Help our students receive the state aid they need and deserve

ALBANY, N.Y. (Jan. 30, 2012) -- Gov. Cuomo’s focus on providing more aid to high-needs school districts for the 2012-13 school year has missed the City School District of Albany, where seven out of 10 students qualify for free and reduced-price meals. 

Rather than providing Albany’s public schools with the help we badly need in the continued efforts to raise achievement for all students, the governor has proposed a $1.4 million cut for next year. Only three of the 41 school districts serving students K-12 in the four-county Albany area received harsher blows in the state-aid proposal the governor announced Jan. 17.

And all of that on top of $10 million in state-aid cuts to Albany’s public schools over the past three years (see the graph at right), a 20-percent funding increase for Albany’s 11 taxpayer-supported, privately operated charter schools just a year ago and the new 2-percent tax cap that will take effect statewide for 2012-13.

Click here to download an information sheet describing the impact of the governor's proposed budget on Albany's public schools.

Albany’s public schools have cut 250 positions over the past three years to make ends meet and already are at the bone. If the governor’s proposal doesn’t change, the impact will be devastating – on our students, staff, programs and the entire Albany community.

Please help us avoid this harmful outcome for the City School District of Albany’s 8,700 students and their families. Please contact our state officials (see below for contact information and letters in Word format that you can download, sign and send) and ask them to fight to provide the state aid that our students need and deserve for 2012-13.

Be sure to sign and print your name on each letter, and also include your address.

Your help is vital; the future of our children and our community depends on it. 

Legislative contact information

The Hon. Jack McEneny

Legislative Office Building - Room 648

Albany, NY 12248

Click here to download a letter for Assemblyman McEneny.

Phone: 518-455-4178

E-mail: mcenenj@assembly.state.ny.us

The Hon. Catherine Nolan

Assembly Education Committee Chair

Legislative Office Building - Room 836

Albany, NY 12248

Click here to download a letter for Assemblywoman Nolan.

Phone: 518-455-4851

E-mail: nolanc@assembly.state.ny.us

The mission of the City School District of Albany is to educate and nurture all students to be responsible citizens, critical thinkers and lifelong learners to successfully compete in the global community by providing an academically rigorous and safe environment in partnership with parents, students and the community. The district serves about 8,700 students in 15 elementary, middle and high schools. In addition to neighborhood schools, the district includes several magnet schools and programs, as well as other innovative academic opportunities for students, including four themed academies at Albany High School.