CCC Testimony: New York State Senate Finance Committee and New York State Assembly Ways and Means Committee Hearing on Executive Budget Proposals for Education State Fiscal Year 2016-2017

Published January, 2016

CCC testified at the New York State Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means hearing on January 27, 2016 regarding the State Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Executive Budget proposals on education. While many of the Executive Budget proposals are steps in the right direction, the budget needs to go further to invest the resources needed to ensure every New York City student receives a high quality education that prepares them for college and career. There are several critical proposals in the Executive Budget related to Education that CCC strongly supports and our testimony urged the legislature to negotiate a budget that includes these items including, $100 million for community schools, $22 million for pre-kindergarten for 3- year olds, extending Mayoral Control in New York City for three years, and passing the Dream Act. We are grateful for the Governor’s leadership on these issues, as well as the Legislature’s long-term commitment to these types of investments. Unfortunately, however, as detailed in our testimony, the level of funding that the Executive Budget proposes to commit to education is not sufficient to meet the needs of New York’s school children.