AGENCY TESTIMONY
Education funding and class size mandate implementation
0:09:23
·
170 sec
Comptroller Lander addresses the funding challenges for the Department of Education, particularly in light of expiring federal COVID-19 aid and the implementation of the class size mandate. He highlights areas where additional investment is required.
- Class size mandate implementation is not fully funded, with estimated additional costs of $467 million in FY26, rising to $1.4 billion in FY28
- $500 million reprieve combining local and state funding for various educational programs
- Concerns about funding for 3K, pre-K, and early childhood education in out years
- Support for ongoing funding of Promise NYC program
- Need for increased capital commitment to make schools accessible for students and families with disabilities
Brad Lander
0:09:23
Implementation of the class size mandate is not fully funded in the current budget, and we estimate that fully funding it would cost an additional 467,000,000 in f y 26, 933,000,000 in f y 27, and 1,400,000,000 in f y 28, and we have factored that into our reestimate.
0:09:41
And we don't, in our reestimate, include any projections of expanding, rental assistance, city FEPS, beyond its current levels, but, of course, the council passed legislation and is in litigation that would extend it, substantially more.
0:09:56
With the those two adjustments we do make, my office projects a surplus of 341,000,000 in the current fiscal year, GAAP of 1,270,000,000 in f y 25, growing to 9,000,000,000 in 26, over 10,000,000,000 in 27, and 13,000,000,000 in f y 28.
0:10:16
Despite the threat of substantial gaps in future fiscal years, the executive budget did make some positive moves to restore core services, which, I am enthusiastic about.
0:10:26
But there are areas where additional investment is still required.
0:10:31
The Department of Education, you know, 1st and foremost, given the expiration of federal COVID 19 aid, a good reprieve on $500,000,000 combining local and state funding, including coordinators for students in temporary housing, mental health support, pre k, community schools, but other critical programs like arts education, summarizing, and learning to work are only funded for the current year.
0:10:55
And, of course, on 3 k, the, fiscal cliff remains in the out years, and the restoration that was made does not address cuts of a 170,000,000 that were made to early childhood education, including 3 k, and pre k.
0:11:12
And the city does have an obligation to make good on its prior commitments to pay early childhood education workers in community based organizations on parity with their public school peers.
0:11:24
I support the council's request to provide ongoing funding for Promise NYC, which I think has been one of the most, just encouraging and promising programs of recent years, really, showing what it looks like when kids get a real opportunity when parents have the chance to work.
0:11:40
So I support the council's request to fund that at 25,000,000, as well as there's a good conversation underway about making our schools accessible for students and families with disabilities.
0:11:51
That fortunately is a capital commitment, and I'll come back to this.
0:11:54
But there is some room in the capital budget, thanks to the debt limit increase, and the city should increase the capital commitment by 450,000,000 over the next 5 years.
0:12:05
Right now, fewer than a third of New York City's schools are fully accessible to students or their family members with physical disabilities.
