Senator Mannion Funds Auburn Enlarged City School District's School Resource Officer (SRO) Program in 2021-2022 NYS Budget

AUBURN, NY – Senator John W. Mannion (D-Geddes) today announced funding in the New York State Budget for the Auburn Enlarged City School District’s School Resource Officer (SRO) program. 

The $275K secured by Senator Mannion will support four SRO’s across seven schools. SRO’s are highly trained community-based police officers who foster a safe school environment and provide a law enforcement resource for Auburn students, parents, and employees.  

“Auburn’s highly-trained SRO’s are tasked with the highest responsibility a community can bestow - keeping our schools and our kids safe,” said Senator Mannion. “I’m proud to represent Auburn in Albany, and pleased with the team effort it took to secure record funding for Auburn Schools. My commitment to reforming the Foundation Aid formula is unwavering. Auburn students are just as important as students anywhere in the state and need to be treated that way.” 

Funding the SRO program is part of the record $63M in state and federal education aid that Senator Mannion helped deliver for Auburn schools. Despite the gains in the 2021-2022 New York State Budget, the Auburn Enlarged City School District is historically underfunded by the state’s Foundation Aid formula.

During a visit to Herman Avenue Elementary School, Senator Mannion recommitted to reforming the Foundation Aid formula and bringing equity to school funding. 

“We are very appreciative of Senator Mannion’s efforts to obtain fair and equitable funding for Auburn schools,” Auburn Superintendent Jeffrey Pirozzolo said. “We are also extremely thankful that Senator Mannion was able to secure bullet aid so that we can continue to ensure the safety of Auburn students by contracting for SROs.”

"Senator Mannion's efforts to secure fair funding for Auburn students will allow us to add needed school counselors, restore cuts to art and music, lower class sizes and preserve our SRO program. The future is bright in Auburn." said Ian Phillips, Auburn School Board Member & Co-Chair of the District's Advocacy Committee.

"For more than a decade, we've been on pins & needles come budget time. How many positions will be cut this year? Will I or a teacher down the hall be on the chopping block? What will it mean for our students? Finally, this year we are restoring some of these troubling cuts and finally this year we have good news for our students," said Justin Herrling, High School Technology Teacher & Auburn Teachers Association President.

"As parents, we have been fighting for fairness for our children for years. We just want the same opportunities as everyone else. With this budget we are on the right track. There is more work to be done, but this investment in our children will be felt for years to come." said Danielle Wood, Herman Elementary PTO Treasurer, Auburn School Board Member & Co-Chair of the District Advocacy Committee.

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