As the governor and state leaders finalize New York’s state budget, they are deciding whether students with the greatest needs will receive the support they need to succeed.

Both the Senate and Assembly budgets include three critical proposals that would significantly expand opportunities for students statewide:

1. Updating the state’s education funding formula to increase funding for students experiencing homelessness, in foster care, and English Language Learners (ELLs)
2. Providing $105 million in categorical funding to expand community schools statewide
3. Funding the Foster Youth College Success Initiative (FYCSI) at $10 million for FY27 to help youth with foster care backgrounds succeed in higher education. Together, these investments would deliver urgently needed resources to New York City schools and strengthen supports for youth with foster care backgrounds across the state.

That’s why we are urging Governor Hochul and state legislators to include these investments in the final state budget.