Albany, NY – Yesterday, as a Member of the Education Committee, Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon (D-119) participated in the New York State Assembly Education Committee Joint Budget Hearing on elementary and secondary education. The day’s hearing brought together lawmakers to hear testimony from Education Commissioner Betty Rosa, state and non-profit leadership, school leadership, and advocates from across the state to examine and offer modifications of the proposals set forth in Governor Kathy Hochul’s Executive Budget proposal. “Today’s hearing focused on investments for early learning, support for our dedicated educators, and strengthening student career pathways, highlighting
the progress that is being made, as well as the work that remains to ensure our schools have the necessary resources to provide every student with a high-quality education.” The Governor’s Executive Budget has proposed nearly $49.9 billion for the Department of Education, featuring several significant investments to support the needs of both districts and students across the state, including a $1.3 billion statewide investment proposal which would expand Universal Pre-K coverage to every four-year-old by 2028, launch community-wide childcare pilot programs for newborns to three-year-olds, and build upon the Child Care Assistance Program and voucher system. The Executive proposal further calls for a $779 million increase in Foundation Aid, including a minimum growth of 1 percent for each district, bringing the total investment to $27.1 billion. “As Commissioner Rosa stated in her testimony, for rural and underserved communities, state aid is the
cornerstone of equitable public education,” said Buttenschon. “The Governor has proposed a $779 million increase to Foundation Aid, and while I appreciate the Governor’s commitment to education funding and the initiatives she has set forth, it is essential to recognize that a one percent minimum increase does not keep pace with the real costs faced by our school districts, who have been struggling to address rising expenditures” said Assemblywoman Buttenschon.
Engaging with testifiers, Assemblywoman Buttenschon focused on the importance of addressing New York’s educator and teaching assistant shortages, with upstate and rural districts particularly impacted and positions in specialized areas becoming increasingly difficult to fill as they compete against urban and suburban districts. “When our districts experience staffing and educator shortages, it impacts our students,” said Buttenschon. “They may lose access to advanced coursework, specialized instruction, and as class sizes
grow due to staffing constraints, the individual attention they need. This is unacceptable. These workforce investments must be paired with the necessary long-term resources to make teaching in rural and underserved communities sustainable.”
The day’s hearing concluded with the Members offering their sincere appreciation for the continued perseverance, handwork, and commitment of our state’s educators to provide world-class educations to our families, and for their innovative leadership in building common-sense solutions to academic challenges. “I appreciate all those who testified today to provide the facts, data, and information needed to determine how to best allocate funding in the upcoming budget, in addition to hearing from our school boards, administrators, including our Utica City Schools Superintendent Dr. Christopher Spence,
teachers’-union leadership, parent-teacher associations, catholic and charter school representatives, students with special needs, and many supportive non-profits. Commissioner Rosa provided a detailed overview of the Executive’s proposal including special education, pre-k funding, foundation and expense-based aid, as well as library funding, federal voucher programs, and many new initiatives,” said Buttenschon. “Educating our children will always be a priority for me. Our children are our future and education provides them the necessary tools for success”
About Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon
Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon proudly represents New York’s 119th Assembly District, encompassing the cities of Utica and Rome as well as the Towns of Floyd, Deerfield, Marcy, and Whitestown. From a lifelong educator and former Dean of Public Service and Emergency Preparedness at Mohawk Valley Community College, to a small family farm owner, Buttenschon brings decades of experience advocating for equity, access, and opportunity across public health, education, agriculture, and emergency services. In the Assembly, she serves as Chair of the Committee on Small Business and as a member of the Agriculture, Education, Higher Education, and Veterans’ Affairs Committees, where she champions bipartisan solutions to improve quality of life. Her work reflects a steadfast commitment to ensuring that every family in her district and beyond can live with dignity,
support, and a voice in their future.
