Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, AQE’s Co-Executive Director, joined a panel at a community town hall in Park Slope, where over 200 Brooklynites gathered to strategize ways to resist the harmful policies of Trump’s second term. The event, hosted by City Councilmember Shahana Hanif, highlighted the urgent need for collective action on immigration, public education, and reproductive rights. … Continue reading Gounardes, Hanif and Simon host town hall
Comptroller Lander, Parents, Advocates, and Centers Facing Closure Stand Up for Child Care
The Adams Administration has proposed cutting $300 million from essential early childhood education programs, including 3K, PromiseNYC, and special education services, jeopardizing child care access for New York City’s working families. Comptroller Brad Lander, joined by parents and advocates, including AQE’s own Smitha Milich, criticized the cuts, emphasizing the growing child care affordability crisis and … Continue reading Comptroller Lander, Parents, Advocates, and Centers Facing Closure Stand Up for Child Care
Community Groups, Unions Hold Protest Outside Mayor Adams’ State Of The City Address
A coalition of grassroots community groups, unions, and New Yorkers, including AQE, protested outside Mayor Eric Adams’ State of the City address, condemning policies and budget cuts that harm working-class residents. Joining groups like Freedom Agenda and NYCC, we called for a city that prioritizes education, housing justice, and community-led public safety, while challenging the … Continue reading Community Groups, Unions Hold Protest Outside Mayor Adams’ State Of The City Address
Advocating For Child care In New York
In our recent letter to the Massapequa Post editor, we called on New York State’s leaders to take bold action in 2025 by prioritizing funding for child care, public education, and a strong safety net for all families. By taxing the state’s millionaires, billionaires, and highly profitable corporations, we can ensure the resources needed to … Continue reading Advocating For Child care In New York
Children’s advocates urge Eric Adams to fund universal 3-K, summer school, despite federal dollars running out
The Coalition for Equitable Education Funding, which AQE is part of, is calling on Mayor Eric Adams to protect vital education programs in his upcoming fiscal year 2026 budget proposal. With the expiration of temporary pandemic-era funding, programs like universal 3-K, arts education, and restorative justice initiatives are at risk of being cut. The coalition … Continue reading Children’s advocates urge Eric Adams to fund universal 3-K, summer school, despite federal dollars running out
Ten child care policy priorities for New York in 2025
Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, Co-Executive Director of the AQE, urges New York state leaders to prioritize substantial investments in child care, highlighting the need for increased funding and fair compensation for workers. Without bold action, the state risks perpetuating inequities that harm vulnerable children and families, undermining their future success. Read the full article.
Hochul vetoes 2 child care bills, drawing advocates’ ire
Governor Kathy Hochul vetoed two critical child care bills near the end of December 2024, despite bipartisan support in the legislature. The Decoupling Bill and the Minimum Earnings Requirement Bill were both aimed at expanding child care access for working families, especially those with unpredictable work schedules or low wages. AQE and the Empire State … Continue reading Hochul vetoes 2 child care bills, drawing advocates’ ire
Rockefeller Institute report urges ‘significant change’ to Foundation Aid formula
The Rockefeller Institute of Government’s report, released Monday, December 2, recommends updating New York’s Foundation Aid formula to better reflect current student needs and regional costs. AQE appreciated many of the proposals, noting alignment with efforts to address educational disparities, while emphasizing the need for the state to fully fund schools. Notable Rockefeller recommendations include … Continue reading Rockefeller Institute report urges ‘significant change’ to Foundation Aid formula
How should NY dole out billions in school aid? Report suggests changes in outdated scheme
The Rockefeller Institute’s recent study on New York’s Foundation Aid formula offers a range of proposed changes aimed at addressing long-standing inequities in school funding. The report includes suggestions such as adjusting how poverty levels and English language learner needs are measured, which could lead to more equitable aid distribution. However, reactions to the report … Continue reading How should NY dole out billions in school aid? Report suggests changes in outdated scheme
NY school funding formula needs an overhaul, more than 100 organizations urge
A coalition of over 100 New York organizations is pushing for a comprehensive overhaul of the state’s outdated school funding formula, known as Foundation Aid, which has not kept pace with current student needs. AQE’s Co-Executive Director, Marina Marcou-O’Malley, highlighted that similar concerns are echoed across all districts and criticized the governor’s past discussions about … Continue reading NY school funding formula needs an overhaul, more than 100 organizations urge