The Senate and Assembly returned to Albany on Monday afternoon to approve a third short-term budget extender, as submitted by Governor Hochul. This extender runs through Thursday, April 16. By Thursday, the state budget will be more than two weeks late. The Senate is scheduled to return Albany on Wednesday while the Assembly is scheduled to return on Thursday.
Lawmakers have begun to publicly express frustration, as many of the headline proposals and considerations have yet to be resolved – including state and New York City revenue raisers, car insurance reform, energy and environmental policy reforms and possible changes to immigration enforcement coordination.
As continues to be the case, school funding and education policy have been relatively low on the list of contentious issues this state budget cycle. The Governor proposed full-funding of reimbursement aids, full-funding of the current Foundation Aid formula and a minimum 1% increase in Foundation Aid. Both the Senate and Assembly proposed full-funding of reimbursement aids, full-funding of the current Foundation Aid formula (with some modest adjustments to ELL and homeless/foster student weightings) and a slightly higher minimum 2% increase in Foundation Aid.
State Budget Advocacy
Yesterday, NYSSBA joined our statewide partners in education, including groups representing superintendents, business officials, principals and administrators, parents and the state’s Big 5 school districts to release a joint memo addressing the proposed expansion of universal prekindergarten. The memo applauded the executive budget proposal to expand and streamline universal prekindergarten funding, while stressing a number of adjustments that would allow districts to more effectively and efficiently operate such programs – including making prekindergarten transportation aidable, expanding building aid eligibility for prekindergarten classrooms and ensuring that “grow your own” teaching programs and other workforce development efforts include the early education workforce. You can read that memo here.
The prekindergarten memo adds to the previous list of four memos our groups jointly released earlier this month, addressing our organizations’ positions on Foundation Aid, special education funding, prior year aid claims and the zero-emission school bus transition mandate.
Grassroots Advocacy Opportunity
Until the state budget is finalized, there is still time for you to advocate for your schools and your students! Through our Take Action email campaign, you can send these budget priorities directly to the Governor and your state legislators. The letter is customizable, enabling you to reflect the needs of your specific district or BOCES. And please feel welcome to share this opportunity with your broader school community.
2026 Resolutions and NYSSBA Position-Setting Process
Yesterday, NYSSBA shared via email the 2026 Resolution Kit. The kit includes 2026 Resolution Survey results, key dates, a link to proposed resolution and bylaw amendment forms and other important information about NYSSBA's resolutions process. The resolutions process is an important one, by which NYSSBA members set the advocacy positions and beliefs of the Association. All proposed resolutions and bylaw amendments must be received no later than 5pm on Friday, July 17. The 2026 NYSSBA Annual Business Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 15 at 4pm.