Senator Siela A. Bynoe Fights for More Resilient Long Island Schools in Her First State Budget Negotiations

(Albany, NY) — Today, Senator Siela A. Bynoe (SD-6) announced a significant increase in education funding and relief for local school districts in the recently adopted State Senate’s One House budget proposal. The resolution includes:

 

Bolstering Essential School Funding: The Senate One House proposal includes a minimum 3% increase in Foundation Aid—an essential source of school funding—marking a significant improvement over the Executive Budget proposal and helping districts better meet the needs of their students. Under the Senate’s proposal, over half of school districts in SD-6 will see an increase in funding over the Executive’s proposal.

 

Additional Aid for Hempstead UFSD: The Senate’s budget proposal includes $24 million in additional aid to help offset the increased costs on public schools of payments to charter schools. Hempstead UFSD would also receive $150,000 for a fiscal consultant to develop financial plans and provide oversight, to help ensure the highest quality of education possible.  

 

Supporting Educators: Senator Bynoe fought to include a new $1,000 tax deduction to help cover the cost of classroom supplies and expenses for educators, which teachers often pay out of pocket. This proposal would help offset the cost that many teachers bear in order to deliver quality classroom experiences, and better support kids in their learning.

 

Restored Funding for Long Island Pre-K: The proposal also restores $750,000 in funding for the Long Island Pre-K Initiative, which builds local partnerships between school districts and community-based organizations to improve Pre-K programs and share best practices for early learning. 

 

Senator Siela A. Bynoe said, “As a former County Legislator, I have seen from the ground up the importance of high-quality education. In my first Senate One House Resolution, I was proud to vote for a proposal that takes a major step forward for our students, our educators, and our families. By increasing Foundation Aid, supporting our teachers and early learners, and delivering needed financial relief for Hempstead, we are investing in the future of education on Long Island. I am proud to fight for a budget that puts our children first and gives schools the tools they need to succeed.”