Governor Hochul gave the annual State of the State address this afternoon from the Egg in Albany. The Governor outlined her priorities for the new legislative session, which began on January 7th.
Among the proposals the Governor laid out, several were related to education, school facilities and student support. One significant proposal that the Governor announced in today’s State of the State Address, and that was previewed a week prior to delivering the speech, was a three-year phase-in of fully universal pre-kindergarten by 2028-29. NYSSBA has several positions directing our Association to advocate for increased support and funding for pre-kindergarten programs. We are pleased that this proposal aims to do just that. As more details are released, we will update you further on the proposed specifics.
The Governor also proposed:
- Statewide supports to provide instructional best practices in the teaching of math;
- Targeted support for current classroom teachers in science-based reading instruction;
- Efforts to address teacher shortages;
- Clean, Green Schools Program to support infrastructure and nature-based solutions to combat extreme heat in schoolyards;
- Youth mental health initiatives; and
- New York’s own set of immunization standards.
NYSSBA expects the governor to build on these proposals during her upcoming executive budget presentation. You can find NYSSBA’s full press release here.
NYSSBA expects the governor to build on these proposals during her upcoming executive budget presentation. Following the release of the executive budget, we will follow up with a more thorough analysis of the Governor’s proposals. In the meantime, NYSSBA staff will continue to engage with the Executive and Legislature and update our members on our legislative priorities as the 2026 legislative session gets under way.
State and Federal Member Advocacy Opportunities
February 1-3, 2026 – NSBA National Advocacy Institute
We invite you to join us in Washington, DC for the National School Boards Association’s (NSBA) Annual Advocacy Institute. The event is focused on advocacy skills and federal priorities along with a Hill Day. Several members of the Governmental Relations Department will be on hand attending sessions and we will be scheduling meetings with members of the New York Delegation. To join us, you can find details here.
Friday, February 6, 2026 – NYSSBA Annual Capital Conference (Virtual)
Sponsored by Utica National Insurance Group
This half-day morning live virtual advocacy conference will feature conversations with state policymakers, a review of the executive budget proposal and other important information to support your local advocacy efforts. As we have done in the past, the event will be recorded and shared with our members.
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 – NYSSBA Annual Lobby Day (In-Person)
Join us for our annual Lobby Day at the NYS Capitol. We will provide a light breakfast, coffee, and talking points. Legislative meetings are scheduled by attendees.