Albany, NY – In response to the Assembly’s budget proposal for education, Karen Scharff, Executive Director of Citizen Action of New York, said:
“Community schools offer a proven strategy for putting struggling schools on a path to success. Along with Assemblymember Crystal Peoples-Stokes and Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, dozens of Citizen Action members yesterday called for an increased investment in community schools. We applaud Speaker Heastie, Assembly Education Chair Cathy Nolan and Assemblymember Peoples-Stokes for their leadership in including increased funding for community schools in the Assembly budget to help students who need it the most.
“The Assembly’s budget proposal would also begin to reverse years of underfunding of both our public education system and CUNY. We applaud the Assembly investment in the neediest school districts through foundation aid and helping more students receive higher education by freezing tuition at SUNY and CUNY schools.
“As our state’s leaders continue to negotiate the final budget, Citizen Action members across New York will be calling for a budget that puts the needs of students before tax breaks for the rich.”
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