Gov. Hochul’s historic commitment to invest in our public schools is a huge step forward, and is exactly what our state needs. Fully funded foundation aid will dramatically improve the lives of students, educators and families across New York.

We celebrate the governor’s ongoing commitment to building a world-class public education system that supports New Yorkers at every stage of their educational lives, from universal pre-K to affordable, equitable higher education through operating aid for SUNY, CUNY and community colleges.

We applaud her pledge to seriously address mental health concerns affecting students, families and educators across the state. This is a vital step to help ensure the safety of our schools and improve long-term outcomes for our students.

We also commend the governor’s plan to connect the state minimum wage to inflation, providing much-needed financial relief to families across the state.

We’re eager to review the governor’s full budget proposal later this month and look forward to working with her and our partners in the legislature to ensure that the final state budget delivers on the recommendations we outlined in our “Future Forward” report.

As always, NYSUT will continue to advocate for our members, who selflessly devote themselves, day in and day out, to the communities they serve.

Andy Pallotta

President, New York State United Teachers

Albany