Assembly SFY 2026-27 Proposed Budget Includes $39.4 Billion in School Aid

Assembly SFY 2026-27 Proposed Budget Includes $39.4 Billion in School Aid

Assembly Proposed Budget Includes $600 Million to Support the New York City School Class Size Mandate

Assembly's Budget Includes $100 Million for After-School Programs, Providing 40,000 Additional Slots

Speaker Carl Heastie and Education Committee Chair Michael Benedetto today announced the Assembly's State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2026-2027 Proposed Budget provides $39.4 billion in school aid, a $2.1 billion increase from school year (SY) 2025-26, and $27.8 billion in Foundation Aid, a $1.4 billion increase over SY 2025-26.

"The Assembly Majority understands the importance of providing our children with the tools and resources they need to thrive in the classroom and will always remain committed to supporting our schools," said Speaker Heastie. "These critical investments will ensure that a New York education provides all students the opportunity today to achieve a bright future tomorrow."

"A former educator myself, I know the challenges that ripple through classrooms across the state," said Assemblymember Benedetto. "Ensuring that our next generation is equipped with the resources they need to succeed in our schools moves New York upward, and the investments we make provides our teachers and staff the support they need to deliver for our students."

The Assembly proposes $27.8 billion in Foundation Aid, a $1.4 billion increase over 2025-2026. This Foundation Aid increase includes:

• A new three year Homeless and Foster Student average count to the Pupil Needs Index with a weight of 0.65;
• Increasing the English Language Learner Factor of the Pupil Needs Index from 0.53 to 0.6;
• Removing the cap on the Pupil Needs Index; and
• Providing a minimum year-over-year increase in Foundation Aid of 2 percent.

The Assembly's proposal includes $20.9 million increase in three-year-old Pre-K to a minimum of $10,000 per pupil for districts outside of New York City. Additionally, it would expand Universal Pre-K (UPK) to support full day instruction for four-year-olds by fall 2028, consolidate UPK and statewide Universal Full Day Pre-K into a single program, and increase funding for the instruction of three-year-olds in New York City.

The Assembly budget also includes:

• $600 million to support the New York City School Class Size Mandate;
• $100 million in funding for Community Schools;
• $14.9 million restoration for Teacher Resource and Computer Training Centers;
• $8.3 million for Schools for the Blind and Deaf (4201 schools), a $4.9 million restoration and an additional $3.4 million, providing a total of $118.3 million;
• $5 million for Digital Inclusion;
• $1.5 million restoration for the Consortium for Worker Education (CWE), for a total of $13 million;
• $1.2 million for a Bilingual Education Pilot Programs in Buffalo and Queens;
• $750,000 to restore and an additional $750,000 for Independent Living Centers, for a total of $17.5 million; and
• $500,000 to restore Adult Literacy Education, for a total of $9.8 million.

The Assembly budget proposal also includes $100 million for electric buses and related infrastructure for schools.

One decade ago, New York became the first state in the country to provide funding to the My Brother's Keeper initiative. My Brother's Keeper seeks to engage with families and communities to provide professional, developmental and educational opportunities that seek to address issues related to restorative justice and racial disparities in education. The SFY 2026-27 Assembly Budget includes an additional $2 million for My Brother's Keeper, for a total of $30 million.

After-School Programs and Child Care

The Assembly proposes $100 million for after-school programs that service youth up to age 18, providing funding for an additional 40,000 slots.

The budget also includes the executive proposal to provide $3.6 billion for child care and would provide $18.7 million to eliminate minimum wage eligibility requirements to access child care assistance.

Libraries

The Assembly budget restores and provides a $4.6 million increase in Library Aid, for a total of $109.3 million, and provides an additional $36 million increase on Library Construction, for a total of $70 million. The Assembly also restores $4 million for Educational TV and Radio, for a total of $18 million.