Statement on 2020 State of the State Agenda

Jan 8, 2020 | Statements

The following can be attributed to Ian Rosenblum, Executive Director of The Education Trust–New York:

“Governor Cuomo’s 2020 State of the State agenda raises the profile of several important educational equity issues. We are eager to better understand the details of these proposals as more information is made available during the budget process, as well as to see how other vital issues affecting historically under-served students – including improving equitable access to advanced courses in middle and high school and reducing the use of out-of-school suspensions – are addressed in the Executive Budget proposals later this month.”

Expanding tax credits to cover families with infants and toddlers

“Being financially stable can help reduce the devastating effects of chronic stress on families with young children. Governor Cuomo’s proposal to expand the Empire State Child Tax Credit to families with children ages 0-3 with income under $50,000 would be an important and exciting step. We look forward to learning more details about how this program will benefit families at the lowest income levels.

“We also believe it is vital to address the crisis in access to affordable high-quality child care, and we hope that this issue is prioritized in the state budget.”

Making college more affordable

“College affordability remains a critical issue for first-generation college hopefuls and families that are low-income. Governor Cuomo’s proposal to expand the Excelsior Scholarship to families earning up to $150,000 would provide clear benefits to middle-class families. As additional budget details are released, we are eager to understand whether there is also a commitment to provide additional relief to families that are low-income, who still face enormous affordability challenges beyond the cost of tuition.

“In addition, Governor Cuomo’s proposals to ensure accountability and transparency for for-profit colleges are an important pillar of educational equity and consumer protection. Likewise, the Governor’s proposal to address food insecurity by expanding access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for college students can provide a lifeline to New York students.”

Providing more resources to the highest-need schools

“There are three pieces to school funding equity: the overall level of combined state and local funding a school district has access to, how the school district allocates these resources among its schools, and how well the resources are invested to increase student achievement. What happens once resources get to a school district has historically received the least transparency and attention. Governor Cuomo’s focus on this issue could help improve educational equity within that broader context, and we look forward to learning more details.”