Gov. Overlooks Decades of Advocacy of Black & Brown Parents

ALBANY, N.Y. (March 20, 2024) — Following comments made by Gov Hochul regarding the Foundation Aid formula as reported by Politico on Tuesday, the public education advocacy organization Alliance for Quality Education released this response:

“It is disappointing, and, were it not so serious, even comical, that Governor Hochul wants us to to believe she can claim credit for finally fulfilling Foundation Aid after 30 years, and yet in the same breath defend her own executive proposal that would make cuts to the same victory that she wants to hold,” said Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, Co-Executive Director, Alliance for Quality Education.

“The Governor’s attempt to claim the historic Foundation Aid increases over the past three years as her own doing erases the years of work that Black, Brown and low-income parents, students and educators did — and continue to do — to fight for our children’s education. In fact, thanks to her proposed cuts, these parents are back in Albany again this year, fighting once again to defend a governor’s cuts to schools. So far she has refused to acknowledge their calls.

Governor Hochul justifies her proposed changes by saying the formula is outdated and inequitable, while audaciously ignoring the calls from both houses of the legislature, experts and SED itself to fund a study to improve the formula’s ability to meet students’ needs.

“New York’s parents, students and educators prevailed in fulfilling Foundation Aid because of the promise of one lawsuit — the Campaign for Fiscal Equity. We commend Michael Rebell for using that leverage that we have to make sure the children of New York and public schools have a fully funded education system.

“Governor Hochul is playing political games to get sound bites in the press. We look to the State Legislature to hold the line on rejecting her proposals to alter and cut Foundation Aid in the enacted budget, and refocus the conversation back to the needs of students.”