SERINO ANNOUNCES MAJOR WIN FOR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS

SERINO ANNOUNCES MAJOR WIN FOR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS

State Budget Includes Unprecedented School Funding and Fully Eliminates GEA

ALBANY, NY—Senator Sue Serino (R, C, I—Hyde Park) announced today that she successfully secured unprecedented funding for New York’s Schools in this year’s State Budget.

“Since taking office last year, improving the quality of schools in our community has been one of my highest priorities,” said Serino. “Being able to provide a historic increase in school aid while also controlling state spending and providing unprecedented tax cuts for families across the state makes this budget a win for our schools, for taxpayers and for our communities.”

The final state budget included the highest school aid figure in New York’s history, $24.8 billion. It also includes, $340 million in annual funding for the Statewide Universal Full-Day Prekindergarten program and continues the $2 billion Smart Schools program.

Senator Serino also noted that this year’s budget finally fully repealed the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA), “The GEA has cost schools in our Senate District over $160 million since its inception. I have been fighting for its full repeal since taking office and earlier this year, I promised to make it one of my highest priorities in this year’s state budget. This was funding that was taken from schools to fill budget holes at a time when NYC interests dominated state government and it is high time that our schools get the funding they deserve.”

“The GEA was bad for taxpayers, it was bad for our schools, and worst of all it was bad for our kids. I am especially proud to see this measure repealed once and for all.”

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