Senator Gallivan Unveils Legislative Package to Keep Education a Priority

Senator Patrick M. Gallivan (R-C, Elma) and member of the State Senate Minority Conference have unveiled a legislative package aimed at keeping education a priority for all New Yorkers. Key among the legislative package’s provisions is reversing the devastating cuts to schools that Governor Hochul included in her budget proposal. 

The elimination of the “hold harmless” provision that provides stability to local schools would result in more than 300 districts across New York getting less state aid compared to last year. 

“Education should be among the top priorities for state government, but the proposed budget will result in a loss of state aid for many individual school districts, especially those in rural communities that can least afford it,” Senator Gallivan said.  “Under the governor’s plan, five school districts in the 60th Senate District would lose funding, which could result in program cuts or higher local taxes. The legislature must ensure that education funding is distributed equitably, and students continue to receive quality services.” 

The current budget proposal would cut funding to Alden, East Aurora, Eden, Holland, and Iroquois school districts.    

The legislative package unveiled today includes proposals that will keep our students safe and improve educational outcomes in school throughout the state by:

• Reversing changes in the education formula proposed in the Executive Budget that will take resources away from our local schools.
• Closing the pandemic learning loss gap by ensuring unspent federal emergency relief aid supports academic recovery programs, expanding state grant funding, creating an office in the State Education Department to track outcomes of such programs, and focusing on future aid increases for early education to ensure students are provided a solid foundation for future academic challenges.
• Committing greater resources for school building security by creating a school resource officer program to permit the employment of retired law enforcement officers and provide grants to school districts and non-public schools.

The legislative package is part of a comprehensive plan that will be put forth by the Minority Conference this session to assure New Yorkers that our children’s education will remain a top priority. Earlier this month, the conference unveiled a 2024 legislative agenda that prioritizes the issues that affect every day New Yorkers, including:

• A plan to increase affordability; 
• Improve public safety; and
• Build a greater New York.

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