Will continue fighting to make DREAM Act law
In an effort to strengthen our children’s education, Assemblymember Victor Pichardo (D-Bronx) announced the final budget includes a $1.6 billion increase in education aid over last year, as well as increased funding for higher education and CUNY programs.
“The success and future of our communities is dependent on the investments we make in our children,”Assemblymember Pichardo stated. “This increase in funding will help nurture the budding minds of students across the Bronx and help ensure the bright futures they deserve are within reach.”
Investing in education
Specifically, the final budget includes $23 billion in education funding, a $1.6 billion increase over last year. The state has dedicated funding to fulfill its Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE) obligation by committing $428 million for Foundation Aid – a $170 million increase over last year.
The budget also protects last year’s pre-K investment for New York City to ensure our children receive a quality, first-class education beginning at a young age, Assemblymember Pichardo noted.
Implementing the Higher Education Road to Success
In order to help keep costs down for students pursuing higher education, the final budget implements the Higher Education Road to Success. The plan provides an increase in support for CUNY community colleges of $100 per full-time equivalent (FTE) student to deliver a total of $2,597 per FTE.
The final agreement also provides a 20 percent increase to opportunity programs at CUNY and a 15 percent increase to opportunity programs administered by the State Education Department (SED). This includes a $4.4 million increase in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), for a total of $26.8 million, and a $3.8 million increase for the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), for a total of $29.6 million.
Additionally, the budget supports CUNY programs by including $2.5 million for the Accelerated Study in Associates Program (ASAP). The program helps motivated and driven community college students earn their degrees as quickly as possible, resulting in a graduation rate more than three times the national three-year graduation rate for community colleges.
However, the final budget does not include the DREAM Act proposal, Assemblymember Pichardo noted. The Assembly’s budget plan placed a college degree within reach for countless Bronx students by including the proposal which would allow undocumented students to apply for state-tuition programs.
“The investments we’ve made in our young people will help prepare them for future success, but our work is not done,” Assemblymember Pichardo stated. “Moving forward, I will continue fighting to make the DREAM Act a reality so that all Bronx students, regardless of their immigration status, have the same opportunities as their classmates to achieve a higher education.”
