the decisions we make in Albany and in Washington,” said Assemblyman Santabarbara. “This program gives them a seat at the table to analyze the issues and offer their own ideas.”

What Students Will Examine:

• How changes in federal education funding could affect local districts
• State budget pressures and the ongoing review of New York’s Foundation Aid formula
• Differences in funding across rural, urban, and suburban schools
• How schools plan for resources when funding streams remain uncertain
• Student-led budget presentations, including debates over the priorities, trade-offs, and decisions they make during the simulation

More than 40 students representing six Capital Region school districts will participate in hands-on budget simulations, review district-level data, and present their proposals in a policymaking discussion modeled on the legislative process.

EVENT DETAILS:

WHAT: Launch of the 2025–2026 Student Cabinet Program

WHO: Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara and participating high school students

WHERE: Union College Conference Center at College Park Hall, 450 Nott Street, Schenectady

WHEN: Monday, December 1, 2025 – 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM (media availability at 10:00 AM)

The Student Cabinet provides an opportunity for the media to hear from students directly about the challenges and priorities shaping the future of public education in New York.