(Long Island, NY) “Speaker Carl Heastie has set the tone for the budget season by laying out the Assembly Majority’s progressive vision to deliver educational equity and support children and families,” said Billy Easton, Executive Director for the Alliance for Quality Education. “Many communities in New York State are suffering from crushing levels of poverty and quality public education can open the door to opportunity. Speaker Heastie made it clear that the Assembly will fight for the equitable school funding that is long overdue. Funding for high-need schools will mean more arts and music, smaller class sizes and more students succeeding. His focus on pre-K is absolutely key. Only a couple years ago, New York made a promise of full-day pre-K for every four-year-old and we cannot let that promise be broken. Pre-K makes a dramatic difference for children. It increases success in school, college and life. It was also encouraging to hear the Speaker commit to fight for access to quality childcare and affordable higher education. Both are key to helping families lift themselves out of poverty.
We can afford to do what our children need. The Speaker made clear the Assembly is committed to asking billionaires and the one percent to stand up for our kids by paying a little more in taxes. This is a truly progressive vision for how New York State should address both educational opportunity and the stark inequality in our state and communities.”
